The Fox family legacy…
begins with an enslaved woman named Cassandra. Cassandra was bought in the Caribbean islands, and according to an 1860 Denton County census, lived in Lewisville, Texas. Cassandra’s slave owner, J.K. Fox, was credited with being an “enlightened” slave owner because he allowed his slaves to attend church and receive an education, which resulted in many of them continuing to work for him post-Civil War and take his last name. Before leaving the Caribbean islands, Cassandra had six children, however the only name known is Minor Fox. After being brought to Texas, she took the Fox name, and had five more children: Ida, Julia, Adeline, Mary Jane, and Scott.
Many of Cassandra’s descendants are buried at the Fox Hembry Cemetery in Lewisville, Texas. This Historic African American cemetery dates back to 1845, however the Fox Family took over the ownership in 1895 when the men of the family purchased one acre of land to be used “as a burying place for the colored people,” according to deed records. Deed records (Vol. 57, p 345) at the Denton County Clerk's office in Denton show the land was deeded on June 17, 1895, to A. Anthony, Will Nichols, Scott Fox, Word Watkins and Muice Craft. The one acre, measuring 208 and 3/4 feet on east, west, north and south boundaries was bought from Geo M. Hardy for $50.00
The earliest grave…
in the cemetery is that of a young girl named "Malinda" who was born in April, 1831, and died on July 14, 1845. No one in the family knows anything about Malinda. The marker for her grave is at the foot of a mesquite tree. To keep the stone marker from being broken or stolen, Alvin Fox, a descendent of the original Fox family, embedded it in concrete.
Some family members think that this one grave might have been the reason the land was to eventually become the Fox Hembry Cemetery. The first recorded use of the site as a family cemetery was in 1873 when Joseph L. Lusk who was born March 16, 1835, was buried there. His grave is not readily identifiable, but members of the Fox family have pointed out a partial marker that they think is his grave. His burial is listed on the Denton County Historical Commission's survey located at the Denton County Courthouse-on-the-Square.
The next DCHC record of burials on the site were those of Jessie Fox, who was buried in 1880 at the age of three years old, and Frank Fox, who was buried in 1881 at the age of three months. Both were children of Scott and Lucy Ann (McKenzie) Fox. A survey of the cemetery made in 1978 and updated in 1990 estimates that there were as many as 24 unmarked graves and 21 markers that were illegible with 62 that were legible.
Down through the years…
the family members have continued to address concerns and needs of the cemetery. In 1960, the cemetery was enclosed with a chain link fence. Erlene Fox who was the daughter of Scott and Lucy Ann Fox, was the secretary of the Fox Hembry Cemetery committee at that time. In minutes from September 12, 1960, she wrote that a Cox fence, 4 feet high with a 12 foot double gate entrance, would cost $700.00. A meeting was held on September 18 to discuss the fence. Money was pledged by fifteen people totaling $350 to be paid on or before November 3, 1960, for fencing. The meeting's minutes on September 18, 1960, also recorded that a committee was formed to develop by-laws. Albert Fox was elected permanent chairman and Earlene Fox was elected permanent secretary-treasurer at the meeting. Fifteen pledges of $25 each were made to the fence fund. Pledges were made by Julian Hembry, Homer Fox, Albert Fox, James Orin Fox, John Nickles, Ray Carter, James R. Richey, Trasell Clark, Leonie Carter, Hattie Wright Smith, Elsada Fox Peace, Carrie Craft, Virgie Mitchel, Earlene and Robbie Fox.
Measurements made along the 1960 chain link fence line in October 2007, show that the cemetery is approximately one acre. A plat map that was recorded September 15, 1986 and obtained from Denton Central Appraisal District indicates the cemetery's east and west boundaries have been expanded to the north. The document showed that the original north boundary had been erased and the east and west boundaries expanded. It is not clear why the changes would have been made in the plat, except the area between the cemetery's fenced boundary and the railroad is very small.
Each year a Fox Family reunion…
is held on the third Saturday in June. In 2005, the Fox family entered a contest at Fair Park in Dallas that was sponsored by Tom Joyner's K104 radio station and a car dealership. They were awarded $5,000 for having the largest attendance at their family reunion. Part of the money was used to purchase the black iron gate, archway and iron fence at the northeast corner of the cemetery.
The Fox family’s history can be traced back for generations, and their influence on their community can still be seen today. Thanks to the matriarch of the family, Cassandra, we have documentation of her family members’ birth and death dates. Unfortunately, we have no knowledge of Cassandra’s birth or death date. She was originally buried in Old Hickory Cemetery, but when Lake Dallas was impounded in the 1920s, her grave was moved to Macedonia Cemetery, where it bears no marker.