Macedonia Cemetery (Includes 2 Reinterred graves from Robinson Cemetery; 61 Reinterred graves from New Zion Cemetery), Sabine County, Texas - From the Sabine County Court House in Hemphill, Texas take FM 83 (Worth Street) East 1 block to FM 83/State Hwy 87.  Go North or Left on FM 83/Hwy 87 for about 1 mile to where FM 83 turns Right (At the Dairy Queen) and follow FM 83 for ??? miles until you reach Macedonia Church on the Right.  Turn Right at the Church and the cemetery is behind the church.  Graves from New Zion Cemetery and Robinson Bend Cemetery were moved to this cemetery before Toledo Bend Reservoir was built.  This cemetery has a Historical Marker.  Additional information added in parenthesis.

     The following "History of Macedonia Baptist Church Cemetery" was provided with the Historical Marker & Index of the Cemetery in 1999.
*******************************************************************************************
                     "History of Macedonia Baptist Church Cemetery"

     Nestled amidst some of the most fragrant gardenias in Texas, Approximately two miles Northeast of Hemphill on FM83, is the Macedonia Baptist Cemetery.  Without regard to religious denomination, faith, or affiliation, the cemetery has been the interment site for most of the black residents of Sabine County for over a century.
     The cemetery is named for the church that sets in front of it.  Church records show the Macedonia Baptist Church was established at its current site in 1885.1 Like Antioch Missionary Baptist Church organized at Gravelhill in 1876, the church is among the very few Sabine County churches established prior to 1900 which has been in continuous existence since that time.2
     The church's continued existence, however, has not been easy.  In January 1918, the church burned.  Services were help under a bush arbor until it could be rebuilt.  The church was rebuilt but burned again in September 1926.  As a testimony to the tenacity and commitment of the black residents of the community, the church was again rebuilt and stands today as a source of faith, hope, and pride to the community.
     According to some of the older residents of the community, Macedonia Cemetery and Macedonia Baptist Church had their origin even earlier than 1885.  This means Macedonia Church and Cemetery must have begun shortly after Hemphill came into existence in 1858.2  According to Whitman Johnson, a lifelong resident of Hemphill, his father, Henry Johnson, born in 1862 told him of what was referred to as "Old Macedonia Church and Cemetery".3   Old Macedonia is located about one mile north of Hemphill approximately 1/2 mile from the current Hemphill High School.  The facility served as the meeting place for both Methodist and Baptist congregations. Whitman Johnson said his father told him that when Macedonia Church moved to it current location, the Methodist congregation continued to use the church until it burned the late 1800's.  Records at the Sabine County Courthouse show the Old Macedonia Cemetery and Church was given to the Colored Methodist church by Joel Craig in 1893.4  During an interview with Blanche Toole, Sabine County Historian, she said that in the mid to late 1800's there was a steam mill and a settlement of black people located in this area.  She said this community of blacks disbanded when the mill closed in the early 1900's.5  Today, Old Macedonia Cemetery has approximately six marked and ninety unmarked graves.  The earliest marked grave is that of T. B. Buckley, born in 1862 and died in 1905.6  The most recent markings indicate that some family members continued to bury their love ones at Old Macedonia Cemetery until the early 1940's.
     No one seems to know the original seller of donor of the land for the current site of the Macedonia Cemetery.  Neither does anyone know exactly how long the cemetery has been in existence.  However, since church record clearly establishes the church's existence at this location since 1885, it is believed the cemetery has been here as long as the church has been here.  Over the years, additional acreage has been purchased to expand the cemetery to meet the growing needs of the community.7  It was increased to 5 1/2 acres in 1968 when Robinson Bend's entombed was moved to the cemetery to make room for Toledo Bend Lake, the fifth largest man made lake in the United States.
