BOONVILLE, BRAZOS COUNTY, TEXAS

Boonville was the first county seat of Brazos County, Texas.  The former town site is now inside a well-maintained cemetery two miles east of Bryan on Highway 6.  There is a Texas Centennial granite monument at the site, acknowledging Boonville's existence. The town was founded in 1841 by Mordecai Boon, Sr., (nephew of Daniel Boone). who was appointed by The Republic of Texas Congress to select 150 acres from the John Austin league to be the county seat.  The land was purchased for $1 per acre.  The county name was originally Navasota, but was changed to Brazos in 1842.  The courthouse was a one story wooden structure that also served as a jail, school, and church.

By 1850, Boonville was an overnight stop for the Houston stagecoach.  The town enjoyed prosperity from 1842 until 1861.  After the War, railroad expansion resumed and the Houston and Texas Central Railway was extended from Millican to Bryan.  Rather than fight to keep the county seat, an election was held in the fall of 1866 and Bryan won.  Boonville citizens started moving to Bryan and later that year mail was routed through Bryan, which punctuated the end of Boonville.

All that remains of Boonville today is a well-kept cemetery.  There is a tall iron fence that has a large gate for vehicles that is kept locked, but there is an open pedestrian gate.  Carson family members buried there are:
Carson, Alfred R.; 1847 - 1916 "Father" (One one headstone with wife Mollie J. Carson)
Carson, Alva; 1900 "Infant son of A. B. and M. A. Carson"
Carson, Carl I,; 1875 - 1880
Carson, Carl Reed; Born July 6, 1891 - Died June 7, 1913 "Son of N. F. and N. E. Carson"
Carson, Carrie A.; 1883 - 1889
Carson, Curtis A.; Sept. 1864 - June 19, 1949
Carson, Edlen; 1885 - 86
Carson, Ele. F.; 1870 - 86
Carson, Georgie E.; Nov.12, 1884 - Apr. 17, 1971
Carson, Ida Margaret; 1902 - 1919 "Daughter of A. B. & M. A. Carson"
Carson, Joe T.; 1872 - 1887
Carson, Lucy C.; Born Oct. 11, 1868 - Died Feb. 18, 1921 "Wife of Curtis A. Carson"
Carson, Margaret A.; 1873 - 1921
Carson, Mattie Deaton; April 16, 1876 - Jan. 12, 1917 (on one headstone with husband Thomas Roe Carson)
Carson, Mollie J.; 1853 - 1921 (one one headstone with husband Alfred R. Carson)
Carson, Mrs. Nannie E.; Nov. 28, 1861 - Oct. 29, 1910 (Wife of N. F. Carson)
Carson, Nathan Franklin; 1855 - 1917
Carson, Thomas roe; Oct. 9, 1861 - Dec. 10, 1942 (on one headstone with wife Mattie Deaton Carson)
Carson, Vivian Roe; November 13, 1910 - April 1, 1954)

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