Bleakwood, Newton County
Son of Colonel Samuel S. Lewis (1784-1838), a War of 1812 veteran, Lieutenant John T. Lewis (1808-1892) and his wife, Sarah Mariah (Stark) (1811-1895), helped establish a settlement near Cow Creek following the Texas Revolution. They found an ideal location to establish a burial ground on a high sand ridge bordered by timber and above the flooding of the creek. The oldest marked grave is that of Caroline Smith (1825-1886) but the area was used as a burial ground for decades prior to that date. Many unmarked and unknown burials exist, including one marked "Stranger." More than two dozen veterans are buried here, ranging from the Siege of Bexar in the Texas Revolution in 1835 to the Vietnam War, along with a monument to Col. Samuel S. Lewis. Historic Texas Cemetery - 2016