After the death of William Cravens in Christian County, Kentucky (1845), Mary (McCombs) Cravens, his wife, Gershom C., their son, their slaves, and a party of friends started from Kentucky to Texas in 1845. Gershom left behind his sweetheart, Zerelda Darnell; their parents thought they were too young for marriage at nineteen and sixteen. The Darnells has come to Texas before the fall of the Alamo but the Indians gave so much trouble they were getting ready to return to Kentucky (1837) before their application for a land grant was granted. William and his wife, A. E. Darnell, had crossed the mighty Red river in a boat to attend to some business before returning to Kentucky. The river started to rise and their boat overturned when the started back to the Texas side. William managed to get out safely but his wife drowned. William Darnell returned to Kentucky with his children. He would not give his consent for his lovely daughter, sixteen year old Zerelda, to come back to Texas as Gershom Craven’s bride. The separation proved too much for Gershom, so when they camped on the Cumberland River in Montgomery County, Tennessee, Gershom slipped away in the night to return for Zerelda. They were married at Clarksville, Tennessee, October 14, 1845. The Cravens settled on the Bois d’Arc creek north of Windom, Texas. Soon John and Nathan Darnell, along with their sister, Mary Elizabeth, joined the Cravens in Texas. This was a family graveyard. All marked graves are the family and there are four unmarked graves of friends.
CRAVENS
Mary, b. 14 Feb. 1793, d. 18 Feb. 1868. [nee McCombs]
Mary E., b. 26 Sept., 1847, d. 6 July 1918. [nee Allen]
James Nathan, b. 30 Oct. 1859, d. 1 Jan. 1862. Son of G. C. & Z.
Gershom C., b. 22 Dec. 1826, d. 13 Feb. 1871.
Zerelda, b. 23 Nov. 1829, d. 13 Dec. 1898.
Mary (Ella), b. 4 Dec. 1867, d. 9 Apr. 1892. Wife of Elijah C. [nee Ramsey]
William Henry, b. 25 Nov. 1846, d. 20 Oct. 1901.
DARNELL
John O., b. 14 Mar. 1824, d. 24 Dec. 1872.
Nathan A., b. 15 July 1821, d. 19 Feb. 1877.
BREWER
Mary E., b. 1 Mar. 1823, d. 2 Apr. 1892. Born in Sumner Co. TN. Dau. of Wm. &
A. E. – nee Soper-Darnel.
JOLLEY
Isham T., b. 12 July 1842, d. 18 Apr. 1890. Born Wilson Co. TN.
Harriet, b. 19 Apr. 1852, d. 9 Mar. 1876. Wife of I. T. Dau. of G. & Z. Cravens.
EDWARD
P. C., graved unmarked. [d. 1937 ae. 70 yrs.]
MOORE
Harriett, b. 18 July 1870, d. 22 Apr. 1882. Dau. of W. C. & Emily.
Howard, b. 18 Oct. 1881, d. 22 Apr. 1822. Son of W. C. & Emily.
Emily, b. 18 Sept. 1850, d. 20 Apr. 1899. Wife of W. C.
Zehelda, b. 5 Sept. 1872, d. 18 Dec. 1874. Child of W. C. & Emily.
Infant, b. & d. 26 July 1869. Son of W. C. & Emily.
Charles T., b. 20 Feb. 1874, d. 28 Oct. 1875. Son of W. C. & E.
William H., b. 11 Apr. 1880, d. 28 Apr. 1880. Son of W. C. & E.
Infant, b. & d. 22 Feb. 183-. Dau. of W. C. & E.
NICHOLSON
Greshum A., b. 11 Sept. 1882, d. 16 July 1883. Son of J. W. & C. A. [Catherine – nee Cravens]
TYLER
R. K., d. 13 Jan. 1897, ae. 64 yrs.
Mary E. (Elizabeth, b. 10 Aug. 1848, d. 6 May 1869. Wife of R. K. Dau. of G. C. & Z. Cravens.