     The cemetery has over 500 graves.8  There are 357 marked and 193 unmarked graves.  Many of the early graves are unmarked.  No doubt, as slavery had ended only 20 years earlier, most blacks were too economically depressed to purchase markers.  The earliest marked graves are of two early settlers to the black community.  The graves are those of Olin Robertson, born February 15, 1828 and died January 19, 1906, and Daniels Thomas, born October 10, 1908, and died May 25, 1913.9  Approximately ten percent of the graves in the cemetery are those of Veterans of Foreign Wars.10  Ten graves of those of men who fought in WWI; thirty-seven are from WWII; four are from the Korean Conflict and two are from the Vietnam Conflict.  One of those men, L. C. Blake, died in battle during the Vietnam Conflict.  In keeping with black men's patriotism to this country, each war is well represented.
     The cemetery is also the final resting place for several black pioneer centenarians and over ninety nonagenarians, several of which were born during slavery.  Centenarians include Lee Ella Smith, Born April 15, 1870 and died February 11, 1971; Oxlean Daniel, born August 15, 1870 and died April 11, 1971; Mary White, born June 1, 1875 and died November 29, 1975, and Lizzie Daniels, boo October 1876 and died January 5, 1979.  All these centenarians were an integral part of the early settlers of the black community in Hemphill.
     The cemetery is the entombment site for many other early settlers of the community.  Many of these people made notable contributions to the community. For example, tax records show Henry Johnson, born in 1862, died and buried at Macedonia Cemetery in 1955, came to Hemphill in the late 1800's.  He purchased hundreds of acres of land and donated the land to build the first black school in Hemphill.  His son, Whitman Johnson, born in 1918 said he rememebers his father and Judge Smiley working on the first school for blacks in Hemphill, It opened in 1926 and was named Rosenwald School.  Judge Smiley, born in 1886 and died in 1981, is also buried in the Macedonia Church Cemetery.
     Mr. Reese Trotty and several other residents of the Thomas Johnson community have maintained the cemetery for many years.  Each year, individuals with relatives buried in the cemetery are requested to donated $10 for the up keep of the cemetery.   The placement of a Texas Historical Marked at this site honors the labor and commitment of all the men and women buried here that helped to shape the history of blacks in Sabine County, TX since the 1800's.
  BIBLIOGRAPHY
1.  Macedonia Baptist Church records.  Mrs. Cleo Trotty, Church Clerk.  FM 83, Hemphill, TX.
2.  McDaniel, Robert Cecil.  Sabine County, Texas:  The First One Hundred and Fifty Years (1836-1986).  Waco, Texas:  Texian Press, 1997, page 32.
3.  Johnson, Whitman, 81 year old lifelong resident of community.  Personal interview, October 1999.
4.  Sabine County Deed Records, Vol, J, page 26.  February 27, 1893, Hemphill, TX.
5.  Toole, Blanche.  Sabine County Historian, Personal interview, August 1998 and May 1999.
6.  Buckley, T. B.  Tombstone at Old Macedonia Cemetery.
7.  Sabine County Deed Records,  Vol. 264, page 336; Vol. 67, page 529 DR; Vol. 51, page 181 DR; and Vol. 201, page 719 DR.
8.  Macedonia Baptist Church Cemetery, listing of graves. (attached)
9.  Robertson Olin and Daniels Thomas, Picture of Tombstone at Macedonia Cemetery.
10. Marked graves, Macedonia Cemetery, Listing attached.
*******************************************************************************************

*GPS Coordinates: 3121100N - 09349742W ;  First Marked Burial - {18 Jan 2002} ;  Last Marked Burial - {11 Dec 2002}
Indexed 25 Dec 1999 for Historical Marker ;  Updated from Obits 2 Jan 2003 by Kay Parker McCary

Notations/Symbols/Footnotes
 *  Unmarked grave
 #  Reinterred grave from New Zion Cemetery
 +  Reinterred grave from Robinson Cemetery
{ } Information from Obituary - Sabine County Reporter - Hemphill, TX
 ^  Information from Social Security Death Index or Death Record

NAME

BIRTH DATE

DEATH DATE

INFORMATION-COMMENTS

1.

