"Decoration" Day and
Dedication Held at
Historic Woodland Cemetery
by: Bobby McDonald
Travel three miles down a lonely country road (CR-2333) and step back into time, when Hopkins County was only just begun. That's the way some 100 people celebrated the Memorial Day weekend, on Saturday at 10:30 a.m., as they honored those who were buried in the small Southeastern Hopkins County Woodland Cemetery and unveiled the newly errected Texas Historical Marker received by the cemetery.
The small rural community was formed in the 1850's by the Askew, Purcell, and other families, and later would move approximately a mile and one-half east to form the Bethel Community. However, there are still families that continue to use the small, beautiful cemetery as the final resting place for their beloved.
Veterans from the Mexican War, Civil War, WWI, and WWII are buried in the peaceful setting of rural Hopkins County and on a beautiful May day, with the wind blowing through the oaks and under an overcast sky, the descendents of those buried there, found the peace that their ancestors must have felt when choosing the site for a burial ground.
The site of the earliest known grave in the Woodland Cemetery, is the grave of a child who died
while the family was on the move through Hopkins County.
The first known grave is that of a small child, buried sometime in the 1840's or 50's, and legend has it that a family was moving through the area and camped beneath the towering oaks, when the child passed away. The family did the only thing they could, by forming a burial place for their beloved.
Names such as Kennemer, Askew, Crump, Hayden, Minter, Humphrey, McDonald, and Jeter mark the headstones of those early pioneers who formed this section of Hopkins County.
Mrs. Bonnie Hayden Rose, President of the Woodland Cemetery Association,
presided over Saturday's program.
Saturday's program featured Mrs. Bonnie Hayden Rose, President of the Woodland Cemetery Association, presiding over the ceremonies. She introduced a bevy of special guests, and called on Mike Minter, a descendent of the the Askew, Purcell, and Minter families to lead the invocation. Boy Scouts from Pack 5 Den 7 of Como-Pickton, Jackson Watkins and Blake Neal, posted the colors. And, County Judge Cletis Milsap, gave some remarks on the Early History of Hopkins County. Then, Local Historian, John Sellers, outlined the contributions of the Askew family to Hopkins County history, as well as naming many of the descendents in the crowd.
Como-Pickton Boy Scouts, Jackson Watkins and Blake Neal,
posted the colors at Saturday's event.
Local historian, John Sellers, gave a brief history of the Askew family
and presented the Woodland Cemetery Association with their official
Texas Historical Marker.
And, the marker is unveiled!
Following a presentation of the marker by John Sellers, Chairman of the Hopkins County Historical Society, Mrs. Rose, with the aid of the Boy Scouts, unveiled the beautiful Texas Historical Marker, while the crowd looked on.
The Daughters of the Confederacy gave a moving tribute and roll call of those Civil War Veterans who are buried in the small cemetery and the Sons of the Confederacy gave a volley salute to those fallen in service to the Confederacy.
Bonnie Rose paid special tribute to Staff Sgt. Edward L. McDonald, a WWII soldier, who is buried in the cemetery, and was killed in action on May 29, 1944, sixty-two years ago to-date, near Angio, Italy. "What a fitting way to remember those who have been killed in action, than to honor Sgt. McDonald, in this ceremony today," expressed Rose. "It is because of the great sacrifices like this, that we are able to assemble in freedom to remember our heritage!"
A long bugler played "Taps" from behind the trees, and as the haunting echo of notes floated through the air, those assembled paid homeage to those who have traveled the path in Hopkins County, before. Traveling the farthest distance to the gathering on Saturday was a descendent of the Crump and Hayden families, who came from Sydney, Australia.
Confederate soldiers and Boy Scouts show the span of history that exists at the Woodland Cemetery
in rual southeastern Hopkins County.
And, this team of mules was moving slowly down CR-2333, as those gathered began
to leave, reminding everyone how fortunate they were to get in an air conditioned
car and enjoy the pleasantries of life in 2006.
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