Redland Cemetery

History of Redland Cemetery

By Marjorie Hunt Bluford

REDLAND CEMETERY is an African American Cemetery located approximately 7 miles west of San Augustine, Texas. The cemetery is located on CR 220 in San Augustine County.

Directions from San Augustine:

At US-96 and TX-21, turn west on TX-21 and travel approximately 5.5 miles. Turn right at Nichols Lane (CR-219, an unpaved road) and travel 1.1 miles. Turn right at CR-220 and travel 0.3 mile. The cemetery and China Chapel Baptist Church sits to the right on a hill right off CR-220. The cemetery sits a few feet west of China Chapel Baptist Church enclosed in a chain linked fence. China Chapel Baptist Church is believed to have gotten its name from a Chinaberry tree that once stood a few feet north of the original site of the church.

REDLAND CEMETERY is believed to have gotten its name from the unique landscape of reddish colored land in the Redland Community. Despite the belief, there is no written record that states how the cemetery actually acquired the name Redland Cemetery.

As with most sites of historical interest, Redland Cemetery is no different from the norm.  It has its own share of confusion and doubt, also. There are no written documents documenting when the cemetery was first used. It is known that the cemetery was used in the early 1900’s according to recorded deaths. Although there are no written records to prove it, many believe that Redland Cemetery may have been used sometime before the 1900’s.

According to written records, Redland Cemetery, sometimes referred to as China Chapel Cemetery, sits on a tract of land deeded on January 03, 1897 by Lucetta Teel Garrett. The land is a part of the Aybarbo Survey known as “The Old Teel Farm.” This cemetery is about 100 yards west of where the TEEL residence once stood and it neighbors the Caucasian ‘TEEL’ Cemetery. A ravine close by the cemetery along with post oak, red oak, sweet gum trees, and persimmon bushes were used as distinguished landmarks. The land is to be used for public school, a church house, and a burying ground for the Redland Colored Community. In the event that the property is abandoned, the land should not be sold, used as private property, or used as individual property. As a result of abandonment, the land should go back to the appropriate person who owns the deed or their legal representatives.

There are many people still being buried in Redland Cemetery today. The families are buried as close to each other as possible. Each surname has its own section of the cemetery to be buried, but no section of the cemetery is reserved for family members to be buried. In some cases, if space does not permit, immediate family members may have to be buried in a new section of the cemetery. Many people with the surname Barnes, Wilson, and Malone are interred in the Redland Cemetery.

Time and elements have removed some of the stones and other marks of identification that were used to mark grave sites. However, there are many markers remaining that mark grave sites that are without identifying inscriptions and many of them contain missing information. Many of the graves have no markers at all; therefore, the graves cannot be identified.

REDLAND CEMETERY has many inscriptions on headstones and markers identifying people that have served in the military. According to written death records, the oldest grave in this cemetery is believed to be that of Fannie Dodd who died in 1901. The person with the longest longevity, according to death records, is believed to be that of Jordan Barnes, Sr., born in 1850 and died in 1956.

There is a belief, despite the fact that no known records exist, that some slaves may have been buried near the present day Redland Cemetery before the land was deeded in 1897. It is possible that they may have been buried south of the Caucasian ‘TEEL’ Cemetery. The graves are believed to have been there sometime before 1870. Accurate records, if any, were not kept by slave owners before 1870. The data that does exist is challenging and hard to find because many people before 1880 preferred “nicknames” rather than given names. Many of the first and last names of the people are spelled incorrectly.

Several sources of information that included births and deaths were gathered for the history of Redland Cemetery. This information may differ when more than one source is combined and used for purposes of identifying graves and the deceased. If a difference occurs, written records with the County of San Augustine and funeral home records will be used to identify graves.

Once a year, family members that have relatives interred in Redland Cemetery have a cemetery drive. Family members are asked to give a donation for the upkeep of the cemetery. Nowadays, if a family member is going to be interred in Redland Cemetery, the family is asked to give a donation of $100.00 to help with the upkeep of the cemetery. 

Copyright © 2009 to present by Suzanne Sowell. This information may be used by individuals for their own personal use, libraries and genealogical societies. Commercial use of this information is strictly prohibited without prior written permission from Suzanne Sowell If material is copied, this copyright notice must appear with the information and please email me and let me know. Neither the Site Coordinators nor the volunteers assume any responsibility for the information or material given by the contributors or for errors of fact or judgment in material that is published at this website.                                                                                           Page Modified: 12 March 2010