This cemetery just west of HP (old Compaq) off of Jones Road in northwest Houston. We were told about it by a friend, Bill Starnes, who told us it was a neglected African American cemetery that was surrounded by new subdivisions. We hiked out there and found the excessively overgrown area behind a subdivision. It is on the right over the first bridge on Jones Road from Louetta. After photographing the cemetery, we researched it on line. In 1865, many freed slaves from Alabama and Mississippi came to Houston. Originally they settled in West Houston, but several families saved their money that they earned and purchased farmland in this area. Two of these families were the Woods and the Blackstocks. They built a church, school and cemetery and became successful farmers. The land for this cemetery was donated by pioneer, Willis Woods. Here is a great website about this community's history.

Census research shows the following: Strong Blackstock came from Mississippi as a freed slave. He married Daphne, also from Mississippi, and their first child was born in Texas in 1867. Some of their children are: Eliza (b. 1867), Linnas (b. 1872), Hannah (b. 1873), Mary (b. 1879), Strong, Jr. (b. 1886) and Leona (b. 1894). His wife Daphne was still alive in 1930, living with her daughter Leona and family. Son, Strong, is buried in this cemetery. Their were very likely more children which we will add as we check subsequent census years. Jake Woods was born in Mississippi in 1853. He married Julia Unknown in Texas around 1874. He is on the 1880 Census. There is also a Willis Woods living nearby him on that census who most likely was his brother. Jacob's children were Willis (b. 1874), Jacob, Jr. (b. 1876) and Minger (b. 1879). All sons. His son Jacob, Jr. is listed on the 1930 census with his wife Annie (b. 1892) at age 54 living on Spring Cypress Road which was most likely his father's original farm. We are still researching this family as well and will add information as we find it.

NOTE: We originally thought this was the Pilgrim Branch or Kohrville Cemetery. However, with new information from Trevia Beverly, we believe this to be the cemetery known as "The Bottoms". If anyone has further information or believes this to be incorrect, please contact me at the email below.

For more information about the Blackstock family click here. For more information about the Woods family click here. This is information I have pulled from census data. Sources are listed at the bottom of each report. Please use this as a start for your own research. Some of this was subject to interpretation of data.

This cemetery was transcribed by Steve and Letty Harrington on Apr. 27, 2003. This transcription is not connected to the Woods Cemetery or the County of Harris. This information is a personal project only. The information herein is given freely for personal use and can not be linked to any commerical sites. *NOTE: This was transcribed using a digital camera. Click on the hyperlinked name to view image of tombstone.