Episode 148 - Beyond Ghosts: Honoring Lives at Martha's Chapel Cemetery Near Huntsville, Texas
A Google search for Martha's Chapel Cemetery will lead you down a reportedly haunted road where any number of ghostly spirits and demons are said to roam unsettling the living who pass through this desolate corner of Eastern Texas. But what happens when a cemetery’s main attraction is only about its ghosts and otherworldly atmosphere? We tend to lose sight of why the cemetery even exists, as a burial ground for real people who lived Ordinary Extraordinary lives and they deserve to be respectfully remembered. In this episode Jennie and Dianne learn the true story of Martha's Chapel Cemetery and share the stories of many who were laid to rest among the peaceful shade of its pine trees. From Methodist ministers to Civil War soldiers to women who dedicated their lives to caring for their families, they uncover a tapestry of lives, showcasing the depth and richness of history that resides within the cemetery's grounds.
To purchase tickets to the 34th annual Gilpin County Historical Society Cemetery Crawl, click here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gilpin-historical-society-34th-annual-cemetery-crawl-tickets-657128116887
To purchase tickets to the third annual Beyond the Grave: an evening with Bram Stoker, click here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beyond-the-grave-an-evening-with-bram-stoker-tickets-696195337997?aff=oddtdtcreator
Photos from https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/5045/martha's-chapel-cemetery - Photographers include: T. Demars, Janet Bertram, Becky Dale, Mark D. Peters, and G. Walker
Resources used to research this episode include:
Goolsby, Dana. "Martha's Chapel ." http://www.texasescapes.com. 16 Mar. 2012. www.texasescapes.com/DanaGoolsby/Marthas-Chapel-Texas.htm. Accessed 20 Aug. 2023.
Hulse, James. "Martha's Chapel ." https://www.hmdb.org. 6 Apr. 2022. www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=195026. Accessed 20 Aug. 2023.
, National Archives And Records Administration . "Pensions for Military Service in the Army of the Confederate States of America." https://www.archives.gov. 1 Dec. 2010. www.archives.gov/files/research/military/civil-war/confederate/confederate-pensions.pdf . Accessed 20 Aug. 2023.
, Texas State Library And Archives Commission . "Confederate Pension Applications ." https://www.tsl.texas.gov. www.tsl.texas.gov/arc/pensions/introcpi.html. Accessed 20 Aug. 2023.
"Taxas 1821-1836." http://www.let.rug.nl. www.let.rug.nl/usa/essays/1801-1900/anglo-american-colonization-in-texas/texas-1821-1836.php. Accessed 20 Aug. 2023.
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