Cox Cemetery

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Cox Cemetery, out here in Dallas County. Now settle in, because this ground holds more stories than most folks realize. More than four hundred marked graves, and an estimated hundred more with nothing to show for them above the soil.

That alone ought to slow you down a little. The oldest tombstone dates to 1848, and it marks the grave of Margaret Frances Dixon, two months old, daughter of Solomon and Lydia Dixon. Two months.

Sometimes the pioneer life announced its hardness right at the beginning. The cemetery sits near White Rock Lake, on the John H. Hyde headright, and it was set aside permanently for burial use by a man named Absalom Humbard, born in 1835, died in 1909.

He came to Texas with his wife, Mary, born Cook, also 1835, died 1900, and their family. And here's the part that lands heavy if you think about it: Absalom had been wounded and imprisoned during the Civil War before he ever made that journey. He arrived carrying all of that, and what he gave this piece of ground was permanence.

The Humbards settled in alongside families who'd been putting down roots here as early as 1843. The Glovers, the Lavenders, the Mccommases, the Coxes, the Donagheys. They came from other parts of the United States and from Germany, and their names, all of them, are carved into stones right here in this cemetery.

Among those buried here are Abraham Hart, born 1822, died 1913, and his wife Elizabeth, born Ray, who died in 1900. Abraham and Elizabeth received one of the earliest marriage licenses ever issued in Dallas County, and that was in 1848. The cemetery served several early communities in this area, including a town called Fisher, later known as Calhoun, and a place called Reinhardt.

Both were railroad towns, and both were eventually absorbed into the city of Dallas. Members of the Fisher family, the very family for whom that community was named, are buried in this ground. Vandalism has come through over the years, and time has done its quiet work too, leaving some of the stones illegible now.

But they haven't been abandoned. The Cox Cemetery Association has served for many years as the primary caretaker for this historic graveyard, and folks are still tending it. More than four hundred marked graves, a hundred more with no name showing, and a cemetery association still showin up.

That's the pioneer heritage the marker talks about, still holdin on.

What the marker says

A reflection of the pioneer heritage in this part of Dallas County, Cox Cemetery contains more than 400 marked graves and an estimated 100 unmarked burials. The oldest tombstone dates to 1848 and marks the grave of Margaret Frances Dixon, the two-month-old daughter of Solomon and Lydia Dixon. Located near White Rock Lake on the John H. Hyde headright, the cemetery was set aside permanently for that purpose by Absalom Humbard (1835-1909), who came to Texas with his wife, Mary (Cook) (1835-1900), and family after he had been wounded and imprisoned during the Civil War. The Humbards settled near other families, some of whom had arrived in this area as early as 1843, including the Glovers, Lavenders, Mccommases, Coxes and Donagheys. They came to Texas from other parts of the United States and from Germany, and their family names appear on tombstones in this cemetery. Others buried here include Abraham (1822-1913) and Elizabeth (Ray) (d. 1900) Hart, who received one of the earliest marriage licenses in Dallas County in 1848. The cemetery served several early area communities, including Fisher (later known as Calhoun) and Reinhardt, railroad towns that later were absorbed into the city of Dallas. Members of the Fisher family, for whom that community was named, are buried in this cemetery. Vandalism and the effects of time have rendered some of the stones illegible, but they continue to be cared for by members of the Cox Cemetery Association, which has served for many years as the primary caretaker for this historic graveyard. (2001)