Amos, Child

---

---

(Child of Bettie Amos)

2.

Amos, Child

---

---

(Child of Bettie Amos)

3.

+ Arnold, Jasper

---

---

(Reinterrment #141)

4.

Barclay, Josephine

8 Dec 1904

28 Aug 1992

5.

Bass, Willie T.

8 Aug 1928

23 Mar 1982

6.

Battle, Biven

26 July 1896

5 May 1975

7.

Battle, Ethel

24 Mar 1896

18 Sept 1962

8.

Battle, Evertt

(^25 Mar) 1917

(^25 May) 1992

(^Evertt V. Battle)

9.

{Battle, Isaiah

15 Jan 1929

2 Nov 2002

Obit 8 May 2002 SCR}

10.

Battle, Nonine Katie Washington

8 Nov 1906

   23 July 1969

11.

* Battle, Tera

---

---

12.

Beard, Nola P.

1912

(^3 May) 1968

13.

Bell, Burbon

8 Oct 1891

8 Nov 1975

14.

Bell, C. D.

1925

(9 Jan) 1990

(WW II)

15.

Bell, Chester

(^1 Jan) 1908

(^4 or 20 Mar) 1990

(^Chester Otis Bell)

16.

Bell, Corine

8 Nov 1925

19 Jan 1987

17.

Bell, Emett

1917

1961

18.

Bell, Exie Jones

16 Apr 1912

7 June 1992

19.

Bell, Gazella

1942

(^27 Oct) 1996

20.

Bell, Jennie V.

3 Mar 1909

30 Aug 1974

21.

Bell, Marvin

23 Dec 1916

25 May 1975

(WW II)

22.

* Bell, Mattie Gordon

---

---

23.

Bell, O. C.

1927

1976

(^Q. C. Bell? - 2 Mar 1927 - Feb 1976)

24.

Bell, Percy

1 Nov 1915

18 Nov 1984

25.

Bell, Pete

---

---

26.

Bell, Tyrone

6 Nov 1962

12 Jan 1963

27.

Bell, Willie

25 Dec 1899

18 Dec 1976

28.

Bell, Willie

12 Mar 1910

15 Jan 1993

29.

Blair, Anphry

1882

(^26 Apr) 1966

(^Fe)

30.

* Blake, Arry

23 Apr 1896

19 July 1942

(WW I)

31.

Blake, Ivory

23 Apr 1896

19 July 1942

(Same as Arry Blake above?)

32.

* Blake, Johnny

---

---

33.

Blake, L. C.

19 June 1930

23 Nov 1965

(KW Vietnam)

34.

* Blake, McKenly

---

---

35.

Blake, Robert Earl

14 Oct 1922

22 Mar 1987

36.

* Brister, Alice Thomas

---

---

37.

{Brister, Gertrude

(^19 Nov 1907)

11 Dec 2002

Obit 18 Dec 2002 SCR}

38.

Brister, Larence

11 July 1909

15 June 1972

39.

Brister, Sarah

14 Aug 1901

14 Oct 1977

40.

Brister, Sidney

2 Feb 1900

26 May 1991

41.

Brister, Weeks

23 May 1904

9 June 1987

42.

Brister, William "Bill"

11 Sept 1903

10 Nov 1971

43.

Brooks, Michael A.

12 May 1964

4 Dec 1984

44.

Brown, Annie Mae

20 Feb 1910

17 Feb 1978

45.

Brown, Bell

1905

(^10 Oct) 1996

(^Belle Brown)

46.

Brush, (No Name Given)

---

---

(WW II)

47.

# Brush, Allen

---

---

(Reinterment #107)

48.

Brush, Allen

6 June 1885

26 Feb

(Same as above?)

49.

