Location: St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Cem.— H&P, Grimes Co Hist.: p. 115-6, “church erected on 10 acres just S of Stoneham deeded by Haynie family 1909. … New England architecture, Polish immigrant parish … rectory. Assisted with beginnings of St. Mary’s and St. Stanislaus churches. , then 1920 became mission under St. S. Later parish members left during Depression but families still return for homecoming and for burial. First funeral 1910. First priest buried in cem, nearby youth camp named for Father Kappe, Camp Kappe. 1967 St. J’s renovated.” Tombstone/Rootsweb, no map. TxGenWeb/Tombstone/Rootsweb: Stoneham, Tx, no map. Approx. 200 burials, earliest about 1930s. Index.” [S of Stoneham & Loop 324, off CR 304 and Old Gabriel Road-- near Stonehamville Church, Simmons Chapel Cem, Zion Church]SEE Cemeteries of Grimes County, vols 1-5 John Maxwell, GCHC.THC site visit MB 4/20/04: CR 357 and CR 304, about 0.4 mile off intersection, S of SH 105. Large church complex, cemetery behind Church, church hall and pavilion, behind St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. Fenced site, diversity of formal markers over time. Crucifix. Entrance arch, “Come to me all you who labor and I will give you rest.” Most graves face W and E, facing each other in Catholic tradition. Abundant floral and religious grave materials. Recent burials. Adjacent to church, hall, pavilion, pastures and woodlands. US veterans, WWI and WWII, Korea. Low endangerment: maintained, fenced, near residences, associated church, recent burials. Quad. 3095-232. Approx 1.36 acres. GPS 30.20.00.12261N –95.54.30.14911W. Quad 3095-232Low endangerment: maintained, fenced, near residences, associated church, recent burials.
To address the problem of cemetery destruction and to record as many cemeteries as possible, the
Texas Historical Commission offers the Historic Texas Cemetery designation.
The Historic
Texas Cemetery designation was developed in 1998 to help protect historic cemeteries by
recording cemetery boundaries in county deed records to alert present and future owners of land adjacent
to the cemetery of its existence. Every county in Texas has at least one cemetery designated as a Historic
Texas Cemetery through this program. The HTC designation is the first step toward preservation of a historic cemetery.
A cemetery is eligible for designation if it is at least 50 years old and is deemed worthy of recognition
for its historical associations. The very nature of a cemetery being a landmark of a family’s or community’s
presence is considered to validate the criteria of historical associations. Any individual, organization, or
agency may submit a request for designation.