Basin Springs Cemetery is located in Sadler, Texas. It was once a part of its own community with a school, churches, businesses, and many farms. Basin Springs Cemetery was established in 1907.
Basin Springs is mentioned in the very early history of Grayson County. According to Lucas and Hall, History of Grayson County, Fort Johnston was established by Colonel Cook in 1840 between Coffee's Station and Basin Springs. Basin Springs was one of the eight post offices of the county in January of 1858.
Martin Funk, grandfather of Miss Edith Funk, returned to Grayson County after the War Between the States and acquired a home at Basin Springs where he reared his family and continued to reside until his death in 1901.
Miss Funk's father, Joseph Samuel Funk (1858-1938), in a letter dated February 2, 1931 to E.A. Miller Country School Superintendent, told about early schools of Basin Springs. He stated that the first school building in this community was shortly after the Civil War. This was a log building. After that a second log house was built. In about 1874 or 1875 a long box house was built. This was replaced in 1879 or 1880 by the large two story frame which was the last and most well known of the buildings. From 1872-1879, this school had the reputation of being one of the best in the country. There were over a hundred in attendance in 1872 and for the remaining years of the school there were from one to three teachers. Mr. McNeil and Mr. Davis were among the outstanding teachers up to 1879.
The Academy was discontinued in the early 1900's. The public school system was well underway by this time. Basin Springs had one of the best common school in the county. County School Board minutes indicate that Basin Springs School was discontinued about 1945. In 1946 the Basin Springs School Board asked for permission to sell the school building. The district has consolidated with the Sadler Schools and is part of the Sadler-Southmayd consolidated district.
Miss Funk remembered that her father gave the land for the Mineral Baptist Church and the first public school. The school and the church were in the same building for years. This being one of the first churches organized; the area people came from miles around for church. Many families came on Saturday and camped.
George Kelly remembers helping to build Mineral Baptist Church in the 1920's. Mr. Ray Short who was born and reared in Basin Springs was ordained as a minister in Mineral Baptist Church on March 7, 1923. Short taught at Basin Springs for a number of years as well as many other Grayson County Schools. He was a popular minister of the county as well as Superintendent of Grayson County Schools.
The Baptist church building remained by services have in recent years been discontinued because of a lack of membership. Carl Greene who was reared in Basin Springs, son of Milam and Grace (Seibman) Greene, was the last pastor.
Many doctors practiced and lived in Basin Springs Community. Among them were: Dr. W. T. Miller, Dr. Gus Dave, Dr. Henry Schmidt, Dr. R.N. Young, Dr. Tom Hightower, Dr. Presley Funk, Dr. Roark, and Dr. Ed Goss.
There were several cotton gins in the area. In 1870-1880 there was a gin on old Squire Maples place on the southeast corner of Sadler-Gordonville road. Another gin at a later date on Little Sandy Creek north of Basin Springs was operated by George Short. This gin burned.
In the settlement of Basin Springs at the turn of the century had a blacksmith shop run by Mr. Lindsey. On the north side of the road was Mr. Henry Fowler's store. The post offices was in Fowler store. Mail was brought once a week from Sherman to the store when residents went to receive and send mail.
Aerial picture provided by Jonathan & Heather Matys.
The land was originally a part of the Funk's farm when a traveling salesman became ill and was in need of burial in 1861. Hiram Lilly Murray is the oldest known burial at Basin Springs Cemetery.
In 1907, the cemetery was established on record with the Grayson County Courthouse.
This history of Basin Springs was obtained from a excerpt from an unknown publication. The article was written by Gwen Shwadlenak.