Freestone County

Cotton Gin Cemetery

Historical Marker Text

Margarette Wills, her slaves and her son James S. Wills came to this area in 1845. Dr. James S. Wills is credited with the establishment of the Cotton Gin community in 1848. According to family history, Dr. Wills gave the land for a public cemetery with separate sections for Anglo and African Americans. Though it is likely that there were earlier burials, the oldest legible gravestone in the Anglo section is that of Mary Manning, who died in 1854 at 59. The next identifiable death date is that of an infant daughter of J. W. and A. A. Story, buried in 1858. Among the military veterans interred here is Abraham Roland (ca. 1794-1868), who fought in the War of 1812. There are at least 67 Civil War veterans interred here, as well as veterans of other major conflicts. 

2000

location: 7 mi. W of Teague on US 84; 1.5 mi. NE on FM 1366