Geneva Myrtle Springs Cemetery
Geneva, Sabine County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Situated north of the small, rural community of Geneva, the Geneva Myrtle Springs Cemetery serves as the primary resting place for pioneers, settlers of the area, and their descendants. Originally granted to Juan Ignatino Pifermo in 1794, the town of Geneva grew in the 1820s when pioneers began to settle there from the east. Geneva was first known as Shawnee Village and later as Jimtown, after two early settlers of the area, Jim Halbert and Jim Willis. Originally surveyed for David F. Renfro in 1838, the Geneva Myrtle Springs Cemetery is comprised of land granted by Levi T. Allen in 1879 for use as a church and cemetery. The Geneva Baptist Church was first located on the present day cemetery site, but later moved south of this area. In addition, a school was once located near the cemetery near Myrtle Springs, organized by William Thomas Arnold. The general landscape of the cemetery is traditional with brick, marble, sandstone, granite, wood, and metal grave markers. The first marked grave is that of William J. Jones from 1888, but Bible records indicate that there were earlier unmarked graves, including that of Wiley William Crew (1845 – 1877). Among the many pioneer families interred at this cemetery, there are veterans of the Civil War, including Wiley Crew, Seth Marion Layfield (1833 – 1906), and James T. Meador (1845 – 1933), as well as veterans of World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Iraq War. Burials for members of fraternal organizations such as Woodmen of the World are also present. Today, the Geneva Myrtle Springs Cemetery Association maintains and cares for the cemetery, while also serving the community of Geneva.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
On land first granted in 1794, the community that became Geneva took shape in the 1820s as settlers pushed in from the east, passing through names like Shawnee Village and Jimtown before settling on Geneva. Levi T. Allen deeded ground for a church and cemetery in 1879, and the Geneva Myrtle Springs Cemetery became the resting place of the area's pioneer families. Its stones honor veterans stretching from the Civil War through both World Wars, Korea, and Iraq.
Why it matters
The cemetery is a living ledger of a single East Texas community's history — its settlers, its faith, and generations of military service across America's wars.
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Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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