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.
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                     "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.
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*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

149.

{Garrett, Linnie Giles

(^28 March 1900)  9 May 2002

{Obit 22 May 2002 SCR}

150.

Godwin, Dayton, Jr.

1938

1962

151.

Godwin, Dayton, Sr.

(^1) 21 Oct 1893

  25 Feb 1969

(WW I)

152.

Godwin, Estella

9 Dec 1909

14 May 1971

153.

Gordon, Annie

(^4 May) 1892

(^1 Apr) 1984

(^Annie M. Gordon)

154.

Gordon, Elliot, Sr.

4 Apr 1909

14 Sept 1975

155.

Gordon, George

5 Nov 1952

7 June 1980

156.

Gordon, Glordia

23 Mar 1909

26 Oct 1978

157.

Gordon, Jackson

---

3 July 1925

158.

Gordon, Hilliout

1 Nov 1922

9 Apr 1968

159.

* Gordon, Jane

---

---

160.

* Gordon, Joe

---

---

161.

* Gordon, John

---

---

162.

Gordon, Johnnie Ivory

31 May 1905

22 Feb 1966

163.

Gordon, Joseph

28 May 1920

21 Nov 1982

164.

Gordon, Julia

5 Apr 1889

17 Oct 1963

165.

Gordon, Langston

27 July 1898

1 May 1974

166.

Gordon, Livie

29 Apr 1916

31 Oct 1992

167.

Gordon, Pearl

1896

1952

168.

Gordon, Pemberton

13 Sept 1912

5 July 1951

169.

Gordon, Richard, Jr.

17 Nov 1918

19 Apr 1968

(WW II)

170.

Gordon, Robert Wayne

26 Apr 1958

7 May 1981

171.

Gordon, Rufus

26 Dec 1910

29 Aug 1979

172.

Gordon, S. P., Jr.

17 May 1928

1950

173.

Gordon, Samuel

18 June 1924

4 Feb 1980

(WW II)

174.

Gordon, Spurgeon, Sr.

3 Mar 1894

18 May 1941

175.

* Gordon, Sudie

---

---

176.

Gordon, William, Jr.

1 Sept 1918

23 Feb 1974

177.

Gordon, Willie Mae

15 Nov 1919

20 Apr 1954

178.

Gordon, Willie Mae

29 Nov

20 Nov 1981

179.

Gordon, Willis

1880

1949

180.

Grace, Annie D.

1889

1963

181.

Grace, Carrie

Feb 1896

July 1973

182.

# Grace, Catherine

---

---

(Reinterment #85)

183.

# Grace, Fred

---

---

(Reinterment #86)

184.

Grace, Fred

1922

1928

(Same as above?)

185.

Grace, Gusy

5 Feb 1860

---

186.

Grace, K. C.

(^8 June) 1911

(^24 July) 1990

187.

Grace, Kathrene

1920

1921

(Same as Catherine Grace above?)

188.

# Grace, Lance

---

---

(Reinterment #87)

189.

# Grace, Martha

---

---

(Reinterment #84)

190.

Grace, Martha

1 Jan 1875

20 Aug 1906

(Same as above?)

191.

# Grace, Nap

---

---

(Reinterment #77)

192.

Grace, Nep

1853

12 Mar 1883

(Same as above?)

193.

Grace, Pastal

Apr 1884

Apr 1971

194.

# Grace, Robert L.

---

---

(Reinterment #81)

195.

Grace, Robert L.

6 Aug 1926

May 1963

(Same as above?)

196.

# Grace, William

---

---

(Reinterment #82)

197.

Grace, William Robert

1889

1963

(Same as above?)

198.

Green, Adline

28 Feb 1870

2 July 1954

199.

Green, Buford

14 Feb 1910

11 Dec 1988

200.

Green, Costetto

3 Apr 1901

25 Oct 1986

201.

Green, David

1 June 1927

7 July 1965

202.

Green, Divet

1 June 1927

7 July 1965

(WW II)

203.

Green, Florence

---

---

204.

Green, Gerlie Ruth

1922

1962

205.

Green, Henrietta

3 Apr 1890

6 Aug 1962

206.

Green, John H.

25 Dec 1889

23 Feb 1962

207.

Green, Johnny

---

---

208.

Green, Leonard

6 June 1942

31 Oct 1988

209.

Green, Millie

1 July 1918

11 Oct 1978

210.

Green, Ruben

1912

1989

211.

Green, Sidney

6 Aug 1892

30 Oct 1967

212.

Green, Sialis

10 Dec 1875

7 Jan 1973

213.

Green, Terry

1922

1952

214.

Green, Walford

25 Apr 1925

10 July 1986

215.

Green, William

22 June 1887

11 Aug 1976

216.

Hamilton, Alfonso

23 Jan 1905

30 Sept 1974

217.

Hamilton, Annie Pearl Thomas

26 Oct 1937

20 Jan 1970

218.

Hamilton, Archie

1884

1977

219.

Hamilton, Bogue

3 Jan 1879

16 June 1962

220.

Hamilton, C. A.

2 June 1904

10 June 1964

221.

Hamilton, C. H.

1903

1980

222.

{Hamilton, Carnell

(^5 June 1939)

14 March 2002

Obit 27 March 2002 SCR}

223.

Hamilton, Charlie

8 Mar 1877

24 Aug 1969

224.

Hamilton, Chariene R.

