"J. C. Houston Homestead Cemetery" - this is the name assigned to this cemetery in the official records of Madison County and this name appears in the records of The Madison County Genealogical & Historical Society. GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 36.27719, Longitude: -93.63551

This small cemetery, which contains only two marked graves, is located in Madison County on the banks of Kings River on land that was homesteaded by "Joseph C. Houston" [Joseph Calvin Houston] on February 1, 1860, and described as the Northwest Quarter of the Southwest Quarter of Section 27, Township 19 North, Range 25 West, 40 acres. (Kings River runs through the center of this 40 acres and today the River is the dividing line between Madison County and Carroll County - so about half of this 40 acres is now in Madison County and the remaining part of it is now in Carroll County.)

Then on 10 May 1882, "Calvin" Houston received title to an additional 120 acres adjoining the above land, described as: The East Half of the Southeast Quarter of Section 28; and the Southwest Quarter of the Southwest Quarter of Section 27; both in Township 19 North, Range 25 West. (Kings River also runs through the center of the SW 1/4 of the SW 1/4 of Section 27, and today the River is the dividing line between Madison County and Carroll County - so half of this 40 acres is now in Madison County and half of it is now in Carroll County.)

This cemetery is located in the middle of a large field where cows graze and it is surrounded by a fence made of cattle panels. The remains of the Houston home is nearby, along with a hand-dug well, garden spot, and smokehouse. For many years a County Road passed near this homestead but now there is no County Road here and this cemetery is located on private property behind a locked gate.

In the photo shown here, the rusted metal roof (left of center) is the remains of the smokehouse; the large rose-bush (with bright green leaves shown in the center of the picture) surrounds the hand-dug well; and the remains of the house are located just to the right of the rose-bush. The garden spot is located on the left side of the photo.