Submitted by Margaret Bates <mrbates@swbell.net>
NEW HOME CEMETERY
Farm Road 1464 about one mile north of Highway 90 near Richmond,
Fort Bend County, Texas.
This cemetery comprises approximately 2 acres and is located across the road and a little north of the Old Orchard Golf Club.
There are many painted stakes, pipes
(both metal and PVC) that are used for markers. There are also plantings which are obviously meant to mark graves,
uch as large banana plants and yuccas.
All around the cemetery are signs of progress -- bulldozers were at work to the
east and earth had been moved right up to the edge of the cemetery. Clearly, this
is an endangered site. Possibly the only thing saving it is its proximity to the
road.
There is an entrance of sorts in the middle of the cemetery which is large enough
for one or two cars to park off the road. The graves are separated into two main
sections, north and south. The cemetery was very irregular in rows and topography
and there are probably a large number of unmarked graves.
Clearly, the little cemetery is the eternal resting place of many poor folks, although there were a few very fine stones. Largely, the "proper" stones were
military markers.
Nearby, about 1/2 mile south, is Buford H. Jester Unit of Texas Department of Corrections. It is not really thought that there is any connection between the
cemetery and the DOC, but this may be the case.
Graves were recorded first in the north section, rows from south to north, moving from west (the road) to east.
Next recorded was a small section of graves located just to the south of the entrance.
The the south section was recorded, moving in the same directions.
North Section
Row 1
UNKNOWN, "Dad," no dates. Plastic pipe cross, faded artificial flowers
UNKNOWN, metal funeral marker with no card, faded artificial flowers
SMALLWOOD, Miller Dewayne, 18 Dec 1976 - 22 Dec 1985 "Gone to a Better Land:
Pink/gray granite, small marker. Concrete blanket and headstone base.
SMALLWOOD, Plez, 20 Jul 1922 - 26 Feb 1985, USA WWII, military marker
WILLIAMS, Bruce Edward, USMC 12 Nov 1959 - 16 Sep 1981, military marker
Row 2
UNKNOWN, metal funeral marker with no card, "Happy Mother's Day"
faded artificial flowers
UNKNOWN, metal funeral marker with no card, plastic pipe cross
WILLIAMS, Willie, 1 Oct 1917 - 22 Mar 1989, TEC 5, USA WWII, military marker
WILLIAMS, Lou Willie, 20 Dec 1912 - 4 Jun 1997 (ss/w O.D. Williams)
WILLIAMS, O. D., 31 Oct 1914 - 12 Dec 1979
GANT, Lula, 1888-1971, "Mother"
GANT, Willie, 10 Jun 1894 - 3 May 1980, Pvt. USA WWI, military marker
Row 3
HOLIDAY, Kayla, 18 Oct 1999 (only date). Child's grave, size very evident
from fill dirt. Birthday card in plastic said "Little 1 Year Old"
UNKNOWN, Child, plastic pipe cross, no markings
UNKNOWN, plastic pipe cross, no words
(Possibly three more graves)
Row 4
UNKNOWN, plastic pipe cross
UNKNOWN, plastic pipe cross, rusted metal funeral marker, illegible
(these two graves had foot markers that appeared to be concrete piers
such as might be poured into a frame for supporting a porch. They were
about 1 foot square and 10 inches tall.
Row 5
UNKNOWN, plastic pipe
Row 6
UNKNOWN, broken metal funeral marker
JOHNSON, __line, 21 Feb 1893 - 5 Feb 1995, Age 91
(metal funeral marker nearly illegible)
Middle Section
Row 7
BERRY, Pearlie, 15 Jun 1875 - 9 Sep 1957, "Mother"
Concrete marker, name and dates carved and painted
UNKNOWN, plastic pipe
South Section
Row 8
UNKNOWN, broken stone
MILES, Burford Sr., no dates, "At Rest"
CARMICHAEL, Ida, 11 Jan 1885 - 30 Oct 1968
SWIST, Hattie, 22 Aug 1892 - 31 Oct 1977
SWIST, Edna, 6 Dec 1900 - no date
RODGERS, James E., 6 Aug 1929 - no date
Row 9
SWIST, Millie, no dates, "At Rest"
JENNINGS, Rosa, 16 Jan 1888 - 3 May 1950
JENNINGS, Robert Sr., 20 Apr 1870 - 25 Mar 1952
UNKNOWN, metal funeral marker, no card, broken or temporary stone
DOGAN, Herman "D", 12 Sep 1910 - 11 Jan 1983, "Loving Father"
DOGAN, Addie L., 4 Aug 1911 - 17 Dec 1991
Row 10
SWIST, Menda, 11 Apr 1881 - 29 May 1976
