Donald Yearnsley "Trey" Wilson (1943-1989)

    Trey attended Bellaire High School, where he fell under the tutelage of storied drama director Cecil Pickett, who also mentored Randy and Dennis Quaid, Brent Spiner, Brett Cullen and several other successful actors. He majored in English and theater at the University of Houston. It was there that Wilson met Judy Blye, a well-known New York soap opera casting agent, and they were married on August 25, 1975. He eventually moved to Los Angeles, finding some work in soap operas and local theater, but had to come back home when he ran out of money. In Houston he worked as an assistant manager at a Windmill dinner theater, but continued to peck away at Hollywood, eventually scoring his first film role in the little-seen Drive-In (1976). Two years later, he appeared with his friend Randy Quaid in Three Warriors (1978). That same year he adopted an alter ego, and, as "Terry Wayne", acted in a low-budget film called Vampire Hookers (1978).     

    He did some well-regarded work on Broadway, where he appeared in Sandy Duncan's Peter Pan, portrayed Teddy Roosevelt in Tintypes, and even landed a role in Pat Benatar's iconic music video Love is a Battlefield. The Coen brothers writer Ethan and director Joel gave Wilson his big break with their film Raising Arizona (1987) and even wrote a choice role in their period piece gangster film Miller's Crossing (1990) specifically for him. On January 13, 1989, two days before he was to fly to Louisiana to start filming it, he was at his New York City apartment where he and his wife planned to celebrate his birthday early. However, when she got home, he complained of a severe headache. He was taken to the hospital where he slipped into a coma and died two days later of a cerebral hemorrhage. Wilson's final film, released after his death, was Great Balls of Fire (1989), the biopic of Jerry Lee Lewis, where he played legendary American record producer Sam Phillips.

Section 16
Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery
Houston

COORDINATES

29° 42.970, -095° 18.266

John W. McHorse (1819-1897)

    John W. McHorse, a citizen of the Republic of Texas, was born in 1819 in Tennessee. He immigrated to Texas at the age of 17, probably by way of Alabama. Settling in Nacogdoches, McHorse enlisted in Captain Hayden Arnold's Company in Colonel Sidney Sherman's regiment of the Texas Army on March 10, 1836. On April 21, 1836, McHorse participated in the triumph of Texas independence at the Battle of San Jacinto where he suffered a gunshot wound to his left hand. He was discharged from the Texas Army in Victoria, Texas on June 1, 1836. After leaving the Army, McHorse lived with Jesse Walling for two months in Rush County, Texas. Walling was elected to the legislature and later provided confirmation of McHorse's service to the Republic, proving his eligibility for a pension. In 1837, McHorse returned to Alabama. On October 26 of that year, he enlisted as a corporal in Captain Bryson's Company of the North Alabama Mounted Volunteers in the Seminole Indians Wars in Florida. He served for several months and was discharged on April 13, 1838, at Fort Mitchell, Alabama, ending his military career. In 1842, McHorse married Elizabeth Wilson, the daughter of James W. Wilson of Kentucky, in Jackson County, Alabama.

    The next few years of McHorse's life were marked by the birth of five children and a move to Arkansas. On July 8, 1853, McHorse became ordained as a Baptist minister at the New Home Baptist Church in Clark County, Arkansas. He also bought and sold several tracts of land while in Arkansas. On October 25, 1858, he organized the Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Sevier County, Arkansas. The church and the adjoining McHorse Cemetery still exist today. In late 1860, or early 1861, Elizabeth Wilson McHorse died, possibly from complications due to the birth of her last child, Thomas Mason, who was born on December 16, 1860. McHorse later remarried in 1861, to Rutha Jane, who was born in Mississippi. During the Civil War, McHorse was appointed a commissioner for the relief of families of Confederate soldiers in 1863. Between 1866 and 1870, McHorse and his family moved back to Texas where they settled in Milam County. In 1871, McHorse joined a Masonic Lodge in Falls County, Texas, an organization in which he remained active until his death. In 1874, he helped establish Macedonia, Williamson County, Texas and a Masonic lodge for the community. The community of Macedonia, Texas no longer exists today, except for a small country cemetery, where McHorse's second wife, Rutha Jane, and two children are buried.

