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Morse-Bragg Cemetery On South Wynden Dr.


Joe B

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Cementary in West Oaks,I saw it as a kid in the 50s.At that time there were a number of head stones,one of prominance with the name Travis 0f 1800S,maybe 2 of children made of concreat,with the information scratched in,late on ground.Some has removed all.Has anyone else seen it,remember it when it could be recognized?There was a Houston Press story back in the 50s,a short mention of "lost cementary".Regards.Joe

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You can use this Harris County Block book map to find the location of the Morse cemetery

Harris County West Oaks Section II

You can use this HCAD map to find the cemetery. It is marked "RES B -0066" and it is just beyond Wynden Oaks Drive on S. Wynden Drive.

HCAD map of Morse cemetery

I haven't seen that cemetery so I don't know if anything remains of the headstones.

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Some additional info, just based on a quick google search:

"Located in West Houston on South Wynden Drive in the West Oaks II Sub. Aka McFee cemetery. The 11/3 acres was decicated as a cemetery in 1874, with one acre called the Morse Cemetery. No markers showing, one base is the only sign that there was a graveyard there at one time. No recorded names or dates at site. May be moved or destroyed. (Houston Chronicle, Dec. 8,1994, Stefanie Asin.)

========================================

From AT REST by Trevia W. Beverly.

Est. by Grace Morse, by 1992 there was only two markers. Lovett Taft, Died Oct. 25,1864; Mary Bragg, Died July 12,1873. Other names that are buried here are Grant, McFee, Morse." [source]

I think some of that information was posted by George E. Wolf, Jr., who I think posts on HAIF as Cemeterywolf. If you PM him, he might have more information.

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Thats some good information on the Morse Cementary being posted,glad to see it.My family had history in the area sense around 1916,my father said there was a cast iron fence around in at one time,during the time around WW2,apparently during of the drive for materials it disapeared.During the eary 50s there was some concreat anchors for the fence in place.Today it looks like someones home is on part of the original plot.Whats disturbing to me is how someone got title to property that was dedicated to the community,as cementary/water works?Is there no protection for cementarys in Texas/Houston, that they can be left to neglect or worse,my concerm being for the deceased.Regards Joe B

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  • 3 years later...

http://books.tax.hct...7_45_2_0173.jpg

...another boundary for the Morse Cemetery. Interesting how it crosses the road...hmmm.

notice the name R.B. Gaut Subdivision. The lake nearby was called Lake Diane.

The area was the locaton in the early 1920's for the country homes of the elite. Staubb designed some of the homes/ stables.

Huisache Place is one. Farishes, Randolphs, Will. Carter Jr. and wife Lillie Neuhaus (made lake - Hare and Hare Landscape Architects), Weiss called their country home "The Stables". Was very remote. That might explain why the Houston City Police stables were located nearby, Loop 610 and N. Post Oak.

sources: Houston Unknown City, M. Johnston. Ch 56. p. 317-18.

Harris County Block Books

http://books.tax.hct...7_45_2_0158.jpg

...some of the roads reflect the country estates & owner names.

and notice how the freeway path is penciled in, in the center of the map, runs north and south.

Edited by NenaE
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The Weiss property was North of the Bayou in what is now Stablewood. The family still owns a piece of property there according to the HoA site. To the West of Stablewood, off of Carnarvon is Farish Circle, where the Elkins had homes.

The 14 acres on the North side of North Wynden Drive is owned by the Hudson Brothers Partnership, LP. The Hudson brothers appear to be the sons of Cecil Blaffer con Furstenberg, daughter of Humble Oil co-founder Robert Lee Blaffer by her first husband. I wish I had the time ot live in the property records office for a while, along with the probate records. If I find time, I'll see if i can dig up something on the South Wynden properties.

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http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/topo/texas/txu-pclmaps-topo-tx-houston_heights-1915.jpg

N. Post Oak area - 1915

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/topo/texas/txu-pclmaps-topo-tx-houston_heights-1947.jpg

N. Post Oak are - 1947

These maps reflect the changes in the remote country estate area before the freeway counstruction. The 1947 map indicates a road of some type feeding into the Post Oak area from Memorial Park. I did read (in the M. Johnston book that was noted in my above, previous post) that the elite families, with the help of Mr. Hogg, acquired land that belonged to University of Texas, to found their prestigious country club.

Ironic, now, that the maps listed above, are found on the UT map collection site.

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  • The title was changed to Morse-Bragg Cemetery On South Wynden Dr.
  • 6 months later...

Stopped by the Morse-Bragg Cemetery today. Very cool to see a "pocket cemetery" in the heart of Uptown surrounded by high-rises.

Looks like there are a few other families buried here. Including Bering, Bachelder, McFee, Reeder, Keeling, Banks, Koontz, Scott, and Thomas.

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One headstone was removed it looks like.

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