Center for Glenwood Archival Collection

In 1888, Thomas Howe Scanlan executed a deed from the Houston Cemetery Company, which was officially named Glenwood Cemetery. This deed includes the contract signed by Thomas Howe Scanlan, J. C. Hutcheson, E. L. Coombs, and John A. Cameron. Additionally, the deed outlines the Rules and Regulations of the Houston Cemetery Company. Letter transcription: Page 1: The Houston Cemetery Co. to. T. H. Scanland Lot No "One." Sec D Page 2: THE HOUSTON CEMETERY COMPANY, In consideration of the sum of One-Hundred Dollars paid by T. H. Scanlan the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged and confessed, has granted, bar- gained, sold and releasedm and by these presents do grant, bargain, sell and release unto the said T. H. Scanlan Lot No. One in Section D. according to the map of the Houston Cemetery filed in the office of the Dirstric Court of Harris County. To have and to hold the same, unto the said T. H. Scanlan his heirs and assigns forever. And the said T. H. Scanlan accepts this Deed, and holds the said Lot, subject to all the Rules and Re- gulations of the Cemetery. In Witness Whereof, THE HOUSTON CEMETERY COMPANY has caused this Deed to be signed by its President and Secretary, and its corporate deal affixed, at its office in the City of Houston, this Eleventh day of January 1888 J. C. Hutcheson President E.L. Coombs Secretary Page 3: State of Texas, Harris County, } ss. Before me John A. Cameron a Notary Public within and for Harris County, Texas duly commissioned and qualified, on this day personally appeared J. C. Hutcheson President, and E. L. Coombs Secretary, of the HOUSTON CEMETERY COMPANY, known to me to be the persons whose names are subscribed to the foregoing instrument, and acknowledged to me that they executed the same for, and that the same is the act of said HOUSTON CEMETERY COMPANY, for the purposes and considerations therein expressed. Given under my hand and seal office, this 11th day of January A.D. 1888 John A. Cameron Notary Public Harris County, Texas Page 4: RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE HOUSTON CEMETERY COMPANY 1. The Company will convey the use of the Lots designated on the map of the grounds, for burial purposes, subject to the following Rules and Regulations, which are to be made a part of the Deed, and subject to any amendments that may be made by the Assciation at any future time. 2. No sale, transfer, or assignments of any Lot shall be valid without the consent of the Company, endorsed on the conveyance. 3. All enclosures of Lots must be placed entirely on the Lots themselves, except where adjoining owners unite in the same enclosure. No brick walls, iron, or wooden fence, can be erected as an enclosure of Lots. Coping must not exceed one foot in thickness, and eighteen inches in height above the surface. Hedges must not exceed three fee in heights. 4. No disinternment shall be allowed without permission being obtained a the office of the Company. 5. The proprietor of each Lot shall have the right to erect any proper stones, monuments, or sepulchral statues, thereone, except that no vault shall be erected, and that no monument shall be other material than cut sont, granite, marble, with- out the consent of the Company. The proprietor of each Lot shall have the right to cultivate trees, shrubs and plants in the same, but no tree growing within the Lot or border shall be cut down and destroyed without the consent of the Company. Proprietors of Lots are required to keep them in good order, or pay the Superintendent for doing same; provided, however, that owners of Lots may, at their own options, deposit in trust with the Trustees of the Houston Cemetery Company a sum of money, the interest of which shall perpetually be applied to the care and improvement of their respective Lots. 6. That an annual assessment of $5.00 for each Lot of 20x20, and pro rata, shall be made of each Lot Holder, which shall be appropriate for the purpose of keeping the Lots and grounds in order. 7. If any tree or shrub, situated in any Lot, shall, by means of its roots, branches, or otherwise, become detrimental to the adjacent Lots or Avenues, or unsightly, or inconvenient to passengers, it shall be the duty of said corporation, and they shall have the right, by their proper officers, to enter the said Lot and remove said trees and shrubs, or such parts thereof as are det- rimental, unsightly, or inconvenient; and if any Lot, or any structure thereon, shall, by the neglect of the proprietory thereof, become unsightley, it shall be the duty of the corporation, and they shall have the right, by their proper officer, to enter upon said Lot and put the same in proper order and repair, and make a reasonable charge fr the same. 8. All earth, or rubbish of any kind, accumulated by proprietors of Lots, or their agents, must be carefully removed as soon as possible, and deposited wherever the Superintendent of the Cemetery may direct. 9. If any monument, effigy, or enlosure, or any structure whatever, or any inscription, be placed in or upon any Lot, which shall be determined by the major part of the Directors, or Managers of the Company for the time being, to be offensive or improper, or injurious to the appearance of the surrounding Lots of ground, the said Directors or Managers, or a major part of them, shall have the right, and it shall be their suty, by their proper officers, to enter upon such Lot and remove the said offensive or improper object or objects. 10. It shall be the duty and right of the Directors, from time to time, to lay out and alter such avenues and walks as do not interfere with the limes of Lots as surveyed, and to make such Rules and Regulations for the government of the grounds as they may deem requisite and proper to secure and promote the general object of the institution. 11. The proprietors of Lots, and their families, shall be allowed access to the grounds at all times, observing strictly the Rules which are, or may be, adopted for the regulation of visitors.