Cline's Prairie

Cline's Prairie, Texas Overview:
Cline's Prairie is a small, historic community located in western Walker County, Texas, on the east bank of Nelson Creek, approximately 8 miles northeast of Huntsville. The area is characterized by gently sloping terrain with sandy loam soil, supporting vegetation such as loblolly pine, shortleaf pine, sweetgum, blackgum, water oak, willow oak, post oak, elm, pecan, and black hickory along the creek banks. Nelson Creek is a spring-fed perennial stream that rises 7 miles northwest of Huntsville and flows northeast for 26 miles to its mouth on the Trinity River. The community lies near present-day Farm Road 980 (also known as Smither Farm Road) and Cline Prairie Cemetery Road. It is classified as a town but is no longer active, with no post office or incorporation. The site is part of a region historically known for prairies and savannas, alongside nearby areas like Pine Prairie, Crabbs Prairie, and Round Prairie.

History of Cline's Prairie:
Anglo-American settlement in the vicinity began in the mid-1830s during the era of the Republic of Texas. The community itself was established in the late 1800s. It developed as a rural area focused on agriculture and local trade, with consolidated schools like the Cline's Prairie Consolidated School (documented in 1916 photographs) serving White students in the early 20th century. The area was connected to Huntsville via routes like state highway No. 19, with alternative paths considered in legal disputes (e.g., a 1929 court case involving a route through Cline's Prairie). By the mid-20th century, it remained a quiet rural spot, with mentions of residents retiring there in the late 20th century. Today, it is largely a ghost community, with remnants including the cemetery and road names. The community is part of Walker County's broader prairie landscape, which supported farming and was home to early settlers like the Smither family (e.g., John Smither, a War of 1812 veteran who moved to the area in 1839). Historical events include social gatherings and visits noted in newspapers, such as a 1909 mention of a resident returning from Cline's Prairie.

The Cline Family:
Cline's Prairie is presumably named after an early settler or family named Cline, consistent with Texas naming conventions for prairies and communities (e.g., after landowners or prominent residents). However, specific details on the founding Cline family are scarce in historical records. No primary sources, such as land grants, biographies, or genealogies, were found identifying a particular individual like "Simon Cline" or others as the founder. Extensive searches of genealogical databases, historical associations, and cemetery records yielded no direct connections or family trees for Clines specifically tied to the community's naming.Cemetery Records: Cline's Prairie Cemetery (also called Clines Prairie Cemetery), established in the community, contains burials from the late 1800s onward but no individuals with the surname Cline. The cemetery is managed by the Clines Prairie Cemetery Association Inc., a nonprofit founded in 1986 in Huntsville, TX, focused on maintenance and burial services. It is located off FM 980 on Cline Prairie Cemetery Road, with surveys from 1997 listing families like Morris, Brinkley, Shelly, and Henderson, but no Clines.
Related Clines in Walker County: Modern records mention unrelated Clines in Walker County, such as Sally Cline (1912–1994, born in Huntsville) and arrests or obituaries of contemporary individuals, but none link back to the community's origins.

Broader Cline Genealogies:
General Cline family histories in Texas trace roots to North Carolina, Georgia, and German immigrants (e.g., Klein families), with branches in various counties. However, none specifically reference Cline's Prairie or Walker County as an origin point. If more detailed records exist, they may be in local archives like the Walker County Historical Commission or unpublished land deeds from the 1830s. The lack of online documentation suggests the Cline family may have been minor settlers whose influence was limited to the naming of the prairie.

John Smither (1779–1860) was an early settler in Walker County, Texas, born in Virginia. He married Nancy Jones (1785–1850) in 1804 in Franklin County, Virginia, and the couple had several children, including Elizabeth (born 1805), William J. (born 1809), and others. Smither served as a veteran of the War of 1812 and migrated to Texas around 1839, settling in the area that included prairies like Cline's Prairie. He lived in Justice Precinct 1, Walker County, in 1850, where he was involved in farming. His family was part of the broader Anglo-American settlement wave in the mid-1830s, contributing to the agricultural development of the region. Smither died in September 1860 in Walker County.

