Berry-Johnson Cemetery

Rusk Co. Cemeteries of TX

From "71 Rusk County Cemeteries"by Mary F. Dunn

Submitted by Gloria B. Mayfield

Cemeteries of TX:   Joan Singletary

Located near Lawsonville. Some of the graves are of black people, but the Johnson graves were said to be white people.

Here is a email that I received with great information about this cemetery, Thanks Deborah Rayfield. It goes like this:

Gloria, I'm enjoying your Rusk co Web page - it's wonderful and full of info. I have a little more info about the Berry Johnson Cemetery in Rusk Co if you are interested. This family cemetery was located on the homeplace of Berryman Cicero Holt Johnson (BCH) or (Berry) and his wife, Nancy Brinson. BCH was the son of Claiborne Johnson, who came to Texas in 1839 with large following of family. Nancy was the daughter of Mathew Brinson, a large land owner in Shelby County. The two little girls who are buried in the cemetery were the grand daughters of BCH and Nancy. Maude and Nannie were children of Matthew Claiborne Johnson and his wife, Sallie Wynne Murphey Johnson.

From a family letter written in 1934, I have the names of other family members who are buried in the cemetery. None of their graves are marked with headstones. Claiborne Johnson b.ca 1784 SC d.1853 Rusk Co Tx BCH Johnson b. ca 1825 GA d.? Nancy Brinson Johnson b. ca 1832 Al d.? Mary Johnson, dau. of BCH and Nancy Rhoda Johnson, dau. of BCH and Nancy Taylor Johnson, son of BCH and Nancy Infant son of Sallie Wynne Johnson Infant son of Nancy Ann Flanagan Infant son of MT Johnson  Also contains numerous slaves .

Mathew Brinson b. ca 1789 NC and died 1861 Rusk Co is also supposedly buried there. I don't know if it's possible to list these names, but I don't want them forgotten. I would be more than happy to mail you a copy of the letter if you like. I have done extensive research on the Johnson's and Brinson's in Texas. I descend from another son of Claiborne Johnson, Middleton Tate Johnson, who eventually settled in Tarrant Co. Thank you so much for all your work on this page. Sincerely, Deborah Rayfield. Rayfield@TAGTeamWork.com.