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IN 1859, A DECADE AFTER MEDINA COUNTY WAS
CREATED, FREE MASONS AND OTHERS IN THE NEW FOUNTAIN SETTLEMENT BUILT A 2-STORY
CHURCH - LODGE HALL AT THIS SITE.
HONDO VALLEY LODGE NO. 252 A.F. & A. M. WAS
CHARTERED IN 1860. THE MASONIC CEMETERY WAS OPENED HERE IN 1864 WHEN JUNIOR
WARDEN RUBEN SMITH WAS KILLED BY INDIANS.
MASONS AND MEMBERS OF THEIR FAMILIES REST HERE
IN 22 GRAVES. BY UNPLANNED CIRCUMSTANCE, MASONIC EMBLEM IS UP SIDE DOWN ON TWO
TOMBSTONES. HONDO VALLEY LODGE DEMISED IN 1883, WAS PARENT OF DEVINE LODGE NO.
590 AND HONDO CITY LODGE NO. 756. A. F. & A. M.
Texas Historical Commission-1973
Located on the east side of CR 4526 (Masonic
Springs Road) 1.7 miles north of U.S. Highway 90, just past Hondo Creek at the
top of the hill.
NOTE: The following tombstone inscriptions were copied word for word, line for
line. Tombstones identifying more than one grave are identified by a hyphen
(1-2). Underlined information is relative to all graves or burials sharing a common
tombstone. FS signifies footstone. A slash (/) indicates the end of
a line. Information in italics (italics ) represents comments or observations made
by the transcriber or are from other sources as noted.
Compiled by the Medina County Tombstone Inscription Project, Jim Menke,
Coordinator, in cooperation with the Castro Colonies Heritage Association,
Historical Research Committee. (2002)
| No. |
Name |
Inscription/Remarks |
| 1 |
LONG, S |
SACRED TO THE MEMORY / OF SAMUEL A. LONG / Who
departed this life Sept. 17, 1866 / Aged 49 years, 4 mos., 1 day. (A
second marker has been placed at the base of the existing limestone
marker. It reads: SAMUEL ANDERSON LONG / MAY 16, 1817 - SEPT. 17,
1866 / NATIVE OF TENNESSEE / REPUBLIC OF TEXAS ARMY / 1837 - 1839 /
WORSHIPFUL MASTER 1861 - 1863 / LODGE 252.)
Masonic emblem is upside down. |
| 2 |
SMITH, R |
SACRED TO THE MEMORY / of / R. C. SMITH WHO / WAS
KILLED BY INDIANS / APRIL THE 15, 1864 / WAS JUNIOR WARDEN / OF
HONDO LODGE NO / 252 FROM ITS ORGAN / IZATION UNTIL HIS / DEATH AGED
38 YEARS
Masonic emblem is upside down. |
| 3 |
________, __ |
An adult-size grave with stacked stone wall
enclosing site. |
| 4 |
REDUS, L |
IT WAS GOD'S WILL / IN MEMORY OF / LUCY WILLIE /
Daughter of JOHN & SARA H REDUS / Born Aug. 2, 1866 / Died Oct. 5,
1867 / Turney 145 S Chas. St. No.
Carved lamb at top of headstone |
| 5 |
REDUS, H |
OUR LITTLE PET / IN MEMORY OF / HUGH WILLIE, /
Infant of / JOHN & SARAH REDUS / Born Nov. 14, 1860 / Died Feb. 17,
186l
Carved lamb at top of headstone |
| 6 |
ELAM, J |
JOHN J. ELAM / BORN / Apr. 10, 1848 / DIED / Apr.
4, 1878 / Sleep brother dear, / and take your rest; / God called you
home, / He thought it best.
Headstone broken, FS - H. W. |
| 7 |
KENNEDY, G |
To the memory of / GEORGE KENNEDY / DIED / July
24, 1875, / at 48 yrs. / Farewell George, / May you sweetly sleep
till / you and I in Heaven meet.
Headstone broken |
| 8 |
________, __ |
An adult-size grave with stacked stone wall
enclosing site; no headstone |
| 9 |
________, __ |
An adult-size grave with stacked stone wall enclosing site; no
headstone |
| 10 |
BURNETT, T |
THOMAS EDGAR / LAURA & T. BURKETT / DIED / Nov
8th 1874 / AGED / 3 YEARS, 7 MO., 22 DAYS / Sleep on sweet baby and
take thy rest; God called away / when he thinks best.
An adult-size grave with stacked stone wall
enclosing site |
| 11 |
________, __ |
An adult-size grave with stacked stone wall
enclosing site. Walls collapsed; no headstone |
| 12 |
________, __ |
Stone marker with no visible inscription |
| 13 |
KING, J |
JOHN W. / SON OF / I. H. & M. M. KING / DIED /
Oct. 1, 1869; / AGED / 3 months, 20 days. / The Lord gives and the
Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
Son of Isaac King and Mellie M. King nee
Harper. |
| 14-15 |
KING, __ |
OUR TWINS / Infant / Daughters of / I. H. & M.
M. KING / Sleep on sweet babes, Take thy rest; / God calls away when
He thinks best.
Carved figure of two lambs at top of
headstone; infant daughters of Isaac King and Mellie M. King nee
Harper. |
| 16 |
________, __ |
Limestone headstone with no visible
inscription. |
| 17 |
________, __ |
Limestone headstone with no visible
inscription. |
| 18 |
________, __ |
Limestone headstone with no visible
inscription. |
| 19 |
________, __ |
Limestone headstone with no visible
inscription. |
| 20 |
KING, H |
HORACE P. / Son of J. J. & A. L. KING / BORN /
Jan. 3, 1850; / DIED / Sept. 6, 1867 / Sleep on brother, thy work is
done, / Jesus has come and borne thee home. |
| 21 |
HARPER, A |
MY MOTHER / ANN L. / Wife of / G. W. HARPER /
BORN / MAR. 3, 1820, / DIED / APR. 25, 1866
Nee King, second wife of Geo. W. Harper; FS
- A.L.H. |
| 22 |
HARPER, G |
GEO. W. HARPER / BORN / Sept. 25, 1807; / DIED /
July 9, 1882 / Our father has gone to a mansion of rest / to the
glorious land of the Diety blest.
FS - G.W.H. |
| 23 |
HARPER, M |
MALINDA F. / Wife of / G. W. HARPER / BORN / Apr.
19, 1807; / DIED / May 13, 1857 / Rest, Mother rest in quiet sleep,
/ while friends in sorrow o'er thee weep.
Nee Moore, first wife of Geo. W. Harper |
| 24 |
________, __ |
Limestone headstone with no visible
inscription. |
| 25 |
________, __ |
Limestone headstone with no visible
inscription. Located within a walled enclosure within the
larger enclosure. |
|
TXGenWeb, Medina County -
Masonic Springs Cemetery (MCTIP) updated on
11/10/2013 |
