Amos Cemetery
Tomball, Harris County, Texas
Marker Inscription
The Amos family came to Texas before 1860. In 1881, Thomas Amos and his son-in-law, Duncan Kosse (Cossey), bought 130 acres in Kohrville, which became a self-sufficient African American community. The Amos family grew and prospered, leading them to establish the nearby Kohrville School (1893) and Pilgrim Branch Baptist Church (1898). Thomas set aside one acre for a cemetery, and in 1906 he bought 1.6 acres west of the road, part of which is also used for burials. The earliest marked grave is that of Minnie Williams Kosse (1891-1915). Noteworthy burials include WWI veterans, pastors, Kohrville school teachers, and Freemasons. Descendants formed the Kohrville Community Amos Cemetery Association in October 2007 to ensure that this cherished link to the past would be maintained with dignity. Historic Texas Cemetery – 2011
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
The Amos family arrived in Texas before the Civil War, and in 1881 Thomas Amos and his son-in-law bought land in what became Kohrville, a self-sufficient African American community. As the family prospered they helped found a school and a Baptist church, and Amos set aside ground for this cemetery. Its graves include World War I veterans, teachers, pastors, and Freemasons—pillars of a community that descendants still work to preserve.
Why it matters
It preserves the story of a Black freedom community that built its own schools, churches, and institutions in the generations after emancipation.
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Related people
- · Thomas Amos
- · Duncan Kosse (Cossey)
- · Minnie Williams Kosse
Related events
- · Founding of Kohrville
- · Kohrville School (1893)
- · Pilgrim Branch Baptist Church (1898)
Themes & tags
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