Shelby Chapel Cemetery
Henderson County Texas

History of the Shelby Chapel Cemetery

The oldest marked grave is that of an infant. The Infant Horn died Feb 1897 and more than likely is the child of Jeff D. and S. Ella Horn. The second oldest marked grave is that of Mary Ellen (Shelby) Hawkins who died Jun 1899, wife of Raymond Robert Hawkins. She was the daughter of James Madison Shelby (more than likely where name of cemetery came from) and his wife Amanda Ann Henderson. The third oldest marked grave is that of another infant, Infant Rogers died in Dec 1899 and is the son of Henry E. and Mary E. Rogers. If you have any further information about this cemetery or you know of an older burial..please contact Bunny Freeman

Enumeration

See the all new transcription of Shelby Chapel Cemetery with updates to 2004.
There are 787 known individuals interred here.
On these new pages your will find everyone buried here starting from A - Z.
Birth records, Marriage Records, Death Records, Obituaries, Headstone photos, Military headstone photos, Census Records, Family sites links, Military Records, Tax/Land Records, Newspaper articles, Family portraits and more have been added.
This is a work in progress and A - S names have been completed.
T - Z names will be added in the near future, check back often to see when they are posted.

Another Shelby Chapel Transcription Link                           Laura Gregory Calvin's Transcription to Shelby Chapel Cemetery

Historical Marker James Madison Shelby (1814-1889), a native of North Carolina, moved with his large family from Alabama to Texas in the 1870s. They first lived in Smith County, then moved to southeastern Henderson County. There they established a Presbyterian church named Morrison Chapel for the minister who preached there. Services were held in the home of James and Amanda Ann Henderson Shelby until a small building was erected. Church members buried their loved ones in an adjoining cemetery. James Madison Shelby was interred in Morrison Chapel Cemetery upon his death. The extended Shelby family relocated again in 1891, this time to an area three miles northeast of the center of Athens. Amanda Ann Henderson Shelby lived with her daughter and son-in-law, Jeff Decal and Susan Ella Shelby Horn. Mrs. Shelby gave the Horns seven acres of land, reserving two acres for a Presbyterian church and cemetery. Religious services were held in the Horn home until Thomas Dunklin, another Shelby son-in-law, received the contract to construct a church building called Shelby Chapel in 1895. Amanda A. Shelby died in 1896 and was interred with her husband. The first burial in Shelby Chapel Cemetery was that of J. D. and Susan Horn's infant son in 1897. Shelby Chapel and the Athens Cumberland Presbyterian Church were united between 1901 and 1905. The church remained Presbyterian until 1964 when it became a non-denominational community church. Many armed forces veterans are interred here, including Confederate soldiers. Members of Shelby Chapel and their descendants continue to be interred in the cemetery, which remains as a chronicle of area settlers. (1999)
	Photos courtesy of Laura Calvin

Photos

Photos of this cemetery wanted

Reminices
by Henry J. Hall

Veterans and Markers contributed by Laura Calvin

Contact Information

Marcelle Simmons
903-675-5323

Return to Cemetery Page

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This site is owned and maintained by the Henderson Co., TXGenWeb County Coordinator.  Content of this site has been gathered from many sources and transcribed records. Therefore, errors may occur. When in doubt as to the accuracy of data contained herein, go to the actual records yourself.  If you find any inaccurate data, please let the County Coordinator know.  The information contained in this website is for your personal use only.  All pages, compilations, transcriptions and abstracts are protected by copyright law and may not be published in whole or in part without written consent of the author, contributor and/or webmaster.

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