The Smither family had deep roots in Walker County history, with relatives like Major Robert Goodloe Smither (1810–1881), a merchant who helped secure Huntsville as the county seat and played a role in early Texas commerce after moving from Mississippi and Louisiana in the early 1830s. Another descendant, John Mark Smither (1844–1909), was a Confederate soldier in the 5th Texas Infantry during the Civil War, enlisting with the "Waverly Confederates" and rising to sergeant major. The family owned plantations, including the Smithers Plantation near Huntsville, where African American families rented land in the 1930s. In Cline's Prairie Cemetery, burials include Florence M. Smither (1901–1930) and an infant Smither (died 1930), indicating continued family presence in the area.

No specific historical records were found for a Simon Cline directly associated with Cline's Prairie or Walker County, Texas. The community, established in the late 1800s on the east bank of Nelson Creek (a middle creek in the area), was likely named after an early Cline family settler, following common Texas naming practices for prairies based on prominent landowners. Anglo-American settlement began in the mid-1830s, but no individual named Simon appears in genealogical databases, cemetery records, or local histories tied to the founding.However, the Cline surname is linked to early Texas migrations. For instance, a Cline family exodus from Tennessee and Alabama to Texas in the mid-1800s included figures like Clemsy Cline (born circa 1820s), who married Henderson Weatherford and settled in areas of East Texas, possibly near Walker County. This migration involved multiple Cline relatives, such as Clemsy's siblings and parents, who moved for land opportunities post-Republic of Texas era. No burials with the Cline surname are recorded in Cline's Prairie Cemetery, suggesting the naming may honor an early landowner whose grave is elsewhere or unmarked.

The Morris family has a significant presence in Cline's Prairie Cemetery, reflecting their long-term ties to the community. Key burials include:John Morris (1828–1913), a Confederate veteran (PVT Co. K 4 Ala. Inf. CSA).
A. H. Morris (1862–1900), wife of E. C. Morris.
E. L. Morris (1861–1927).
Etta Morris (1890–1900), daughter of E. and A. H. Morris.
Ada Morris (1900–1905).
Ida Morris (1883–1956).
Jossie Morris (1888–1918).
Tom Morris (1879–1932).
Roy D. Morris (1918–1977), US Navy WW2 veteran.
Ruby Morris (1911–1928).
Wilbur William Morris (1922–1979), US Army Korea veteran.
Mable D. (Jackie) Morris (1931–1990).
Martin "Bubba" Morris (1954–1998).
An unnamed baby (buried between Morris family members) is also noted. The family was part of the rural agricultural community, with roots possibly tracing to migrations from North Carolina or Alabama to Texas in the 1800s, though specific lineages beyond the cemetery are limited.

The Brinkley family is well-represented in Cline's Prairie Cemetery, with several generations buried there:Lee Roy Brinkley (1872–1938), double tombstone with wife Calle Eugene Brinkley (1881–1932).
Lee Elmore Brinkley (1898–1966), double tombstone with wife Roxie Saline Brinkley (1898–1963).
Lee Vernon Brinkley (1924–1982), US Navy WW2 veteran, double tombstone with wife Lena Markham Brinkley (born 1933).
Gordon Ray Brinkley (1929–1987), US Marine Corps veteran.
The family was involved in local farming, with early members settling in Walker County during the late 19th century. No broader genealogical details beyond the cemetery were found specifically for Cline's Prairie, but the Brinkleys appear in regional Texas obituaries and histories as part of East Texas settler families.

The Shelly family has multiple burials in Cline's Prairie Cemetery, indicating strong community roots:Earnest R. Shelly (1933–1933).
J. Milton Shelly (1923–1972).
Jesse James Sr. Shelly (1901–1970), double tombstone with wife Jessie Lee Shelly (1907–1993).
Mary Ella Shelly (1910–1972).
Roy Alvin Shelly (1932–1983).
Walter E. Shelly (1943–1986).
Lois Shelly Williams (born 1941), double tombstone with husband Milton Jack Williams (1926–1991), US Marine Corps WW2 veteran.
Richard Allan Shelly (1955–2021), born in Huntsville, was a later family member who passed away nearby, survived by relatives including Patricia Shelly. The Shellys were part of the area's farming and working-class community from the early 1900s.

Henderson burials in Cline's Prairie Cemetery are fewer but notable:Jesse J. Henderson (1900–1934).
Helen (no last name, possibly Henderson), buried next to Shelly and Henderson family plots.
Helen Ruth Henderson (1932–1933), born in Walker County to Jesse James Henderson and Susie Ellen Shelly, died young and may connect to the above. The family ties into broader migrations, with Clemsy Cline marrying Henderson Weatherford and settling in East Texas as part of a Cline family group. Hendersons were among early settlers in nearby areas, involved in farming and community life from the mid-1800s.


