Explore the History of Old Shiloh Cemetery
- Kelly Nix
- Sep 21, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Jan 19
Located just off of Hwy. 315, approximately 6 miles out of Mt. Enterprise, Texas; Shiloh Cemetery, aka Old Shiloh Cemetery, was established in 1853 in Shiloh, Rusk County, Texas.
Trammel Trace
Shiloh community lies along the Trammel Trace, a highway for early pioneers who came to Texas from Arkansas and other points to the northeast, which extended across Rusk County's eastern border. The Trace bisects the county from the Pine Hill area past Shiloh and into Mt. Enterprise before entering Nacogdoches County. The Trace has been marked as an early trail by the Texas Centennial Commission and the Texas Historical Commission. Several of the older property deeds to the Shiloh Baptist Church make reference to Trammel Trace Road.
First Burial
Shiloh Cemetery is one of the older and larger cemeteries in Rusk County. The first burial of record was that of Mrs. Maranda Gilbreath on September 15, 1853. Mrs. Gilbreath, born March 8, 1822, was wife to Mr. C.P. Gilbreath who was born August 30, 1799 and died on December 14, 1879. (Grave stone giving birth and death.)
How We Started
Josiah Johnson conveyed a six acre tract of land to the Shiloh Baptist Church in 1857. It was stated that his purpose was that this be "a special gift for the purpose of building a church house and that the said six acres of land not be used for any other purpose save that of burying the dead, which be a free grave yard for any and all that may choose to, or wish to, bury their dead at said grave yard". The original church house, built of logs, was located on this parcel. It has been said that some of the large iron ore rocks in the old part of the cemetery are the remains of the original church building's foundation. The church now stands next to the cemetery. (Vol. 1, p. 272, Rusk County Deed Record) (Copy of original writing can be found on the Photos page.)
Josiah Johnson was an early settler of the community, but the 1850 and 1860 census of Rusk County indicates that sometime in that ten-year span, he and his wife moved to the Compton Community of southwestern Rusk County. (Rusk County census 1850 and 1860.)
Shiloh Baptist Church
Shiloh received additional acreage from another pioneer family in 1901. Three acres was conveyed to the deacons of Shiloh Baptist Church by J.H. Turner. A church house was built on this parcel, said to have been located near the existing front fence of the old section of the cemetery today. There are large iron ore rocks in this area that possibly could have been the foundation for this building. (Deed recorded in Vol. 73, p. 155, Rusk County Deed Records.) (See Photos for a copy of this deed.)
To School and Back
In 1912, 9/10th of an acre of this parcel was conveyed to the Minden Independent School District by the deacons of Shiloh Baptist Church. (Deed recorded Vol. 73, p. 156, Rusk County Deed Records.) (Shiloh School in 1912 can be found on the Photos page.) In 1956, this 9/10th of an acre was conveyed back to the deacons of Shiloh Baptist Church from the Minden Independent School District, along with another two acres just North of this parcel. (Deed recorded Vol. 568, p. 128, Rusk County Deed Records.)
How We Grew
In 1958, all of the original Johnson six acres and the Turner three acres (less the 9/10th acre deed to the Minden ISD) were conveyed by J.E. Wade back to the deacons of Shiloh Baptist Church.(Deed recorded in Vol. 630, p. 148, Rusk County Deed Records.)
In 1913, another pioneer family, W.A.V. Parker and Fannie E. Parker conveyed two acres to the deacons of Shiloh Baptist Church. (Deed recorded Vol. 79, pp. 32-33, Rusk County Deed Records.)
A second church was built on this parcel. In 1960, the heirs of W.A.V. Parker and Fannie E. Parker conveyed this parcel back to the deacons of Shiloh Baptist Church. (Deed recorded Vol. 695, p. 476, Rusk County Deed Records.)
The church and the cemetery separated in May 1966 by a joint resolution which was placed on file in the county deed record.
In 1996, three acres was conveyed by the Jones, Rousseau, and Hooks families collectively; along with 2.63 acres conveyed by Opal Cadenhead and children, to create the "Area II" or new section of the cemetery which now extends to have road frontage on State Highway 315.
Honoring Our Loved Ones
Until the late 1950's, the Shiloh Cemetery was cared for by the families who had relatives buried there. All met with hoes, rakes, and shovels, and they dug grass out and raked the cemetery clean. A three foot space surrounding the cemetery was also kept free of grass and leaves. Finally, the soil began to wash away, and a low brick wall was erected around the cemetery to retain the soil.
And so it was that in 1876, a tradition was born when Mrs. Susan Vaughn Pierce, wife of Wylie Pierce, and "Granny" Jeffrey met with friends to clean the cemetery. They always packed a lunch since the cemetery cleaning was an all day affair. The idea spread, and others brought lunches, and the "Shiloh Picnic", as it became known, grew larger and larger. The picnic has since then been held every 4th of July and is celebrated by all of those families connected to the Shiloh area by family ties.
Two concession stands were built where refreshments were sold to provide money for the work of caring for the cemetery. Home-made ice cream was also served, which was made by the women of the community in their five-gallon freezers. Later, when the ice cream was available commercially, the committee bought it as they did candy, gum, popcorn, and bottled drinks. Everything at that time sold for a nickel. Supplies for the picnic, were bought the previous day, and a member of the committee would stay there the night before to protect the supplies.
Among those buried at Shiloh are many veterans of the wars of the United States. There are veterans of the Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I and II, as well as Korea and Vietnam .
There are also many unmarked slave graves in the cemetery.
