Davis Cemetery
Jasper, Jasper County, Texas
Marker Inscription
This cemetery was established within the original 1280-acre land grant conveyed to Elizabeth Davis in 1841. Elizabeth, believed to be of Indian heritage, brought her family of three children, James R., Malinda C., and Martha, from Georgia and settled in this area of Jasper County in 1836. Although local tradition claims that a sick Indian child taken in by Elizabeth Davis is the first person buried here, the earliest marked gravesite is that of elizabeth Davis Kelly (1808-1873). Initially used exclusively for family members, the Davis Cemetery became the burial site for other members of the community following the introduction of sawmill and logging operations into the area prior to 1900. The cemetery was legally set aside within an 80-acre deed transferred from Elizabeth Davis' son, James R., to his daughter Elizabeth Morgan in 1906. The North Antioch Primitive Baptist Church structure was later erected on the cemetery grounds. Still active as a community graveyard, the Davis Cemetery contains more than 370 marked graves, including interments of citizens of the Republic of Texas and veterans of the American Civil War.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
This cemetery lies within the 1280-acre grant given to Elizabeth Davis in 1841; believed to be of Indian heritage, she had brought her three children from Georgia to Jasper County in 1836. Local tradition holds that a sick Indian child she took in was the first buried here, though the oldest marked grave is that of Elizabeth Davis Kelly, who died in 1873. Once a family plot, the ground opened to the wider community as sawmills and logging arrived, and it now holds more than 370 graves, including citizens of the Republic of Texas and Civil War veterans.
Why it matters
The Davis Cemetery links the settlement of East Texas to the Republic era and preserves the memory of a pioneer woman of Native heritage and the community she founded.
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Related people
- · Elizabeth Davis
- · Elizabeth Davis Kelly
Themes & tags
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