    In 1883, McHorse founded the city of Circleville, Texas, which is north of Taylor. He established a Masonic lodge there also. In 1889, he divorced Rutha Jane and later married Denisa Ann Harrison, granddaughter of President William Henry Harrison. In 1892, McHorse and Denisa joined the New Hope Baptist Church in Cedar Park, Texas. He was dismissed from the church in 1896 for "un-Christian conduct." This bleak period in his life also saw his divorce from Denisa, probably due to his dismissal from New Hope Baptist Church. McHorse died at his home in Leander, Texas on January 19, 1897 and was buried in the Texas State Cemetery on January 20, 1897.

Note: The stone is incorrect on his birthplace. John McHorse stated on his 1860 United States Census form that he was born in Tennessee.

Republic Hill
Texas State Cemetery
Austin

COORDINATES

30° 15.922, -097° 43.627

Joshua Parker (1790-1838)

    Joshua Parker, member of Stephen F. Austin's Old Three Hundred colonists, was born on April 13, 1790, in Grayson County, Virginia. He was living in Arkansas in 1821, when he became acquainted with Moses Austin and enrolled in the proposed Austin colony in Texas. He and his colonist partner William Parks received title to a sitio of land in what is now Wharton County on July 24, 1824. Parker's home place on Palmetto Creek was adjacent to Stephen F. Austin's headquarters. The census of 1826 listed Parker as a farmer and stock man, a single man aged between twenty-five and forty. He married Nancy Whiteside in 1828. Evidently he dealt extensively in livestock. He bought a mule from James Gaines in 1824, ordered horses from Josiah H. Bell in 1826, had Austin buy him an ox ring from Nicholas Clopper in August 1826, and had a quarrel with Aylett C. Buckner while he and Buckner were driving a herd of horses from the Rio Grande. In November 1830 Parker was listed among persons who must comply with the conditions of their grants or have their lots sold by the ayuntamiento of San Felipe. He was an acquaintance of William B. Travis at San Felipe in 1833. Parker died on July 24, 1838, at Independence, Texas. Source


Old Independence Cemetery
Independence

COORDINATES

30° 19.729, -096° 21.675

Benjamin Lee "Benny" Boynton (1898-1963)

    Benny Boynton, football player, was born on December 6, 1898, in Waco, Texas, the son of Charles Albert and Laura Bassett (Young) Boynton. He began his football career as quarterback at Waco High School, where he was an all-round sports star (1913, 1914, 1915). At a time when the sports focus was on eastern collegiate football, Boynton attended Williams College, where during his sophomore year his kickoff returns placed him high among top contenders for national recognition. He played quarterback on an undefeated Williams team and was selected as one of the members of the All-Eastern eleven. At the close of the 1917 season the International News Service placed him on its All-American team. He thus became the first Texan named to an All-American team. He left school in 1918 and became a gunnery sergeant in the marine aviation corps during World War I. 

    In 1919 he returned to Williams, where he achieved legendary status in eastern collegiate football. Harvard, Yale, and Princeton all lost to Williams College in 1917, 1919, and 1920. Boynton was named to Frank Menke's All-American teams for three seasons. He was one of the few players listed as three-time All-American by the Official Football Guide in 1919 and 1920. He was described as one of the best drop-kickers ever and a fine field general and open-field runner. He tied an all-time record for the longest scoring run by any method (110 yards) when he ran out a long punt return in the 1920 game against Hamilton College. He was also classed as one of the first great passers in football. After graduation Boynton worked for Bethlehem Steel Company in Steeltown, Pennsylvania, and was on the professional football circuit for four years with five different teams. At one time he played on two teams at the same time - the Frankfort Yellow Jackets on Saturdays and the Buffalo All-Americans on Sundays. In professional football he was considered second only to Jim Thorpe in all-round football ability; he was also described as a "brainy" fellow who could do anything. Boynton organized the Southwest Football Officials Association in 1926 and officiated at college and high school games until 1939, when he became a sportscaster for Southwest Conference games. He served as a navy lieutenant commander during World War II. He was a longtime president of the Texas Golf Association and a Dallas insurance executive. He died in Dallas on January 23, 1963, and was survived by his wife, Katherine. Boynton was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1962. He was also named to the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. Source 

