TX Glenwood Cemetery,Houston,Texas

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During this time of travel restrictions and business/venue closures,I've been looking for places to visit with Civil War history within an hour-and-a-half from my home. Found this one near downtown Houston less than 30 minutes from my house. I didn't even know it was there until a couple of weeks ago. I busted out of isolation and lockdown last Saturday and made a visit. I had a list of graves I was looking for but no map. I knew I'd be lucky if I found half of them,but that was okay because I also knew I'd be back, perhaps several times. Also,it was just good to take a field trip again. I was a bit concerned because in the limited research I did,I only found military flatstones for Confederate veterans and it's a big cemetery. Shortly after arriving,I quickly discovered that I needn't be concerned about that. I usually start these threads with a picture of the main gate and the cemetery's historical marker. There was a car right behind me when I pulled in so I figured I would do that last before leaving. Didn't work out. There was no rain at all in the forecast that day,but I got chased out of the cemetery by heavy rain and lightning after about 2.5 hours there. Plus,I had a honey-do to take care of that afternoon and only had about 30 minutes left in my visit before the weather cut it short. I chose this picture to show y'all how close the cemetery is to downtown Houston. Nice view.


 
Did I say Glenwood Cemetery is big? It's BIG...60+ acres. Can't pin down how many are buried there. Somewhere on their website it says they have 25,000 burial records. Not sure if there are multiple records for some of the interments.



 
When I was at the spot in the picture above, a man,his son and a friend were bicycling through and stopped to take pictures. I took a picture of the three of them on their cellphones and got them to take some of me on mine.

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The first Civil War graves I came upon was a grouping of Union veteran gravestones,some of whom were from U.S.C.I. regiments. Two were Captains. Not sure if they were white officers. It was also a good place to stop on the road that winds through the cemetery. As it says on the cemetery website,it's a private cemetery with no public restrooms onsite and that's all I'm gonna say about that. :D Not much info on the soldiers on FindAGrave except one.


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Nice photos. Most the time the 3 rings will have F L T Friendship Love & Truth.
 
Thanks. I had to Google it. I thought you were messing with me. :D

They still exist although, like most organizations of their type, they're nowhere near what they were even several generations back. They own an entire section in the cemetery where I volunteer. Very common to see their symbols on stones in just about any old cemetery.

We've also got the Improved Order of Red Men and the German Order of Red Men. Look those guys up.
 
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When I was at the spot in the picture above, a man,his son and a friend were bicycling through and stopped to take pictures. I took a picture of the three of them on their cellphones and got them to take some of me on mine.

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Great post. Thanks for sharing. The picture where your kneeling next to the headstone... is that the outskirts of the cemetery? I don't see any other stones in the background. I'm curious because that seems like such a peaceful spot, especially with the view.
 
And now for some notable/famous burials. If it wasn't for the bronze flatstone at the foot of the monument,you wouldn't know who this is. Hardest Texas pink granite monument I've ever tried to read. Organizer and first Commander of the 8th Texas Cavalry aka "Terry's Texas Rangers". Killed early in the war. All 3 of his brothers served the Confederacy also. One of them was also in the 8th Texas Cavalry and was mortally wounded at Shiloh.


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The picture where your kneeling next to the headstone... is that the outskirts of the cemetery? I don't see any other stones in the background. I'm curious because that seems like such a peaceful spot, especially with the view.
Same gravestone,different view. Yes,that is the edge of the cemetery. It is on the bluffs of a bayou bottom. Pretty sure there is a bayou beyond the trees between the cemetery and downtown Houston. There is a brick retaining wall on the bluffs. On another visit,with more time,I intend to go down there and see what it looks like looking back at the cemetery.

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Same gravestone,different view. Yes,that is the edge of the cemetery. It is on the bluffs of a bayou bottom. Pretty sure there is a bayou beyond the trees between the cemetery and downtown Houston. There is a brick retaining wall on the bluffs. On another visit,with more time,I intend to go down there and see what it looks like looking back at the cemetery.

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Great, thanks. Look forward to seeing that post as well!
 
Here's a photo of a fantastic old oak tree there where my great great granny is buried. Here cool story is that after my gggrandpa died during the war, living in Lexington, VA, she married one of the two town doctors, a Dr. Barton. He was one of the two physicians who treated Robert E Lee as he was dying. They made careful notes of all their actions, fully knowing their efforts would be studied to be sure they'd done him right. After Dr. Barton died she moved in with family in Houston.
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Here's a photo of a fantastic old oak tree there where my great great granny is buried. Here cool story is that after my gggrandpa died during the war, living in Lexington, VA, she married one of the two town doctors, a Dr. Barton. He was one of the two physicians who treated Robert E Lee as he was dying. They made careful notes of all their actions, fully knowing their efforts would be studied to be sure they'd done him right. After Dr. Barton died she moved in with family in Houston.
I'll look for that tree next time I'm there. I could spend a whole day in that Cemetery.
 
My friend and fellow member @J. D. Stevens knows a little about this soldier and his regiment, Likens' 35th Texas Cavalry. I bet J.D. has been to this gravesite too. Col. Likens' son is buried next to him. Check out the FindAGrave page. He had a prominent postwar life too.


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The Odd Fellows
Nice photos. Most the time the 3 rings will have F L T Friendship Love & Truth.
They still exist although, like most organizations of their type, they're nowhere near what they were even several generations back. They own an entire section in the cemetery where I volunteer. Very common to see their symbols on stones in just about any old cemetery.

We've also got the Improved Order of Red Men and the German Order of Red Men. Look those guys up.
Thanks guys. I figured someone in here would know what that symbol and "I.O.O.F" was. Can't be much out there that someone in here doesn't know about. I may have seen that symbol before and hadn't noticed it. I am pretty sure if I had seen "I.O.O.F" on a gravestone before,I would've noticed it and been curious about what it meant.
 
I'll look for that tree next time I'm there. I could spend a whole day in that Cemetery.
My, that is a gorgeous live oak! And the setting is amazing, I see on a map that it’s almost downtown on Memorial Dr.

Here is the cemetery site that has it all including notables buried there. I see it’s the resting place of a Col. Lubbock who took command of Terry’s Texas Rangers for a short time after Terry was killed.

 
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This is one of the soldiers that was on my list of veterans that I was specifically looking for. He was a prominent Houston businessman. His gravestone says he was a member of the 5th Texas Infantry and 8th Texas Cavalry(Terry's Texas Rangers). His service in the 5th Texas is kinda hard to pin down. I think I have a 5th Texas Infantry roster somewhere but haven't been able to put my hands on it.







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