West Knott Cemetery 

W side of cemetery looking South West Side of Cemetery Picture looking east

Howard Co. Cemeteries of TX

Submitted by Fred Hendrickson


Cemetery is located in West Knott in Howard County, Texas.  This is 5 acres of land that was originally deeded as school property. I have not found out when it began use as a cemetery. The cemetery is overgrown in weeds, Mesquite, and sand.   I did find some graves marked with a small marker or rebar.  Many of the gravesites are marked with rebar.

Bench in middle of cemetery

This cross is on the west side of the cemetery. No idea who it belongs to. Most burials on the west side of the cemetery were Mexican while the east side is mainly whites. Wooden Cross 01Wooden Cross  02, Wooden Cross 03

Unmarked Graves There are numerous graves with no names. Some have a piece a rebar while others have markers that would have been used by a funeral home, but the names are long gone. The local Knott residents used to care for the cemetery and probably used the rebar to mark the graves before the sand and time got them. Unmarked 01,    Unmarked 02,  Unmarked 03

This cemetery is getting in very bad shape. As you can see, many headstones are getting covered up in sand and weeds. The land on three sides is in CRP, so that has helped to slow down the buildup of sand. The farmers used to get together occasionally and cleanup the cemetery. The last time has probably been 15 or 20 years ago. Most are too old now to do that.


BARKER Martha Jan.14,1849-Apr.23,1907   Martha Barker Original Marker stone. Martha Barker 2 1849 - 1907 - Wife of J.C. Barker. Family, but I do not know the relationship yet.


BYRD R.S. Jr. Dec.28,1906-Mar.3,1909 Son

CHAPMAN Benjamine July 6,1888-Mar.10, 1927
100_2920, 21, & 23 Benjamin F. Chapman - Woodmen of the World Memorial. Chapmen is a family name, but do not know where he fits in.  BF Chapmen Marker I believe this to be the original stone marker Of Benjamin Chapmen.


GASKINS J.C. Emory  - Aug.27,1912-Jan.29, 1914Aug.27,1912-Jan.29, 1914 
Emory 01,  02, 03   - Emory was in the garden with his Mother (Nora Gaskins) picking beans. Emory put a bean in his mouth and choked on it. They lived about 20 miles from the nearest hospital and could not get him to town in time. This cemetery is located on the same section of land that the home was on.

GASKINS Abner Dec.14, 1885-Aug.24, 1907

Mattie & Mattie 2 November 11, 1891 - March 19, 1909. No last name given on the headstone. Simply says "Mattie" Her name is Martha (Mattie) Gaskins, daughter of Thomas & Martha Gaskins.


GASKINS Martha J. 1856-1940 Mother
GASKINS Thomas A.1851-1939 Father  --Thomas & Martha Gaskins  - Grandparents of my Father-in-Law, Grady Lewis Gaskins, Emory Gaskins, and five other children. They lived, and farmed, the land that they are buried on.

HAYES Scharline Feb.5,1922-June 3, 1937

HERREN Alice May 28,1894-no date

HERREN William G.Feb.14,1886-July10, 1940

KEMPER Arthur Feb.19,1861-Nov.4, 1944

KEMPER Arthur Ray June 6,1910-Apr.15,1929

KEMPER Lou Inus Feb.14,1877-Nov.17, 1966

KIRK Mary A. Dec.10,1888-June 21, 1911 
Fallen Headstone Mary A. Wife of J.W. Kirk 1888 - 1911. Do not know who this is. This tombstone was standing about a month ago. I don't know if animals or people knocked it over. This cemetery is in the country and a person would almost have to know where it is to find it. There are no road signs.

MITCHELL Claudia June 25, 1885-Mar.18, 1952

NICHOLS J.B. 1912-1921

NICHOLS J.V. Jan.9, 1848-Feb.6, 1925

NICHOLS Luticia A. Deline 1862-1932 Mother

NICHOLS O.B. 1881-1971

NICHOLS Georgia A 1880-1955 married Nov.30,1903

WINTERBAUER Maudie May 15, 1898-Aug.20,1908

WINTERBAUER Georgia June 28, 1872-Apr.10, 1945