Nelson Creek.Nelson Creek, a spring-fed perennial stream, rises seven miles northwest of Huntsville in western Walker County (at 30°46' N, 95°43' W) and flows northeast for twenty-six miles to its mouth on the Trinity River (at 30°55' N, 95°31' W). It traverses gently sloping to nearly level terrain, surfaced by sandy loam that supports along the creek banks woods of loblolly pine, shortleaf pine, sweetgum, blackgum, water oak, willow oak, post oak, elm, pecan, and black hickory. Anglo-American settlement in the vicinity began in the mid-1830s. The Cline's Prairie community was established on the east bank of the middle creek in the late 1800s.

Cline's Prairie is a historical rural community in western Walker County, Texas, situated on the east bank of the middle portion of Nelson Creek. The area features gently sloping to nearly level terrain with sandy loam soil, and the creek banks are lined with woods including loblolly pine, shortleaf pine, sweetgum, blackgum, water oak, willow oak, post oak, elm, pecan, and black hickory.
Nelson Creek itself is a spring-fed perennial stream that rises about seven miles northwest of Huntsville (the county seat) and flows northeast for 26 miles to join the Trinity River. The prairie is part of a broader landscape in Walker County that historically included mixtures of open prairies and savannas with scattered post oaks, dominated by grasslands such as little bluestem.
Today, it is described as a secluded, beautiful neighborhood area near Huntsville, known for its abundant wildlife and peaceful creek, though it is unincorporated and lacks a post office.
While classified as a town, it no longer exists as a distinct populated place and has a population of zero.
Anglo-American settlement in the vicinity began in the mid-1830s, aligning with broader migration into Walker County during that era, when roads were rudimentary and travel difficult amid the region's prairies and streams.
The community itself was established in the late 1800s, likely as a farming or ranching area given the prairie setting.
Walker County's early history includes Spanish settlements like Bucareli on the Trinity River in 1774, but Cline's Prairie emerged later during the Republic of Texas period and statehood.
No specific founding details or namesake (possibly a family named Cline) are widely documented, but the area was part of the county's agricultural development, with prairies supporting cotton and other crops in the 19th century.
One of the most prominent remaining features is Cline's Prairie Cemetery (also spelled Clines Prairie Cemetery), located at coordinates approximately 30.8388 N, -95.5102 W.
To access it, travel north on FM 247 to FM 980, proceed about 5.5 miles, then turn right onto the dirt Cline Prairie Cemetery Road for 0.6 miles to the gate.
The cemetery, maintained by the nonprofit Clines Prairie Cemetery Association Inc., contains over 200 burials dating from the mid-19th century to the early 21st century.
Notable interments include Civil War veteran John Morris (1828–1913, PVT Co. K 4 Ala. Inf. CSA), numerous World War I and II veterans such as James T. Ashworth (1895–1967, TX PFC Co K 143 Inf 36 Div) and Lawrence R. Flynt (1925–1944, TX TEC5 462 Amph Truck Co, Purple Heart), and Korean War and Vietnam veterans like Wilbur William Morris (1922–1979, SSGT US Army) and Larry E. Markham (1942–1997, ATN3 US Navy).
Common family names in the graves reflect long-term local residency, including Artherholt, Ashworth, Flynt, O'Banion, and Morris, with many double tombstones for spouses and notations of marriage dates.
The cemetery also holds many infant and child graves, underscoring the hardships of rural life in earlier eras.
In modern times, the area remains rural and has seen occasional events like a multiple-vehicle crash on FM 980 north of FM 2628 in late 2024, which required extrications and highlighted local traffic risks.
Cline's Prairie is not marked by historical markers specific to it, though Walker County has several for other sites, such as veterans' graves elsewhere.
 It represents a quiet remnant of Texas's prairie heritage within a county known for its role in early state history, including as the home of Sam Houston and the site of the first Texas history book written in 1858.




https://www.texasalmanac.com/places/clines-prairie

https://historic.one/tx/walker-county/historic-cemetery/cline-prairie

https://roadsidethoughts.com/tx/cemeteries/cline-prairie-cemetery-xx-walker-profile.htm

https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2946/clines-prairie-cemetery