9 Aug 1977

29 Feb 1980

225.

Hamilton, Chia

6 Nov 1962

12 Jan 1963

226.

{Hamilton, Clara Grace

(^6 Oct 1933)

7 Feb 2002

Obit 20 Feb 2002 SCR}

227.

Hamilton, Dasey

8 Jan 1914

3 June 1966

228.

Hamilton, Desmon D.

1980

1988

229.

Hamilton, Dock

26 Oct 1888

10 Jan 1980

230.

Hamilton, Elgin

6 Nov 1913

22 Aug 1979

231.

Hamilton, Elizer

1911

1979

232.

# Hamilton, Emac

---

---

(Reinterment #73)

233.

Hamilton, Eymag

17 Apr 1887

18 Jan 1955

(Same as above?)

234.

Hamilton, Gladys

1912

1996

235.

Hamilton, Green, Sr.

1881

1968

236.

* Hamilton, Gus, Jr.

---

---

237.

* Hamilton, Gus, Sr.

---

---

238.

* Hamilton, Hettie

---

---

239.

Hamilton, Kenneth

11 Nov 1970

18 May 1996

240.

Hamilton, Lenom

10 Jan 1918

7 Oct 1995

241.

Hamilton, Lenzy

21 Mar 1916

7 Aug 1979

(WW II)

242.

Hamilton, Lillian

12 Oct 1896

11 Feb 1972

243.

Hamilton, Lorie Windom

1903

1972

244.

Hamilton, Louis

1871

1944

245.

Hamilton, Lucy

31 Mar 1876

9 July 1959

246.

Hamilton, Mary

12 Feb 1932

27 Sept 1991

247.

* Hamilton, Miles

---

---

248.

Hamilton, Miles

26 Feb 1912

30 Dec 1968

249.

Hamilton, Millie

29 July 1879

9 May 1962

250.

Hamilton, Odie Mae

1925

1960

251.

Hamilton, Ola

21 Aug 1908

24 Sept 1981

252.

Hamilton, Page

13 Dec 1900

6 Nov 1956

253.

Hamilton, Salome

25 June 1907

6 Feb 1987

254.

Hamilton, Simon

25 Sept 1904

9 Apr 1989

255.

Hamilton, Tenola

18 Jan 1923

21 Nov 2003

Obit 26 Nov 2003 SCR}

256.

Hamilton, Tommie

10 Apr 1887

10 Oct 1966

257.

Hamilton, William "Square"

1901

1986

(WW II)

258.

Harris, Beatrice

1910

1973

259.

# Harris, George

---

---

(Reinterment #99)

260.

Harris, Rella Daniels

6 Sept 1908

27 July 1986

261.

Harris, Sara Jane

---

---

262.

# Harris, Tishie

---

---

(Reinterment #103)

263.

# Harrison, Jane

---

---

(Reinterment #125)

264.

Haskin, Kathrene

1923

1996

265.

Henson, Dogan

7 Dec 1916

25 Nov 1995

266.

Henson, R. D.

31 Mar 1923

27 July 1992

(WW II)

267.

Hicks, Sudie

27 Feb 1902

1 Feb 1974

268.

Holmes, Ella

---

---

(Age 85)

269.

Holmes, Felex

13 Oct 1893

30 Nov 1960

(WW I)

270.

Holmes, Handy

---

---

271.

Holmes, Louella

21 July 1921

10 July 1993

272.

Holmes, Marshall

5 Apr 1920

4 June 1949

(WW II)

273.

Holmes, Mitchell

5 Apr 1920

14 June 1949

274.

Holmes, Wayne

7 Apr 1886

16 June 1964

275.

Henson, Lugenia

12 Oct 1886

6 May 1974

276.

Howard, Alberta

---

---

277.

Howard, Cornilous "Poor Boy"

---

---

278.

Howard, Ephraim

---

---

279.

* Howard, Hannah

---

---

280.

Howard, Henry

1 Jan 1921

8 Apr 1996

281.

Howard, Marie

8 Mar 1938

8 Nov 1995

282.

* Howard, Sandy

---

---

283.

* Howard, Tonsha

---

---

284.

Howard, V. Andrew

2 Aug 1902

9 Sept 1979

285.

Hoyle, Leon

1957

1982

286.

Hoyle, Paulean

22 Oct 1927

28 July 1997

287.

Jackson, Paul

1914

1980

288.

Jeffery, Lee

19 Nov 1931

17 Aug 1995

289.

Johnson, Adron

11 Oct 1911

5 May 1993

290.

Johnson, Caretha

14 Oct 1911

22 June 1979

291.

Johnson, George

---

---

292.

Johnson, Gertha Lee

---

3 July 1975

293.

Johnson, Henry

1862

1955

294.

Johnson, Lois G.

8 May 1914

19 Aug 1987

295.

Johnson, Newman

11 Jan 1912

26 Dec 1975

(WW II)

296.

Johnson, Olie Mae

6 Aug 1906

31 Dec 1976

297.

Johnson, Rosa

1887

1978

298.

Johnson, Samantha

5 Apr 1896

25 Aug 1973

299.

Johnson, Tillman

20 Jan 1910

10 May 1970

(WW II)

300.

Johnson, Winters

14 Dec 1880

10 Nov 1947

301.

Jones, Earnest

1902

1979

302.

Jones, Odell

1935

1982