This good sized tombstone is white, yellowed with age, has a
carving of clasped hands and sadly is broken in half. A
bible verse is found near the base of the tombstone. The
writing is still very readable and the forest seems to have
protected it from deterioration.
Caroline E. His Wife
This tombstone is the stone of Jefferson Stringer's
3rd wife, Caroline Elizabeth (Myhand) Stringer, even though his
name is at the top. It is the gray of concrete and pitted. It
is taller than his, all in one piece though the top section is
loose and clearly readable. A bible verse, Rev. xiv:13, is
found near the base of the tombstone.
Small white tombstone (similar to a footstone) - bearing initials "CES".
Small white tombstone (similar to a footstone) - bearing
initials "JS".
[These are not located at the foot of Jefferson and Caroline's
graves so we are unsure if they are truly footstones or other burials.]
Long rectangular white stone laid flat in the ground near
the front of Jefferson Stringer's stone - bears the initials "JS". [unsure
what this stone is but it is not the base to another stone].
Family stories passed have told of slaves buried with
Jefferson Stringer. He's confirmed to have had only one slave
who came from Georgia to Texas with him. One
slave was with him in 1860 when freedom came and chose to
stay with Jefferson so possible the slave's family is buried here
also. Only one rock was found in the location of the Stringer
graves which might seem to be an unmarked grave.
Submitted by Cheyrl Turner Velten
I was also told by the owner that there are graves of 12 slaves
buried there but there are no markers and no visible signs of other
graves. There is not an actual cemetery there, no fence, only graves.
These graves are in an overgrown pasture south of Shady Grove.
There is no road to them and they are very hard to find, even if
you know where to look, and on private property.
The three tombstones are broken or crumbling, some are buried except
the tombstone of:
Jefferson Stringer
born March 23, 1811, in South Carolina
died on February 4, 1891 Shady Grove, Upshur County, Texas
His is still visible but barely legible.
His third wife is buried there as well but the stone is not visible.
Caroline Elizabeth Myhand, sister of his second wife, Nancy
Dinkins Myhand
Born: 28 Dec 1819 in GA, USA
Died: 28 Sep 1906 in Shady Grove, Upshur, TX.
Marriage: 1 Jan 1853 in Harris, GA, USA
In the 1860's, the family moved to Upshur County and settled
in the old Paint Rock Community where Jefferson Stringer was
a Primitive Baptist minister. Jefferson and Caroline raised three
sons and six daughters to adulthood. One son, Jonathan Davis
Stringer, followed in his father's footsteps as a Baptist minister,
preaching in Marion and Cass Counties, Texas, where he died in
1928 in Queen City, Texas.
