Coker Cemetery Association, San Antonio, Texas

Coker Cemetery History #14

by Bob Battaglia


James Newton Hampton b. 1835 continues to be a mystery. There seems to be no record as to what happened to him. His wife, Malinda Coker, died in 1929. They were married in Bexar County June 12, 1856 (Book D-1, page 89). According to her obituary she was living at 210 Cottonwood in San Antonio. The obit states she was being buried at Coker Cemetery. There is no record of her burial at Coker. Her husband, James, was not mentioned in the obituary, only the living children were listed. The 1880 Bexar census shows James and Malinda with children, so he was still around in 1880.

The descendants would very much like to hear if anyone knows what happened.

The San Antonio City Directories for years 1878 and 1891 do not show James or Malinda. Wade Hampton Sr. and Jr. appear in the 1891 Directory. Wade Sr. is listed as being in the real estate business. If anyone has something to add to this story, please get in touch with me. I notice that William C. Autry married Myra Hampton, a daughter of James and Malinda. Are there any William C. Autry descendants around? A granddaughter of William C. Autry, Jana Autry, married Joseph Dalmolin.

Hunting Camp in Salado Creek area

Seated left to right: Lee Bee Jones, son of Amos Dickens Jones, Sam Carter, relationship not known, may be father of Katie Edith Coker, who married Eldridge M. Coker in 1915
Standing left to right: John Coker, son of James Harrison Coker, James Seaborn Jones, son of Amos Dickens Jones and father-in-law of Vincent Battaglia, Rodger Harper, relationship unknown, Arthur Harper, married Beatrice Jones, daughter of Lee Bee Jones, James Marion Coker, son of James Harrison Coker, married Olive Capps in 1887, Vincent Battaglia, married Mary Maria Jones 1895, daughter of James Seaborn Jones
The year of this photo is estimated to have been about 1910 based on appearances.

Hunting Camp in Salado Creek area: Syd Autry gave me this picture a few years ago. I don’t know the exact location of this “camp”, but it was near the Salado Coker settlement.

Alamo Masonic Cemetery: Some Coker settlement descendants are buried in the Alamo Masonic Cemetery since they were members of that society. We have found the following:

Ethel Maud Jones (1885-1982), wife of Christopher H. Coates and dau of Henry Amos Jones. It appears that Christopher’s father and mother are also buried there. Section 3-1.

Malinda Catherine (Kate) Jones (1853-1927), married 1870 to James Van Riper. Kate was daughter of Amos Dickens Jones. James Van Riper was San Antonio Chief of Police 1901 and 1905. Some of their children are also buried here.