by Eric Bonner Wood
Status: Inactive since 1935.
Background: The Tyus cemetery is the burial spot of Robert Malone Tyus, Sr
and his descendants. The nearby spot on the river where the house stood is
known as Tyus Bluff. I highly recommend reading History of Freestone Vol
II, #886 and #889. The cemetery has also been suggested by many as a
burial ground for the settlements of Troy, Pine Bluff and Boardpile but there is
nothing to currently support this.
Layout: Cemetery enclosure is almost a square enclosing about 4,225 square
feet or approx 1/10 an acre. North fence aligned N80 degree E.
Enclosed by old style metal graveyard fence with metal posts.
Location: NE of Fairfield about 1/2 mile from the Trinity River on Texas
Department of Corrections land, Coffield unit. Located on Coffield State Prison
property.
Contact Info: Warden at the Cofield unit: (903) 928-2211
Directions: Go eastward from Fairfield down Highway 84. Turn left
onto FM 1364/#163 near Turlington. Go down FM 1364/#163 for 3.3 miles to
junction with #109 that goes to the Coffield State Prison. Go to the left
fork onto #109 towards the prison for 1.3 miles to gate on east side of road.
Go .8 miles from gate on prison property road until a road taking off in a
southeasterly
direction is reached. Cemetery is .2 mile from junction of these two
roads.
USGS Topographic Map: Tennessee Colony Quadrangle, Turlington survey
Number of Graves: at least 42 graves (only 19 listed in H of FC Vol
II)
Oldest Marked Grave: 21 Sep 1875 R. M. Tyus
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 31.78, Longitude: -95.9794
| Ivy, Benjamin Adair hus of Willie Ann H of FC, Vol II #886 |
Jan 5, 1872 | Dec 5, 1915 |
| Ivy, Willie Ann V. (Vanderburg) wife of Ben Adair H of FC, Vol II #886 |
July 18, 1876 | 1906 |
| Sheppard, Elizabeth A. wife of Oscar H of FC, Vol II #886 |
abt 1856 | ? |
| Sheppard, Oscar hus of Elizabeth A. |
no dates | no dates |
| Tyus, Amanda C. (Haynie) | Feb 128, 1832 | May 27, 1904 |
| Tyus, Ben | no dates | no dates |
| Tyus, Bertha | no dates | no dates |
| Tyus, Ellen B. | Dec 3, 1882 | Feb 4, 1883 |
| Tyus, Fanny 1st dau of William & M. E. |
July 22, 1878 | Apr 22, 1888 |
| Tyus, G. B. | ? | 1930 |
| Tyus, Joe | no dates | no dates |
| Tyus, Joseph A. | July 7, 1891 | Sept 11, 1894 |
| *Tyus, Leann V. see Note |
no dates | no dates |
| Tyus, Lizzie S. | no dates | no dates |
| Tyus, Mary Ellen (Tolbert) 1st wife of William T. |
Apr 29, 1849 | Apr 6, 1881 |
| Tyus, Mothey cousin of William & M. E. |
Jan 4, 1881 | Jan 9, 1883 |
| Tyus, Nora Bell | Feb 13, 1896 | Mar 28, 1896 |
| Tyus, Robert Malone Fought for Texas Independence |
Mar 17, 1811 | Sept 21, 1875 |
| Tyus, Sallie | no dates | no dates |
| Tyus, Texanna (Winkler) 2nd wife of William |
July 17, 1866 | Nov 20, 1935 |
| Tyus, William Thomas hus of Texanna son of R. M. & A. C. |
Feb 10, 1851 | Nov 2, 1917 |
| Tyus, William H of FC Vol II #889 |
Jan 1880 | 1880 |
Numerous others unidentifiable. Most should be Tyus graves according to H of FC Vol I pg 197.
*Note:might be: Lee Ann abt 1858-7/18/1876 who married John Quitman Vanderburg on 7/22/1875 FC. He left two months before a baby born, and Lee Ann died in child birth.