Corn Hill Cemetery Marker
Located 1/2 mile east of 35 on FM 313
Cornhill Cemetery - Historical Marker Text
Established in 1886 on a two-acre site deeded to Cornhill Masonic Lodge No. 567 by Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Bridges. Interred here are community leaders, three Civil War soldiers, and veterans of other wars. Maintained by Cornhill Cemetery Association since 1953. Area now six acres.
Maps
GPS Coordinates
Latitude: 30.802158, Latitude: -97.603816
Address: 554-798 Hugh Smith Ln
CORNHILL CEMETERY HISTORY
History, that which gives some dates and some names, but omits much of the record of work done and many of the people who helped with the job, Williamson County Deed Records Volume 39, Page 4890 has a record of a deed signed by B. F. and Wife, P. A., Bridges, dated March 26, 1886, drawn in favor of J. H. Biles, H. Brook and J. A. Raney and the Cornhill Masonic Lodge No, 567. The deed transfers two acres of land for a stipulated price of $25.00. The instrument Provides that the plot shall be used for the Cornhill Cemetery and shall be under the authority of the Worshipful Masters of Masonic Lodge No 567. Also, it provides that a suitable lot be reserved for Mr. and Mrs. Bridges as a burial plot for their family.
J. H. Biles, one of the three men named In the above deed description, was the first person buried in the Cemetery. His monument is inscribed: J. H. Biles, Born Jan. 28, 1848, Died March 31, 1887, made a mason on April 3, 1875. He died as he lived, a Christian.
The original plot of two acres was later added bought from Mr. and Mrs. Bridges.
Mr, J, H. Biles, and Mr. John Sybert made the first survey and actual staking of lots. They supervised and did much of the work themselves, cutting the native stone corner posts and placing them at all lot corners; a job so well done is lasting testimony, and those stone markers are there now continually showing how well they did their work of love, The Worshipful Masters of Masonic Lodge 567 were overseers of the Cemetery until 1953.
During the years 1886 to 1953, Cornhill had moved one mile north to the new location named Jarrell, Williamson County, Texas. The Bartlett-Western Railway came through at that point, Cornhill and Cornhill Masons had ceased to exist. The few Masons left had moved membership to the Georgetown Lodge, There were not enough of them left to continue ownership and operation of the Cemetery duties. This created a definite need for new management personnel.
During 1953 all available media were given notices to get news of the need to all who were interested in Cornhill Cemetery.
At a called meeting of all those interested The Cornhill Cemetery. An Association was formed. All agreed to do whatever was needed to get the newly formed organization a right to act.
Mr. William S. Lott, Georgetown Attorney, offered free his advice and service in order to transfer the property from the Masons to The Cornhill Cemetery Association. He did affect the transfer and later did other work for the organization, all gratis.
Those interested people were then in a position to build a lasting and acting organization.
Attorney Mr. Lott drew up Rules and ByLaws according to our instructions, and also he gave advice about a plan for an Endowment Fund that had come from the discussion in our regular meetings. To make our newly formed Association safely eligible to receive cash to apply to an Endowment Fund. Mr. Lott prepared from his knowledge of the problem a complete set of rules and forms needed.
At a meeting with Mr. Lott°s advice in hand, actions were taken:
Mr. Fred M. Harrison was elected President and Trustees. Miss Cora Sexton became Secretary-Treasurer. Mr. Bernard C. Smith, Mr. Fred W. Buchanan, and C. Watkins were elected as Trustees,
Thus The Cornhill Cemetery Association was fully formed and ready to begin handling all business. The Endowment Fund was begun, with the stipulation that all cash collected would always be held and only revenue income from the cash would be used in the work fund. The Work fund was left open to any who could not pay into the Endowment Fund; those who could pay to Work Fund on an annual basis. Also, sympathy cards were printed, allowing any who chose to add cash to the Endowment Fund rather than sending flowers. (The Fund has grown and is now earning near $700.00 annual revenue).
Williamson County Deed Records, Volume 449, Page 290, holds a record of a deed from Mr. and Mrs. D. B. Harrison, Maybelle Harrison, Wayne Sybert, and Walter Grant has drawn in the favor Cornhill Cemetery Association, dated Feb 5, 1962, transferring another land free and with that additional land our acreage now is six acres.
During the period Feb 5, 1962, to the present time, cash donations and work donations have been made sufficient to build a good four-wire fence on East, South, and West sides of the six acres and a chain-link fence across the North, or front side of the plot.
Roads in the plot have been built, lot markers improved and new markers placed on new land. Dirt has been added where needed to level the land., All these improvements have made the Cemetery up-keep much easier to do.
At this time, the Cornhill Cemetery Association officers are Jim Sybert, President; Miss Cora Sexton, Secretary-Treasurer; and Bernard C. Smith, Fred W. Buchanan and. Maynard C. Watkins, Trustees.
James G. Wilkerson Jr and wife Amanda
Corn Hill Cemetery
view https://wilcohistory.org/listing/historical-marker-james-g-wilkinson-jr/
Marker Text
James G. Wilkinson, Jr. was the grandfather of Sylvia Lula Wilkinson Harrison. He served in the Army of the Republic of Texas.
Fought in the Battle of San Jacinto; participated in the second, third and fourth Congresses of the Republic; and was the first Chief Justice of Burleson County, Texas.
His wife, Amanda Hope Wilkinson, descended from a family of patriots. Her father, James Hope, was one of the “Old Three Hundred,” Austin’s first colony.
Her three brothers and a brother-in-law, as well as her husband, fought in the battle of San Jacinto.
The gravestone placed here was moved from the original burial site on a farm once belonging to the Wilkinson’s located near Dime Box in Burleson County.
The remains of James G. and Amanda Hope Wilkinson now lie in the State Cemetery where they were moved in 1938 by the Daughter of The Republic of Texas.
Descendants of Daniel Harrison
Tennessee native Daniel Harrison (1816-1870) migrated to Texas in 1835. He served with Texan forces during the Texas Revolution, and as a volunteer for the Republic’s militia. He was in the 1839 Battle of the Neches. In 1840, Harrison married Nancy Robbins and soon moved his family to present-day Williamson County and what would be the Corn Hill community. He served in Central Texas’ 27th Brigade during the Civil War. As a blacksmith in Corn Hill, a stage stop on the route from Austin to Fort Gates, his work was crucial to traffic on the military road. Later, Harrison also farmed and raised horses and cattle. Originally buried in Anderson Cemetery, Daniel and Nancy were later reinterred in Corn Hill Cemetery.
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