Prairie Grove Cemetery
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
A historic African American church, school, and cemetery in Alief, Tx. Prairie Grove Missionary Baptist Church first met in the Burleson home; Mamie Burleson was instrumental in naming the church. In October 1910, L.P. Scarborough sold this land to church trustees S.B. Burleson and Will and Eddie Garmond, in 1921-22. The congregation built a white frame sanctuary that also served as a schoolhouse from 1927 to 1937. The congregation dwindled in the 1940s, and the building was later razed. Early Black families used other area cemeteries before establishing this burial ground adjacent to the church.
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
Prairie Grove Cemetery Marker Text
This site recalls a historic African American church, school and cemetery in Alief. Only a few African Americans lived in the area in the nineteenth century, working as farm laborers or tenant farmers. More families came in the early twentieth century, including the David and Parthenia Outley family from Fort Bend by 1910. S.B. (Shorter) Burleson, Eddie and Will Garmond, and others arrived soon after. Oral tradition tells that Prairie Grove Missionary Baptist Church first met in the Burleson home; Mamie Burleson was instrumental in naming the church. In October 1910, L.P. Scarborough sold this land to church trustees S.B. Burleson and Will and Eddie Garmond, in 1921-22, the congregation built a white frame sanctuary that also served as a schoolhouse from 1927 to 1937. The congregation dwindled in the 1940s, and the building was later razed. Early Black families used other area cemeteries before establishing this burial ground adjacent to the church. About fifty known graves have been surveyed on the 1.35 acre property, along with several unmarked graves. The earliest known burials are those of Melissa Outley (1940), Leo Bryant, Jr. (1941), Lillian Garmond Jackson (1942) and Lucy Truitt (1943). Unmarked graves, however, may predate these. Pioneer families, Freemasons and military veterans from World War II and the Vietnam Conflict are buried here. Descendants of church founders formed Prairie Grove Cemetery Association in 1967 to maintain and preserve the burial ground. The once rural cemetery is still in use by descendants of early families and others. Historic Texas Cemetery – 2006 Marker is property of the state of Texas
This site recalls a historic African American church, school and cemetery in Alief. Only a few African Americans lived in the area in the nineteenth century, working as farm laborers or tenant farmers. More families came in the early twentieth century, including the David and Parthenia Outley family from Fort Bend by 1910. S.B. (Shorter) Burleson, Eddie and Will Garmond, and others arrived soon after. Oral tradition tells that Prairie Grove Missionary Baptist Church first met in the Burleson home; Mamie Burleson was instrumental in naming the church. In October 1910, L.P. Scarborough sold this land to church trustees S.B. Burleson and Will and Eddie Garmond, in 1921-22, the congregation built a white frame sanctuary that also served as a schoolhouse from 1927 to 1937. The congregation dwindled in the 1940s, and the building was later razed. Early Black families used other area cemeteries before establishing this burial ground adjacent to the church. About fifty known graves have been surveyed on the 1.35 acre property, along with several unmarked graves. The earliest known burials are those of Melissa Outley (1940), Leo Bryant, Jr. (1941), Lillian Garmond Jackson (1942) and Lucy Truitt (1943). Unmarked graves, however, may predate these. Pioneer families, Freemasons and military veterans from World War II and the Vietnam Conflict are buried here. Descendants of church founders formed Prairie Grove Cemetery Association in 1967 to maintain and preserve the burial ground. The once rural cemetery is still in use by descendants of early families and others. Historic Texas Cemetery – 2006 Marker is property of the state of Texas
Sources
Marker Number: 14033
Atlas Number: 5507014033
Marker Title: Prairie Grove Cemetery
Index Entry: Prairie Grove Cemetery
Address: 13685 Renn Rd,
City: Houston
County: Harris
UTM Zone: 15
UTM Easting: 246196
UTM Northing: 3286594
Subject Codes: graveyards; African American topics
Marker Year: 2007
Marker Location: 13685 Renn Rd.
Atlas Number: 5507014033
Marker Title: Prairie Grove Cemetery
Index Entry: Prairie Grove Cemetery
Address: 13685 Renn Rd,
City: Houston
County: Harris
UTM Zone: 15
UTM Easting: 246196
UTM Northing: 3286594
Subject Codes: graveyards; African American topics
Marker Year: 2007
Marker Location: 13685 Renn Rd.