Hi Ya'll, TEXAS PROUD - Native in my Heart! I enjoyed the article on the J.H. & Mrs. Mary Jones mystery. Very interesting and very touching. I am researching our family history and a possible Texas connection to: DICKERSON, Elizabeth (the only survivor of the Alamo). Would you happen to know if there is a website for the Alamo or the Women's Organization that maintains & protects the Alamo? I've just begun reseraching the Texas connection. Regards, Kennette ^()^ ^()^ Angels Thank you for sharing! Regards, Kennette ^()^ ^()^ Angels ---------- > > I saw this on Texahoma roots and thought this might help someone so I am > passing it along..... > > > Reply-to: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > > I am not researching this surname in this area but someone may be. > > The following article was in this morning's paper. I felt it would be > of interest to any researcher that had JONES in their family tree that > may have come to Texas or may have been born here. It's an unsolved > mystery it seems and now, 122 years later this has come about: > > THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE, November 20, 1997 > Article: LOCAL GRAVE SITE ABANDONED SINCE 1875 - Historic cemetery > wants to resell land > Writer: Goerge Flynn > > In March 1875, a man identified only as J.H. Jones paid $50.00 to > Glenwood Cemetery for a family burial plot. > Three months later, Mrs. Mary Jones, presumed to be his wife, was > laid to rest in one corner of the 40-square foot plot, large enough to > hold 11 other graves. > Jone left and never returned. Neither did his family or heirs. In > fact, the cemetery shows no further contact in 122 years. > Glenwood went to the Harris County courthouse this week to try to > close the final chapter in the lingering mystery at the historic > cemetery on Washington Avenue. > It used a new law to petition state district court to have the grave > site declared legally abandoned, a necessary steop before the remaining > 11 lots are resold. > Eric Anderson, an attourney for Glenwood, said the myster of Jones > has defied legal researchers. They combed city directories from > 1867-1875 and early archives on obituaries. > Clues cannot be found even at the cemetery plot in question. On > Wednesday, the chilly, fog-shrouded location revealed not even a > headstone or marker for Mrs. Jones. > The cemetery office's only records appear as handwritten notations on > the yellowed pages of a large ledger. The purchase by Jones and the > more uncertain burial of Mary Jones are reflected on two short lines. A > small map denotes the site of her grave, but the name is followed by a > question mark. > The plot, marked by a single tree, is covered by closely cropped > grass. It is bordered on one side by graves of the can of W.A. > Carrington, fomerly of Buffalo, N.Y. His wife, Pattie, was buried there > four years after Mary Jones. > On the other side is the grave of Eva Osbrow, wife of H. J. Lahrssen, > who died in 1916. > Anderson said Glenwood does not propose to disturb the remains of > Mary Jones, but would reclaim the other 11 grave sites for use by > others. The plot (11 graves) would now cost about $10,000.00. > The cemetery holds about 15,000 remains, including those of many of > the earliest and most enigmatic Houstonians, such as reclusive > billionaire Howard Hughes. > In this case, the intrigue has come with the passage of years after > interment. > "It is a mystery", Anderson said. "Mr. Jones never even left his > adress with the cemetery. And assessment or maintenance fees haven't > been paid in 122 years. A lot has changed in that time." > > See ya, > Lou Ann > > P.S. Never dull in Texas! > -- > ******************************************************************** > During our research trips, when a book is purchased relating to our > family's history or listing information of the area, we buy two: One > to keep and one to donate to our Clayton Genealogical Library in the > family's name or a member of the family. > Lou Ann & Woody Lunsford > NATIVE TEXAN 8310 Werner, Houston, TX 77037 TEXAS PROUD > ******************************************************************** >