DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Camptown Cemetery in Washington County. Now, before we even get to who's buried here — and there's a lot to say about that — you need to understand what kind of ground we're talking about. This is the oldest predominantly African American cemetery in Brenham.
That's not a small thing. That's the weight the story starts with. It dates from the 1860s, and to understand why it exists where it exists, you have to go back to 1865.
The Civil War had just ended, and federal troops — the 17th Infantry — camped in this wooded area to keep the peace between emancipated Black people and landowners. They were here through 1868. And that area, the wooded ground where those troops made their camp, became known as the Camptown addition.
The marker tells us plainly: the name is derived from those federal troops who camped here. Now here's something that stays with you. Those 17th Infantry soldiers weren't just a peacekeeping presence standing apart from the community.
They opened their dining hall on Sundays so the residents of Camptown could hold worship services. Think about that for a moment — soldiers sharing their table so a new free community could gather and pray. And gather they did.
Former Washington County slaves who had relocated to this wooded area also organized Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church and St. John A.M.E. Church.
The cemetery has historically been associated with the nearby Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church, and that connection runs deep and long. A surveyed map of the post — dated July 1868 — already shows the cemetery in use, sitting just north of the Washington County Railroad near Hog Branch. So by the time those troops packed up and left, the burial ground was already there, already holding the dead of Camptown.
And some of those dead may have worn uniforms. Among the estimated four hundred burials here, there may be soldiers who were victims of yellow fever outbreaks in 1866 and 1867. We don't know for certain — the marker is careful to say "may be" — but the possibility hangs over this place.
What we do know is that at least forty former slaves are buried in Camptown Cemetery, including several from the Seward Plantation. Caroline Seward, born in 1811 and died in 1902, is also buried here. And there is Waltman Bynum, born 1873, died 1881 — a child — whose headstone carries the oldest marked date in the cemetery.
The oldest marked date. A child's headstone. Over the years, as other burial options for African Americans in the area opened up — Walker Cemetery in 1895, Home Improvement Community Cemetery in 1900, Willow Grove Cemetery in 1915 — activity at Camptown declined.
The site became overgrown. Neglected. The kind of thing that happens slowly and then all at once.
But in recent years, Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church — the same church tied to this place from nearly the beginning — has taken a more active role in restoration and maintenance. Coming back to tend to it. Because some ground doesn't let you go.
Camptown Cemetery is still in use. And the marker calls it exactly what it is: hallowed ground, and a precious record of the early history of the community. Hard to argue with that.
What the marker says
This burial ground is the oldest predominantly African American cemetery in Brenham. It dates from the 1860s and historically has been associated with the nearby Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church. After the Civil War former Washington County slaves, many of whom also organized Mount Rose and St. John A. M. E. Churches, relocated to the wooded area of what became known as the Camptown addition. The name is derived from the federal troops who camped here from 1865-68 to keep peace between emancipated blacks and landowners. A surveyed map of the post dated July 1868 shows the cemetery already in use, just north of the Washington County Railroad near Hog Branch. The 17th Infantry troops maintained a sense of community with the residents of Camptown, offering their dining hall to host worship on Sundays. Among the estimated 400 burials here may be soldiers who were victims of yellow fever outbreaks in 1866-67. At least 40 former slaves are known to be buried in Camptown cemetery, including several from the Seward Plantation. Caroline Seward (1811-1902) is also buried here, as is Waltman Bynum (1873-81), whose headstone has the oldest marked date. The cemetery is still in use, but activity declined over the years as additional burial options for African Americans (Walker Cemetery, 1895; Home Improvement Community Cemetery, 1900; Willow Grove Cemetery, 1915) became available. In recent years, after the site had become overgrown and neglected, Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church has taken a more active role in the cemetery’s restoration and maintenance. Camptown Cemetery remains hallowed ground and a precious record of the early history of the community. Historic Texas Cemetery - 2009