Historical Marker: Located on part of a site once occupied by a Confederate gun powder factory. This cemetery originated with the burial of slaves on the powder mill acreage. After the factory was destroyed in 1865, with the collapse of the Confederacy, the acreage
fell into private ownership. One of the landowners, mortician M.M. Rains, began recording the burials here in 1880. However, the earliest known marked grave, that of Millie Abner, is dated 1878. Her husband David Abner, a former Harrison County Treasurer and member of the 14th Texas Legislature, is also buried here. Old Powder Mill Cemetery is important to the history of Harrison County as the burial ground of many of the leaders of Marshall's black community who played important roles in local religious, social, business, and political affairs. Among those interred here are educators, H B Pemberton, J R E Lee, and Frederick William Gross; war veterans, businessmen and women professionals. Also located in Old Powder Mill Cemetery are the graves of many former members and founders of the Colored (now Bethesda) Baptist Church, including William Massey, a Confederate soldier, who served as first Pastor.

Thanks to Anthony Mills for the information found in navy blue.


Abner, David             b. in slavery in Selma, Dallas County, Alabama in 1826. Farmer; member of Texas State House of             Representatives 1874; delegate to Texas State Constitutional Convention 1875.
b. 1826       d. 1902

Abner, Millie         Wife of David Abner; Earliest known burial in this cemetery.
b. unknown       d. 1878

Adams, Abraham B.
b. Jul. 27, 1904        d. Oct. 20, 1950

Adams, Rev Earlie O.
b. 1876        d. 1953

Adams, Edra             Lewis Funeral home marker, Marshall TX
b. 1922        d. 2002

Adams, Fannie              Double stone with Mattie L. Purdie Adams
b. 1863       d. 1941

Adams, Fred
b. Mar. 16, 1912       d. Nov. 15, 1950

Adams, John D.         Double stone with Mary A. Adams
b. 1900       d. 1969

Adams, Lillie
b. 1890       d. 1972

Adams, Mary A.          Double stone with John D. Adams
b. 1907       d. 1980

Adams, Mattie L. Purdie         Double stone with Fannie Adams
b. 1881               d. 1939

Adams, Robert J. "Doug"          Inscription: "Brother"; Double stone with Ruth Ella Adams
b. Feb. 5, 1945         d. Nov. 3, 1994

Adams, Ruth Ella            Inscription: "Mother"; Double stone with Robert J Adams
b. Dec. 15, 1920        d. Feb. 25, 1997

Adams, Sam            Inscription: Aged 82 years
b. 1854          d. 1936

Adams, Thelma
b. 1907            d. 1976

Allen, Willie Ray
b. Mar. 12, 1954          d. Aug. 13, 1997

Anderson, Julia           Inscription: "Mother"; Note: There is an unmarked grave beside Julia
b. Oct. 15, 1864          d. Apr. 24, 1914

Andrews, Estella
b. May., 1904           d. Feb. 27, 1964

Armstead, Martha            Inscription: Mother - Age 92
b. 1857           d. 1949

Austin, Alvin Augustus
b. 1880            d. 1958

Austin, Arie                Inscription: "Mother"
b. unknown          d. unknown

Bailey, Frances C. Choice           Inscription: Age 37 years; Wife of J.W. Bailey
b. unknown             d. Oct. 22, 1911

Baltimore, John L. A.          Inscription: TX CK2 U.S. NAVAL RESERVE WW II
b. Feb. 5, 1914                d. Oct. 17, 1956

Barnes, Willis                   Inscription: Mukes Temple 955 - Marshall Texas
b. unknown              d. Jan. 10, 1921

Beckman, Odell                 Inscription: PFC U.S.A.F. WW II
b. Aug. 17, 1924             d. Jun. 2, 1993

Bell, Hollice Conny                     Inscription: SSG U.S. ARMY VIETNAM
b. Jun. 5, 1942          d. Nov. 22, 1997

Bell, James             Inscription: Age 72
b. 1879                d. 1951

Bell, Lillian               Our Beloved Mother & Daughter - Age 44
b. 1909               d. 1953

Benjaman, Rev Isiah            Inscription: Age 62; Note: Two stones here, the other lists age as 65.
b. unknown              d. Jun. 1, 1923

Benjaman, Rena                  Inscription: Mother
b. 1822               d. 1850

Bennett, Rudolph
b. 1938            d. 1974

Black, Eura L.          Lewis Funeral Home Marker
b. 1946         d. 2002

Blackwell, Alberta
b. 1892           d. 1948

Blackwell, O. C.          Inscription: PFC U.S. ARMY WW II
b. 1908             d. 1989

Boyd, Mildred
b. 1934            d. 1998

Brackins, C. A                 C.A. shares a stone with Wade H. Logan & Jeff D. Logan, no other info, just names.
b. unknown           d. unknown

Bradley, Phillns
b. 1805              d. Dec. 6, 1884

Bradley, William            Inscription: Age 57 years - Husband of Julia
b. unknown           d. Apr. 3, 1901

Branch, Amanda          Death date was not complete..19 is all that was there. Double stone with C.P. Branch.
b. 1858            d. 19--

Branch, Augustus               Inscription: TX CPL U.S.M.C.R. WW II
b. Apr. 29, 1925             d. Nov. 7, 1951

Britt, Willie Hugh "Bubba", Jr
b. Apr. 21, 1952              d. Feb. 10, 1985

Brockman, Mattie Lee
b. Jul. 3, 1888               d. Jan. 7, 1956

Brooks, Addis         Inscription: Age 30
b. May. 25, 1919          d. May. 5, 1949

Brooks, Richard
b. Aug. 24, 1946          d. Apr. 23, 1954

Brown, Daryl Glenn          Double stone with Lawanda Rochelle Tatum.
b. Oct. 22, 1969              d. Mar. 28, 1997

Brown, Edmon              Inscription: Age 63 years
b. unknown           d. Oct. 17, 1900

Brown, Rev George W.               Inscription: Aged 93 years
b. unknown             d. Jun. 13, 1931

Brown, Lucy Ann                   buried next to Rev George W Brown
b. Jul. 26, 1843                d. Jun. 5, 1921

Brown, Mary           Inscription: Daughter of Elizabeth Davis; Aged 19 years.
b. unknown            d. 1903

Brown, Mollie           Inscription: Aged 59; Note: Double stone with George W. Campbell
b. unknown              d. Mar. 28, 1908

Brown, Pearl L.            Note: Pearl is buried in a family plot with Rowland R. Brown & John A. Jones.
b. 1882           d. 1971

Brown, Raymond A.
b. Aug. 4, 1912           d. Sep., 1939

Brown, Rowland R.             Inscription: TX SGT ENGRS WW II; Note: Rowland is buried in a family plot with Pearl L. Brown &             John A. Jones.
b. Oct. 21, 1916         d. Sep. 26, 1947

Brown, Slmal
b. Sep. 10, 1881              d. Aug. 3, 1903

Brown, Theresa O.
b. 1914            d. 2001

Brown, Willie P.              Inscription: TX PVT CO D 355 LABOR BN QMC WW I
b. Feb. 3, 1897                d. Feb. 25, 1962

Burris, Michele L.
b. Nov. 20, 1954           d. Jan. 20, 1955

Bush, Jack Clinton, Jr              Inscription: PVT U.S. ARMY
b. Mar. 12, 1956        d. Sep. 16, 1995

Byrd, Ellen                 Inscription: Aged 48 years
b. unknown           d. Sep. 16, 1904

Byrd, Steve
b. 1834           d. Dec. 23, 1909