Trout Creek Cemetery
Newton, Newton County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Originally a part of the James West Survey, this cemetery dates to the early 1860s. The land was later owned by Mrs. Frances Ann Dyer (d.1890), and upon her death was inherited by her daughter Udora Dyer Ratcliff (1862-1898) and son-in-law K. R. Ratcliff (1857-1946). Although local oral tradition holds that the earliest burials here were those of area Indians or slaves from the Salem community, the oldest documented graves are those of John G. Barnett (1799-1861) and his wife Christina (1817-1863). Also interred in this cemetery are Frances Ann Dyer, although her grave is not marked, and K. R. and Udora Dyer Ratcliff. Six Civil War veterans (Andrew Jackson Herrin, Stephen B. Herrin, William Henry Jarvis Holmes, Thomas Harrison Holmes, Jeremiah Patrick O' Brien, and J. R. Sise) are buried here, as are veterans of World War I, World War II, and Korea. The Trout Creek Cemetery Association, whose members have cared for the historic graveyard since the turn of the century, was officially chartered in 1973. An important part of Newton County history, the Trout Creek Cemetery stands as a reminder of the area's pioneer heritage.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Carved from the James West Survey, this East Texas graveyard dates to the early 1860s, with oral tradition holding that its first burials were area Indians or enslaved people from the nearby Salem community. Its oldest documented graves belong to John and Christina Barnett, and among those resting here are six Civil War veterans alongside men who served in World War I, World War II, and Korea. Descendants have tended the grounds since the turn of the century, chartering a cemetery association in 1973.
Why it matters
Trout Creek Cemetery is a layered record of a Southern county's whole history—pioneer settlers, enslaved and Native people at its margins, and generations of soldiers—all held in one small stretch of ground.
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Related people
- · Frances Ann Dyer
- · Udora Dyer Ratcliff
- · K. R. Ratcliff
- · John G. Barnett
- · Christina Barnett
Themes & tags
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