Bryan-Neyland Cemetery
Liberty, Liberty County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Also known as the Bryan-Williams Cemetery or the Kersting Cemetery, this family burial ground is the resting place for some of Liberty County's most prominent citizens. One of the oldest graves is that of Luke Bryan (1807-69), veteran of the Battle of San Jacinto and later Liberty County sheriff. His brother Pryor Bryan (1810-73), who fought in the Texas Revolution and Civil War, married Mary A. Merriman (1817-61). Both are buried here along with daughter Laura (1847-1927) and her husband Capt. Watson D. Williams (1838-81) of the Confederate Army, later a successful publisher and Liberty businessman. Two Williams children are buried here: Jessie (1871-82) who died at age 11; and Wilda (1873-1928), a musician, who married Liberty County Judge William Neyland (1869-99) in 1895. Their son Watson (1898-1963) became a world-renowned painter. Others buried here include Eugenia Mouton (1841-1915), authoress, publisher, and half-sister of W. D. Williams; Isaiah C. Day (1812-79), the businessman and rancher for whom the town of Dayton (formerly West Liberty) is named; "Miss Yettie" Kersting (1863-1941), beloved Liberty businesswoman and benefactress; and Elizabeth Watkins whose 1853 grave is the oldest in the cemetery. Although few in number, the graves are given full care by the Liberty Cemetery Association. (1981) Historic Texas Cemetery.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
This family burial ground holds many of Liberty County's founding figures, including Luke Bryan, a veteran of the Battle of San Jacinto who later served as county sheriff, and his brother Pryor Bryan, who fought in the Texas Revolution and the Civil War. Also resting here are Confederate captain and publisher Watson D. Williams, the businessman Isaiah C. Day for whom Dayton is named, and a remarkable cast of writers, musicians, judges, and benefactors whose lives stretch from the Republic of Texas into the twentieth century.
Why it matters
A single county cemetery can hold the whole arc of a community's history, binding the Texas Revolution, the Civil War, and generations of civic life into one hallowed ground.
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Related people
- · Luke Bryan
- · Pryor Bryan
- · Watson D. Williams
- · Isaiah C. Day
- · Yettie Kersting
Related events
- · Battle of San Jacinto
- · Texas Revolution
- · Civil War
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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