COORDINATES

32° 55.564, -096° 44.361

Abbey Mausoleum
Restland Memorial Park
Dallas

Keven “Dino” Conner (1974-2003)

    Born November 18, 1974, Dino Conner grew up in Houston's notorious Yellowstone neighborhood on the south side of the city. While attending Jack Yates High School in 1991, Keven and his twin brother Solomon, formed a band with mutual friend Darryl Jackson. Calling themselves The Gents, the trio recorded their first album It's No Dream with producer Phil Blackmon. Shazam (Solomon) was chosen as lead singer at the time of recording this album, which featured the ballad A Time for Us; unfortunately, the album was not successful. They performed at local talent shows and plays until a local producer sent a demo tape to record label executive Luther "Luke" Campbell, formerly of the rap group 2 Live Crew. After an impromptu audition, Campbell signed the group to his label, Luke Records. Bishop "Stick" Burrell became their producer and made Dino the lead singer, seeing his potential and rare voice as the formula for success, and built their sound around him. They changed the name of their group to H-Town, a local nickname for the city of Houston, in which they grew up.

    H-Town's debut album Fever for Da Flavor was released on April 15, 1993. The group achieved hit status with their very first single Knockin' Da Boots, which became H-Town's biggest hit and signature song. Knockin' Da Boots was a #1 hit on the R&B charts, and peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, Lick U Up, the band's follow-up single, peaked at only #21. They signed on as a part of the 1993 Coca-Cola Summer fest tour, which also included Shai, SWV, Jade, Naughty by Nature, LL Cool J and Silk. In 1994, H-Town won the Soul Train Music Award for Best New Artist. They were featured on the Above the Rim soundtrack with their single Part Time Lover, which peaked at #9 on the R&B charts. In late 1993, H-Town returned to the studio to record their second album Beggin' After Dark, later released on November 8, 1994. The most popular single from this album was Emotions, which hit #11 on the Billboard R&B charts and #51 on the Hot 100. After recording a cover version of The Persuaders song A Thin Line Between Love and Hate for the 1996 film of the same name - the song became H-Town's first Top 40 pop hit in three years - the group underwent some changes. They cut ties with Luther Campbell, underwent a spiritual awakening of sorts, and became more aware of women's issues on their third album Ladies Edition. Released on October 28, 1997, the general theme of Ladies Edition centers on a man's penitence for his past transgressions with his woman, a theme conveyed in songs such as Don't Sleep on the Female, Julie Rain, and Jezebel. According to the liner notes, the album was dedicated to Nicole Brown Simpson and "all the women of the world." Twenty national women's telephone helplines were listed on the back cover. Their one and only single from the album, They Like It Slow, peaked at #35 on the Hot 100.

    On January 28, 2003, Keven and his pregnant girlfriend, Teshya Rae Weisent, had just left the recording studio when their vehicle was hit by an SUV that ran a red light. Teshya Rae was killed upon impact; Keven died on the way to the hospital. The three people in the SUV fled. One of them was later apprehended and charged with a felony for failing to stop and render assistance. Two weeks before his death, Keven recorded a song titled, The Day I Die. H-Town's fourth album Imitations of Life which was later released on October 12, 2004. On December 1, 2016, 4 tracks from what was to be Dino's solo album You're My Morning Star were released on iTunes under Mindtaker Entertainment. His girlfriend Teshya is featured on some of tracks. Source

Section 500
Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery
Houston

COORDINATES

29° 44.449, -095° 36.465