TX-CEMETERY-PRESERVATION-L Archives

From:
Subject: Re: [TX-CEMETERY-PRESERVATION] Obedience Smith
Date: Fri, 19 Dec 2003 13:07:31 EST

Paul - Audrey and I have been in touch several times since early 2000, and
as a member of the Harris County Historical Commission I knew that she had
submitted an initial draft for a historical marker in Nov 1998 (she has more than
enough material to submit a final application which I hope will be soon).
Per her letter to me she agreed that I probably had the best handle on a
location. As a member of First Baptist Church, I had begun working on bios for
several pastors and early members about 1995 (including Obedience Fort
Smith). We dedicated a Texas Historical Marker in Glenwood Cemetery for our early
pastor, William Tryon in 1998.
When I found out that Audrey was also working on Obedience, I backed off
from that project and shared with her that it is reasonable to assume that due
to her importance she was buried in the church yard (graveyard), as was Tryon.
When the property was sold graves naturally had to be moved. Unfortunately
our church records are sketchy for this time period. However, both the death
of Rev. Tryon and Mrs. Smith are noted on the same page but without note to
their burial. With Tryon, he was moved to Glenwood - but the records they
reflect were some time later when a marker was placed. I suspect - but cannot prove
- that Obiedence may have also been buried here. Following are the listings
in my book AT REST: A HISTORICAL DIRECTORY OF HARRIS COUNTY CEMETERIES
(1822-2001) ...

24. BAPTIST CHURCHYARD, Houston. First Baptist Church (May 10,
1841-present) meeting first in homes and then in an upper room of the Old City Hall, with
the first building located at Texas Avenue and Travis Street. When Rev.
William Tryon died in the yellow fever epidemic in Nov 1847 he was buried “in the
churchyard.” At some later date his body was reinterred at Glenwood Cemetery
(qv). An early “founder’ of the church was Obedience Fort Smith who died
earlier, in Mar of the same year. Her burial place is not known; possibly in this
same churchyard? Possibly also moved to Glenwood where other family members are
buried? Possibly on her own land – See “SMITH, Obedience Fort SURVEY.” The
site of Houston’s First Baptist Church’s first building was sold to Mr. Thomas
Byrne who leased it to the Ross & Wright Funeral Home (1897-1898). The site at
the 904 Travis address later became the home of the Houston Chronicle.
493L

442. SMITH, Obedience Fort SURVEY, which adjoined the John Austin League, as
early as 1840 Harris County deed records show there was a lone grave on this
survey. Obedience Fort Smith (1771 NC – 01 Mar 1847) received the land in
1837; using today’s structure, it was bounded by the Main Street on the East,
Shepherd Drive on the west, West Dallas Street on the north and Rice University
on the south. College Park Cemetery (qv) is on the Obedience Smith Survey; see
INDEX TO THE OLD MAPS, HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS, COURTHOUSE.

*** NOTE - I certainly am not saying that Obedience Fort Smith is buried in
College Park Cemetery (black) as it was begun later --- as you can see from the
listing
101. COLLEGE PARK CEMETERY: Black, and some Hispanic. 3500 West Dallas at
Dunlavy, on the old Obedience Fort Smith Survey. 1896 -. 5.2 acres; 4,400
graves. Area and cemetery named for Houston Central College for Negroes, located
.......
*** This was only to say that this is the only known cemetery in that survey
....

I suspect that the only way we will ever know for sure where Obedience is
buried (I still go with final resting place as Glenwood), will be if family
materials surface someplace.

Well, this has not helped much, has it?

Trevia Wooster Beverly
Houston, Harris County, Texas

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