John Abston, a soldier in the American Revolution, was a native of Virginia. In the 1830s, Abston and his family moved to Missouri. In 1850 he moved to Collin County, Texas, with the family of his son Jesse. Following Jesse's death that year, the family moved farther south in the county. John Abston and Jesse Abston's widow, Sarah, purchased land in this area in 1854. A small plot of land was set aside as a family burial ground. John Abston's burial here in 1856 was the first in the cemetery.

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John Abston was born January 2, 1761 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. He was the son of Captain Joshua and Rachel Clement Abston. He was 18 years of age when he entered military service in 1779. John fought in the "Battle of King's Mountain" on October 7, 1780, (REV. WAR).
July 26,1789 - Married Frances Thurman in Chatham,Virginia. John and Frances were the parents of: Jesse and Stephen Abston. As a widower, John moved with Stephen, his son Jesse & his wife Sarah & granddaughter to Jackson County.Missouri in the 1830's. In 1850, John Abston and his son Jesse began their wagon trip to Texas. John's son, Jesse died of pneumonia shortly after crossing the Red River into Texas. John moved on, settling in Lavon. John Abston never drew his pension for serving in the Rev. War, his application (filed Feb 4, 1857) was denied due to lack of documentary evidence or testimony of comrades in proof of his service. The land where John is buried was purchased by John Abston and his daughter-in-law, Sarah, widow of his son, Jesse, on January 19, 1854 from the Rainer Family.

Note: The dates on the memorial does not match the information on various websites.
∼Revolutionary War Soldier

"Son of Joshua Abston, captain of Virginia militia; served two years in war of the American Revolution. Enlisted from Pittsylvania County, Va; was in Capt. John Ellis's company under Col. Washington. The evening before the battle of Kings Mountain, Col. Washington, who was in command of the starving Americans at this point, sent soldiers out to forage for food. At a late hour a steer was driven into camp, killed, and made into a stew. The almost famished soldiers ate the stew, without bread, and slept the sleep of the just. Much strengthened by their repast and rest, the next morning they made the gallant charge that won the battle of Kings Mountain, one of the decisive battles of the American Revolution. After the battle Col. Washington went to the place where the steer had been slain, and finding one of the horns, gave it to John Abston, a person friend, saying, "This is the horn of the steer that won the battle of Kings Mountain." Abston took the horn, carried it as a powder horn until war was over. In later years it was used to call slaves from their work in the fields. The horn is now as hard as flint, the color of gold, and has a polish equal to marble. A grandson owns the rifle and horn, and treasures them very highly, though has offered them to the D. A. R. organization for compensation."

Ref: United States Congressional Serial set, Issue 6924 - Eighteenth Report of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution - Washington Government Printing Office - 1916


This John Abston was the brother Capt. Joshua Abston, both of Virginia. There is a DAR chapter named after him in Texas (I believe its Collin County) and they may have more detailed records about his burial, etc.