STONY POINT CEMETERY - MELISSA
FM545 east of Melissa
FM545 east of Melissa
The cemetery is about 1 mile east of the Melissa Feed Yards. It is visible from FM 545, but access is from CR 1095, which is not listed on the old county maps.
There is a historical marker for the church and cemetery. The "E" in Stoney comes and goes with whomever is writing the name. The church and cemetery are on the James Fisher survey on the waters of Sister Grove Creek.
The community here was called Stony Point. In the 1870's and 80's Stony Point was a thriving community with a cotton gin, a general store, a molasses mill, a grist mill, a church and a school. The first school was called the Johnson School. The name "Chambliss" is also applies to the area. It was actually a little northeast of the church and cemetery.
The Stony Point Baptist Church of Christ was organized in 1878. Out of the Stony Point Baptist Church were started the Altoga Baptist Church, Valdasta Baptist Church and White Rock Baptist Church. I believe that all of these churches still exist. The Stony Point Church is no longer in use except for funerals or special occasions.
There are several deeds pertaining to the church and cemetery. The first one is listed in Vol 19, p 307. The cemetery is large, covering several acres, and is fenced. It was deeded to the Stony Point Cemetery Association in March of 1938. The cemetery is well maintained and still in use.
Cemeteries of Collin County, Texas, by Joy Gough
There is a historical marker for the church and cemetery. The "E" in Stoney comes and goes with whomever is writing the name. The church and cemetery are on the James Fisher survey on the waters of Sister Grove Creek.
The community here was called Stony Point. In the 1870's and 80's Stony Point was a thriving community with a cotton gin, a general store, a molasses mill, a grist mill, a church and a school. The first school was called the Johnson School. The name "Chambliss" is also applies to the area. It was actually a little northeast of the church and cemetery.
The Stony Point Baptist Church of Christ was organized in 1878. Out of the Stony Point Baptist Church were started the Altoga Baptist Church, Valdasta Baptist Church and White Rock Baptist Church. I believe that all of these churches still exist. The Stony Point Church is no longer in use except for funerals or special occasions.
There are several deeds pertaining to the church and cemetery. The first one is listed in Vol 19, p 307. The cemetery is large, covering several acres, and is fenced. It was deeded to the Stony Point Cemetery Association in March of 1938. The cemetery is well maintained and still in use.
Cemeteries of Collin County, Texas, by Joy Gough
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STONY POINT CHURCH AND CEMETERY
IN THE 1870s AND 1880s THE PIONEER SETTLEMENT OF STONY POINT WAS A THRIVING AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY WITH A COTTON GIN, GENERAL STORE, GRISTMILL, MOLASSES MILL AND SCHOOL. ON AUG. 17, 1878, AREA RESIDENTS FORMED THE STONY POINT BAPTIST CHURCH. FIVE YEARS LATER A. J. SCRIBNER AND R. N. COFFEY DONATED LAND TO THE CHURCH WHICH NOW COMPRISES PART OF THE BURIAL GROUND. IN 1887 J. C. AND ELIZABETH PRICE DEEDED PROPERTY FOR THE FIRST SANCTUARY. DESTROYED BY LIGHTNING IN 1926, IT WAS REPLACED BY A SMALLER STRUCTURE DEDICATED IN 1938. THE EARLIEST GRAVE IN THE CEMETERY, THAT OF W. M. WILSON'S INFANT SON WHO DIED IN 1880, PREDATES THE CHURCH'S ACQUISITION OF THE SITE. OTHER GRAVES INCLUDE THOSE OF PIONEER SETTLERS AND LEADERS OF THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY. IN 1938 CONTROL OF THE BURIAL SITE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE STONY POINT CEMETERY ASSOCIATION. BY ORDAINING EARLY MINISTERS AND BY HELPING WITH THE FORMATION OF CHURCHES IN THE NEARBY SETTLEMENTS OF VERONA, ALTOGA, VALDASTA AND WHITE ROCK, STONY POINT BAPTIST CHURCH HAD A DRAMATIC IMPACT ON THE REGION. IT CONTINUED TO PLAY A VITAL ROLE UNTIL IT CLOSED IN THE LATE 1950s AS A RESULT OF THE AREA'S DECLINING POPULATION. THE SANCTUARY IS STILL USED FOR FUNERALS AND FOR THE ANNUAL DECORATION DAY SERVICES. Texas Historical marker, 1982. Incised on back: IN MEMORY OF LELAND WILKES SCRIBNER |
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