# Brush, Arthur

---

---

(Reinterment #108)

50.

Brush, Darsie

4 July 1884

27 Jan 1962

51.

# Brush, Ethel

---

---

(Reinterment #105)

52.

Brush, Ethel

1890

1957

(Same as above?)

53.

Brush, Grant

(^15 Mar) 1889

(^23 Dec) 1982

54.

# Brush, Henry, Jr.

---

---

(Reinterment #97)

55.

# Brush, Henry, Sr.

---

---

(Reinterment #93)

56.

# Brush, Jewerlean

---

---

(Reinterment #104)

57.

* Brush, Joe

23 July 1922

16 Oct 1976

(WW II)

58.

# Brush, John

---

---

(Reinterment #91)

59.

# Brush, L. C.

---

---

(Reinterment #106)

60.

# Brush, Lonnie

---

---

(Reinterment #101)

61.

# Brush, Louis

---

---

(Reinterment #132)

62.

# Brush, Mary Ella

---

---

(Reinterment #112)

63.

# Brush, Mary Jane

---

---

(Reinterment #89)

64.

Brush, Mary Jane

1850

11 Apr 1956

(Same as above?)

65.

Brush, O. C.

(^9 Sept) 1919

(^19 May) 1985

(WW II)

66.

# Brush, Robert

---

---

(Reinterment #102)

67.

Brown, Rev. Robert L.

17 Feb 1905

18 Oct 1970

(Same as above?)

68.

Brush, William Joe

23 July 1922

16 Oct 1976

69.

# Brush, Zumie

---

---

(Reinterment #92)

70.

# Burse, Winnie

---

---

(Reinterment #90)

71.

Buckley, Ardessa

13 Sept 1892

20 Aug 1981

72.

* Buckley, Ed

---

---

73.

Buckley, Isam

(^30 Jan 1893) 1891

(^18 Apr) 1966

(^Isam Buckley, Junior)

74.

Buckley, Isola

1890

---

75.

Buckley, Klee

28 June 1929

14 July 1987

76.

Buckley, Nancy Gordon

18 Oct 1892

25 Aug 1989

77.

Buckley, Odell, Sr.

21 Mar 1912

7 May 1992

78.

Buckley, Rev. Sidney

(^6 Feb 1897) 1907

(^15 Feb) 1988

(^Sidney E. Buckley)

79.

* Buckley, Son

---

---

(Son of Ed Buckley)

80.

Buckley, Verom M.

2 Feb 1897

25 Jan 1967

(WW I)

81.

Buckley, Young Jack

(^8 May) 1911

(^29 Oct) 1977

(^Young J. Buckley, Jr.)

82.

Busby, Marion

4 July 1880

31 Dec 1956

83.

Busby, Sing

2 Mar 1887

20 Apr 1974

84.

Butler, C. J.

1925

1988

85.

Butler, Eva

12 Oct 1894

11 Apr 1945

86.

Carter, Henry

25 July 1913

27 Jan 1982

87.

Caston, Amanter B.

1927

1988

88.

Chaney, Pirlie W.

3 July 1908

25 July 1990

89.

Childs, Jestine

28 Aug 1955

2 Dec 1987

90.

Clay, Kathrene

12 Dec 1920

25 June 1997

91.

* Clay, Henry

---

---

92.

Clay, William

---

---

93.

{Coleman, Eugene

21 Nov 1931

24 Aug 2002

Obit 28 Aug 2002 SCR}

94.

Coleman, Will

14 July 1888

9 Jan 1982

(Henry Gilmore "Will" Coleman)

95.

Cooper, Nanerie

22 Nov 1875

1 Oct 1955

96.

+ Corbett, John

---

---

(Reinterrment #144)

97.

Crimmual, Tom C.

(^11 Aug) 1906

(^18 Mar) 1986

(^Tom Chapell Crimual - WW II)

98.

Crockett, Baby

---

---

99.

