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Submitted: 5/16/20 • Approved: 5/16/20 • Last Updated: 5/19/20 • R314140-G0-S3
The Heddins family cemetery is an old, unmarked graveyard on what was once the property of James ("Jim") and Clarinda ("Clara") (Brewster) Heddins, located 2/10th mile south of the Van Zandt County line in northern Henderson County--on the west side of Highway 19--the physical address now being 14445 State Hwy 19 N (Athens, TX). This is now considered the Walton community. The Heddins family cemetery is located on a slight hill near the front of the property.
There are four marked graves in the cemetery: James, Clarinda and two of their stillborn infant grandchildren (children of Isaiah L. & Julia Ann Ballard Heddins). It is believed that several other family members were buried there in unmarked graves, all of which being the nearly grown & grown children and grandchildren of Jim & Clara Heddins.
Jim & Clara Heddins and their two oldest children moved south to Van Zandt County, Texas in about 1853 from Coles County, Illinois. The State of Texas granted them 160 acres in southern Van Zandt County in the Pleasant Ridge community where they farmed and raised most of their children.
On October 4, 1870, Jim and Clara bought 160 acres of land in far northern Henderson County from Mr. G. E. Attaway for $960.00. The land was part of the original survey of land patented to John P. McCormack by the State of Texas. Jim and his family moved onto their new property and within two years Jim lost his wife and two of his grown children. Thus a family cemetery was created on their property.
*Photo & information courtesy of:
R.J. Heddins
Contributed on 5/16/20 by ashaw444
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Record #: 314140