MeekinsCem
Meekins Cemetery
Submitted by Cannon Pritchard

    Moses Meekins and his family moved from Marlborough District, S.C. to Polk County,
Texas  in January, 1854 according to the inscription on his tombstone. He was the son
of  Jonathan Meekins and Drada (John) Meekins. Moses Meekins married Lucy Wells
about 1830. They had ten children who were all born in South Carolina. They were: Mary,
John Aaron, Martha Ellen, Lydia Ann, Thomas Jefferson, Henry Clay, Susan, Benjamin
Franklin, Sarah Jane, and an unknown daughter. Moses Meekins purchased property east
of downtown Moscow, Texas in the John Dickerson League and built his large homestead
on August 31, 1854.  He was a planter and owned the first sawmill in the Moscow area.
The Meekins were very devout Methodists. They gave the lot and built the Methodist
Episcopal Church, South in Moscow in 1857. All four of  Moses Meekin's sons were
soldiers in the Confederate States Army as well as four sons-in-law. Moses Meekins was
a prominent wealthy businessman and leader in his community.

    The cemetery is located on the top of a hill under large oak trees. It is a family cemetery that
is enclosed with a chain-link fence. According to information found in the courthouse records
there are probably many unmarked graves of  the Meekins family and relatives buried in this
cemetery.  While the cemetery is surrounded by  private property today, Mrs. Lucy Meekins
designated by deed (Book Y, pp. 515-518, July 5, 1886) the land for the Meekins Cemetery.
It is not known if all the land for the cemetery designated by deed is within the fenced area.

Location:  At the intersection of  U. S. Highway 59 and Rock Island Road in Moscow, Texas,
        go East on Rock Island Road for .2 miles. Turn Left on Old Stag Ridge Road and go .2 miles.
        Turn Left on private property for .1 miles to the cemetery at the top of  the hill.
        Permission from property owner is needed to visit the cemetery.

Adams,  Josephus W.,  born  Feb 18, 1855  died  Feb 16, 1916,
        son of S. H. & Mary Adams
Adams,  Mary Meekins,  born  Aug 25, 1832  died  Aug 14, 1900,
        age 67 years, 11 months, and 20 days; Married on Sep 8, 1847 to Shockley H. Adams.
Adams,  Shockley H.,  born  Dec 11, 1830, S.C.,   died  May 2, 1909,
        Sergeant, Co. F, 4th Texas Cavalry Regiment, C.S.A.
Dunnam,  Lucy Ellen,  born  Apr 14, 1869  died  Dec 3, 1870,
        daughter of  A.J.C. & Martha E. Dunnam
Dunnam,  Martha Ellen Meekins,  born  Dec 4, 1837 in Marlborough District, S.C.
        died  Apr 26, 1869,  wife of  Alexis Joseph Chorine (A.J.C.) Dunnam
        and Mother of  Lytton, Ellen, & Emmett Dunnam. Married on Jun 24, 1856.
Jones,  Hattie Kennedy,  born  Nov 5, 1861  died  Jun 30, 1886,
        Married on Jun 7, 1882 to Joseph H. Jones
Jones,  Vera,  born  Jun 2, 1886  died  Aug 6, 1886,
        daughter of  Joseph H. & Hattie K. Jones
Kennedy,  Annie Jones,  born  Feb 22, 1879  died  Sep 12, 1911,
        wife of  Joseph Meekins Kennedy
Kennedy,  Joseph Meekins,  born  Sep 20, 1872  died  Mar 10, 1941
Kennedy,  Lydia Ann Meekins,  born Jan 19, 1839,  died  Jun 20, 1912,
        married on Jan 28, 1858 to William M. Kennedy
Kennedy, William Marion,  born  Apr 23, 1838,  died  Jul 19, 1920,
        Private,  Co. E, 7th Texas Cavalry, C.S.A.
Meekins,  Lucy (Wells),  born  Dec 29, 1806, Marlborough District, S.C.
        died  Jan 24, 1888,  married in 1830 to Moses Meekins
Meekins,  Moses,  born  Mar 30, 1803 Marlborough District, S. C.   died Dec 9, 1874,
        "Moved to Texas, Jan. 1854".
Meekins,  Thomas Jefferson,  born  Oct 15, 1843,  died  Jun 16, 1901,
        married to Alice A. Adams on Jul 23, 1867;
        First Sergeant,  Co. K, 14th Texas Infantry, Clark's Regiment.
        (Served two terms as State Representative from Polk County to the Texas Legislature).

The following members of  the Meekins Family are probably buried in this cemetery without markers:
Adams,  Alice A. Meekins,  born  Jun 1850  died  after 1904
Adams,  Kit Carson,  born  1856  died  Nov 8, 1937,  son of  S. H. & Mary Adams
Kennedy,  Sarah,  born 1869  died   prior to 1880, daughter of  William M. & Lydia M. Kennedy
Meekins,  Infant daughter,  died prior to 1876,  daughter of  Moses & Lucy Meekins
Meekins,  Mrs. Thomas J., Jr.  died  Jun, 1912
Meekins,  R. Earnest,  born  1879  died  Aug 7, 1906,  son of  Thomas J. & Alice Meekins
Meekins,  Susan,  born  1852  died  prior to 1876,  daughter of  Moses & Lucy Meekins

Children of  Moses & Lucy Meekins buried in other locations:
Sarah Jane Meekins McKinnon was buried in the Moscow Cemetery in Polk County.
Henry Clay Meekins and Benjamin Franklin Meekins were buried  in the Wheat Cemetery,
        Millican, Brazos County, Texas.
John Aaron Meekins was buried at the Willowhole Cemetery,  Madison County, Texas.

    A family history book on the Meekins Family was written by the late Mrs. Evelyn Bergman Evans
of  Devers, Texas. She was a Meekins descendant. The book can be found in the D.A.R. Library
in Washington, D. C.
 




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