Hopson Burleson Memorial Cemetery

Contributed by:  Jerry Christian

The following information is based on "Resting Places", a compilation work done by Tracie Harris Ezell, a seventh generation descendant of Hopson Burleson. The work was supported by the Woodland Cemetery Association and finished in 1998. Tracie has given her permission for her work to be used to put this information on the Freestone County website.

The cemetery is located on FM 833 near the intersection of IH 45 and FM 833. On the south side of FM 833 about 100 yards east of IH 45 stands a small rock house. The cemetery is about 500 yards south of the house.

The cemetery was established by Hopson Burleson as a part of a land grant that he received from the Mexican government when he moved to the area in about 1835. The oldest marked grave, 1872, is that of an infant son of A.G. and Zillah Pullin. Zillah Pullin was the youngest daughter of Hopson Burleson. Some of the families that used the cemetery between 1852 and 1927 include Burleson, Coleman, Henderson, Humphrey, Kelley, Mims, Pinkard, Pullin, Rowland, and  Spires.

Since 1997 the cemetery has been under the auspices of the Woodland Cemetery Association to better provide for care and maintenance.

Historical Marker: Hopson Burleson (1806-1882) moved his family from Goliad to this area in 1835 after receiving a land grant from the Mexican government. He immediately set aside two acres of the land for a cemetery. The first marked grave, dated 1872, is that of the infant son of A. G. and Zillah Pullin. Names of families who have used the graveyard include Burleson, Coleman, Henderson, Kelley, Newman, Pullin, Humphrey, Pinkard, Spires, Rowland, and McClelland. Several of Burleson's slaves are buried near his grave. the cemetery is a reminder of the early settlers in this area.