On the Darker Side...

David Koresh

Birth:	Aug. 17, 1959
Death:	Apr. 19, 1993
Cult Leader. Born in 1959 to Bonnie Hadelman. He lived with his grandparents and they were the acting parents in his life. As a child he was called Vernie. Suffering from dyslexia and as a result, bad grades, he never finished high school. He enjoyed the Bible and music. At the age of 20 he joined the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Having different ideas from the church leaders he was asked to leave the church. In 1981 he joined the religious sect the Branch Davidians who had settled 10 miles out of Waco, Texas in 1935. Lois Roden the prophetess was in her sixties. After her death in 1986 Howell and Lois' son George began a power struggle to become head of the sect. Being unsuccessful, he left with his followers and went to East Texas. They returned to Waco in 1987 armed and prepared to fight. In the fight George Roden was shot. Howell and his followers were put on trial for attempted murder. The followers were acquitted and Howell's trial was declared a mistrial. In 1990 he legally changed his name to David Koresh and became the leader of the Branch Davidians. The name change came from the belief that he was the head of the biblical House of David. The compound was called Mount Carmel. On February 28, 1993 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Federal Bureau of Investigation tried to execute a warrant for David at Mount Carmel. They had been investigating charges of illegal weapons and child abuse. As a result of the Davidians resisting the warrant a shoot out occured and left ten people dead, including 4 BATF agents. The Davidians stayed inside their compound for 51 days. During that time negotiations continued for them to surrender. On April 19, 1993 the compound burned to the ground. Lost were 74 followers along with their leader. (bio by: Julie Karen Hancock (Cooper) Jackson)

He is buried in Tyler, TX.





http://www.findagrave.com/

Sunday's Errands

Today as been a go-go-go kind of day. I wisely decided to head out at 10:30 a.m. (as people are still in church) & was blessed with light traffic and very few occurrences of road rage. First stop: Lowe's. I picked up a Hobby knife set for less than three dollars and one black, red and orange energy efficient lights. I hope these lights give me the effect I am wanting inside of my haunted house. Spent $22.00 for everything. Next stop: Goodwill - they were closed... We don't have the blue laws anymore, but a lot of businesses are still closed on Sundays (you can't get  liquor either, although Smith County is "dry" anyways). Sorry, I rambled. So to ease the disappointment of not getting to go to the thrift store, I headed to Ross. If you don't have one, I pity your town... I love it! It's like Marshall's or T.J. Maxx, but even cheaper! Kind of like a thrift store, but everything is new. I purchased a few non-Halloween items, a pumpkin cookie cutter for $1.99 and a really cool Do Not Enter sign (pic right) for $2.99. I then bee-lined for Wal-Mart. I don't remember everything I purchased because I went cray-cray & just started throwing items into my cart. I managed to get out alive with an $80.00 bill. (By the way, did anyone else read these growing up? I love these books - it was hard for me to put it back on the shelf).

So on my way home, I noticed Marsh Farm Rd. I remember it as "Werewolf Lane" or "Werewolf Rd". This road was rumored to be haunted and the woods were filled with devil worshippers and an evil witch. It had a creepy bridge and the trees' branches blocked out all light from view. An old cemetery is also located on Werewolf Lane. The funny thing is, is that I played in this woods as a child (I had no idea they were "those" woods). My friend Maria and I also had our own club, which ironically we named ourselves as "The Wolves". I remember making that sign and putting claw marks on it and hanging it up in our dastardly clubhouse (the trees and whatever material we could scavenge of course). Anyway, the woods were creepy, but I don't remember ever encountering devil worshippers or any witches.Unless they used some memory charm..  who knows.

So back to my original story, I wanted to go back to Werewolf Lane and see how much it has changed since I was a kid. It doesn't even look the same; the bridge has disappeared, a new road has been paved, and the trees are cut back. I pulled up and noticed that the gates to the cemetery were closed. My guess it's due to vandalism. Darn. I took a few pictures from my car and was going to head back to the house. Then I don't know what got into me, but I got ballsy all of a sudden. I hopped out of the car and squeezed through the fence. I was scared shitless.