Daniel, Clyde

6 Oct 1932

16 Sept 1995

100.

Daniel, Oxlean

15 Aug 1870

11 Apr 1971

101.

* Daniels, Alice

---

---

102.

Daniels, Edd

15 Mar 1908

21 July 1984

103.

Daniels, Emma B.

24 Apr 1906

---

104.

Daniels, Era Crimmual

11 Dec 1908

12 Sept 1989

105.

Daniels, Erie

8 Dec 1914

4 May 1981

106.

* Daniels, Frank

---

---

107.

Daniels, Harges, Sr.

(^23 Apr) 1918

(^2 Mar) 1990

108.

Daniels, Harritt

---

---

109.

Daniels, Rev. Kenzie

(^22 Feb) 1898

(^26 June) 1991

(^Kenzie Dees Daniels)

110.

Daniels, Lee

29 Jan 1905

22 Sept 1995

111.

Daniels, Lizzie

10 Oct 1876

5 Jan 1979

112.

Daniels, Rev. M.

---

---

113.

{Daniels, Mattie

(27 Mar 1914)

1 Feb 2002

Obit 13 Feb 2002 SCR}

114.

Daniels, Merlene Blake

(^8 June) 1926

(^7 May) 1989

115.

Daniels, Orin

15 Dec 1903

6 June 1979

116.

Daniels, Richard

1869

1953

117.

Daniels, Roberta

21 Sept 1904

6 June 1980

118.

Daniels, Srepptia

18 Sept 1875

5 May 1963

119.

Daniels, Stella Lee

---

---

120.

Daniels, Theo

13 Mar 1901

8 May 1973

121.

Daniels, (Unknown)

---

---

(Left of John H. Manuel)

122.

Daniels, Ura Mae Perry

20 Mar 1916

12 Apr 1993

123.

Daniels, Rev. W. M.

5 Aug

8 Aug

124.

Daniels, William M.

---

---

125.

Daniels, William Raymond

9 Apr 1952

18 June 1995

(WW II)

126.

Daniels, Willie

(^15 Oct) 1912

(^17 Aug) 1986

(WW II)

127.

Darden, George E.

24 Jan 1944

9 Aug 1987

(Vietnam)

128.

Davis, Arthur Roy

1 June 1948

7 Sept 1976

129.

Davis, Bernice

1924

(^17 Nov) 1990

130.

Davis, Claudie L.

17 Jan 1938

27 June 1981

131.

Davis, Clyde Williams

24 May 1910

17 Oct 1947

(WW II)

132.

Davis, Elmiah

(^22 Feb) 1920

(^1 Aug) 1986

133.

Davis, I. B.

(^20 Aug) 1916

(^22 May) 1985

134.

Davis, Lindy L.

19 July 1950

22 July 1950

135.

Davis, Reginald

17 Sept 1965

1 Feb 1997

136.

Davis, Royce

---

---

137.

* Davis, Ruth

---

---

138.

Davis, Verdis A.

21 Aug 1910

23 Aug 1970

139.

Davis, Verline

(^24 July 1923) 1922

(^11 Feb) 1997

140.

Dupree, James

1972

1991

141.

Dupree, Willie Lee

1954

1993

142.

Edwards, George

10 Sept 1922

1 Nov 1996

(WW II)

143.

Edwards, Paul

14 June

144.

Edwards, Percy

10 June 1925

19 Aug 1987

(WW II)

145.

Emanuel, Herman

(^25 Jan) 1912

(^12 Nov) 1964

(^Herman Willie Emanuel)

146.

{Emanuel, Ruth

80 yo

29 Nov 2002

Obit 11 Dec 2002 SCR}

147.

Fields, Hester

1910

(^8 Oct) 1968

148.

{Foster, Lucretia Smiley

(Abt 1913)

18 Jan 2002

Sister Beatrice McClenton - Obit 30 Jan 2002 SCR}