Garza-Valadez Cemetery
Floresville, Wilson County, Texas
Marker Inscription
This burial ground is one of three that served the Old Lodi Settlement. Most of the individuals interred here were Texans of Mexican descent. The oldest known burial is of Polonio Garcia, who died in 1883, though there may be earlier interments. Others buried here include Civil War veteran Juan de la Garza, and World War I veterans Vicente Garza and Jesus Valdez. The cemetery features crosses, grave slabs, spanish language inscriptions and an enclosure made of red bricks similar to those used in building the Wilson County Courthouse. Today, the cemetery remains active and continues as a reminder of the area’s pioneering Hispanic community.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
This burial ground is one of three that served the old Lodi Settlement, and most of those laid to rest here were Tejanos—Texans of Mexican descent. The earliest known grave, that of Polonio Garcia, dates to 1883, and the cemetery also holds veterans across generations of American wars, from Civil War soldier Juan de la Garza to World War I veterans Vicente Garza and Jesus Valdez. Its crosses, Spanish-language grave slabs, and brick enclosure—laid in bricks like those of the Wilson County Courthouse—still mark an active, living memorial.
Why it matters
The cemetery honors the pioneering Hispanic families who helped settle Wilson County and served in the nation's wars, a reminder that Tejano roots run to the very foundations of Texas.
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Related people
- · Juan de la Garza
- · Vicente Garza
- · Jesus Valdez
Themes & tags
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