Evergreen Cemetery
McGregor, McLennan County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Pioneer settlers William and Margaret Oliver gave land in 1860 for a church, school, and this cemetery. From 1866 to 1907, families from the surrounding area assembled here for camp meetings -- times of worship, singing, and fellowship. In 1941 the meetings were resumed, as annual reunions of the pioneers' descendants. In 1957 Evergreen was incorporated as a private cemetery. Major Fred N. Oliver, grandson of the donors, started a trust fund for perpetual care. The restored cemetery now is a place for memorial services to honor pioneers of this region. (1976)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In 1860 pioneer settlers William and Margaret Oliver gave land near McGregor for a church, a school, and this cemetery. From 1866 to 1907 area families gathered here for camp meetings of worship and song, a tradition revived in 1941 as annual reunions of the pioneers' descendants. Their grandson, Major Fred N. Oliver, later endowed a trust for the cemetery's perpetual care.
Why it matters
The site preserves the intertwined faith, schooling, and kinship that anchored frontier communities in Central Texas.
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Related people
- ยท William Oliver
- ยท Margaret Oliver
- ยท Fred N. Oliver
Themes & tags
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