The one photo I was brave enough to take inside of the cemetery

I took a few pictures.. I didn't even have the guts to talk the whole cemetery. Honestly, I did a walk in and walk out. It was that scary. I noticed a fence separating the cemetery in two and thought that maybe there was another way to get in without looking like a criminal.

So I jumped in my car (with relief) and headed to what I thought would be an open entrance. Well I was wrong; the second entrance was closed and wires were added to the already thick green cattle guard fence (no slippin' past these). The driveway was so steep, I almost fell back into the ditch. I realized the road was trying to kill me, and left. I took a snap shot of what appeared to be the older-looking cemetery and shucked ass.

  Local Article about Werewolf Rd

Here are some pictures from http://www.etgs.org/txsmith/cemeteries/restoration/barron/barron.html

Due to low interest, the Foundation cannot afford upkeep. 

Monetary contributions would be greatly appreciated.

You may send them to:

Barron Cemetery Foundation
Norma Beddingfield, Treasurer
18367 CR 134
Flint, Texas 75762

KILLOUGH

Killough Monument is a place known here in East Texas as "haunted". Locals say that eyes watch you from the trees and ghosts chase you. Rumors like these started because of the massacre that took place here on October 5, 1838. White settlers were out gathering crops unarmed and were attacked by Native Americans. Eighteen people were either killed or captured, which none were ever seen again. Some settlers survived and were able to tell their story.

I will say that that is not what I felt as I looked upon this silent lonely place. I felt a sadness for these people. Not only for what happened here, but for what continues to occur... vandalism. It is such a sad thing to admit, but I saw it for myself. Stones commemorating the dead were overturned, the gates were gone (my mother said there were black gates surrounding the place when she went there 20+ years ago), and a vile "bloody" t-shirt hung over a growing pine tree. I will not even dignify the perpetrators with a photo of their nonsense.
　

The monument itself is extraordinary. I will let the pictures speak for themselves...

DIRECTIONS TO KILLOUGH MONUMENT

This is one of the boulders guarding the green gate. 

The moss reminded me of fingernail marks...

Option 1:A. From the intersection of Highway 69 & Farm/Market (FM) Road 855 go west on FM 855 until you reach FM 3405. People say there used to be a sign.. exactly, USED to be. We learned that the hard way.

B. Turn left on FM 3405 and go just about .4 miles to FM 3411. FM 3405 is the FIRST right after Larissa Cemetery. There is a church on the left-hand side once you turn onto that road. The road is not far from the cemetery so slow down once you reach it!

C. Turn right on FM 3411 and go .6 miles until you reach FM 3431 with a green gate with a huge boulder on either side. It really is pretty creepy looking.

D. Turn left and proceed through the gate – the monument and cemetery are at the end of the road.

Option 2:

If you were like us and didn't have prior knowledge and used Internet directions, we just found a county road and hoped it would lead us there. In case you decide you want to do this: drive forever until you reach CO RD 3414. Turn left onto that... you will eventually reach 3411 and make that left. You will follow that road for an eternity and you will come upon 3431 on the right hand side. Trust me, go with Option 1.

Also, that drive is straight out of the movie Wrong Turn, I would suggest not going out there at night for two reasons. 1. There could be people vandalizing or conducting other criminal activities and you certainly don't want to get caught up in a situation like that. And 2, you could get lost; really lost and it's scary. If you decide to go for it at night, good luck and I warned you.

Historical Cemeteries



I'm dying to go to our two local cemeteries (figuratively, not literally). Oakwood and Barron Cemetery both have some of the oldest grave sites in Tyler. I'm going to visit both of them sometime this week or next and will post about it when I do.
I wanted to share some photos my husband took while on a fishing trip in Jefferson, TX (also on my wish list of places to see).

Update: My husband told me the stories about these graves. Don't quote us as they are just heresay.

A Confederate & a Union soldier killed each other while chained together.
And we buried together... forever.



Grave of a baby



List of Cemeteries in Smith County:
http://www.etgs.org/txsmith/cemeteries/smcemlist.html