Location: WT-C035 Atkinson Cemetery AKA Jethro Atkinson Cem. Atkinson Cemetery —TxGenWeb: “Chappell Hill Area .” --Recorded WASH01—Parsons. Tombstone-TxDoT map. Cem Recs of Washington Co. (1974): “300744 – 961650 – although suffered neglect and vandalism cem now well-endowed and well-kept. Approx 200 burials, earliest about 1850s. Index.” USGS 3096-124 Chappell Hill Atkinson Plantation nearbyIrish immigrantsCSACem assoc. THC AtlasTexas LandmarkTxDoTGNISLocal hist notesTHC Atlas: “Name honors 1857 mayor of Chappell Hill, Jethro Atkinson, whose plantation was nearby. In 1844, date of earliest marked grave, site was owned by Robert Wooding Chappell, for whom city was named. Formed in 1957, Atkinson Cemetery Association provides perpetual care. Location: From FM 1371 W of FM 1155 in Chappell Hill, take Chadwick-Hogan Road SW about 1.2 miles to cemetery.”THC Site visit MB 10/27/03: Chappell Hill, Tx area. SW on Chadwick-Hogan Rd. S side or road. Steel bar fencing on front N side, formal entrance with stone columns and arch. Formal markers with some diversity over time, some elaborate. Few floral decorative materials. Abundant San Augustine grass. Recent entry-way garden with Confederate flag and flagstone path. Large Cedar marker trees, also Pecan, Magnolia. Hedge on E and S side of Ligustrum and Cedar. Chain link fence on E, S, W. Also Crape Myrtles. Outbuilding. Irish immigrants CSA Cem assoc. Adjoins the back ell of St. Stanislaus Catholic Cem. Also adjoins, with a gate, an unknown African American cemetery, recently brush-hogged and chopped, reportedly by county. [See Chappell Hill African American Cem, unknown] Surrounding area includes large pastures, scattered farm residences. Nearby communities. Approx 1.94 acres. GPS 30.07.44.15943N –96.16.50.07200WQuad 3096-124Low risk endangerment, fenced, maintained, historic marker, THC marker, still in use, on map.
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.