Liberty Cemetery
Harleton, Harrison County, Texas
Marker Inscription
This burial ground originally served the congregation of the Baptist Church of Christ at Liberty. Records show that as early as 1854 this group was part of the Soda Lake Baptist Association. Church member Bennett C. Ragon (1822-1891) (shown as Regan on his tombstone), who came to this area from Mississippi in 1853, deeded the first acreage here to the church in 1872 and was involved in building the sanctuary that once stood nearby. Today, the site contains almost seven acres. The oldest dated marker is that of Hightower Davis, who died at age 72 in 1873, but it is likely that older unmarked graves exist. Veterans laid to rest here include Captain Philip Craver (1796-1886), who served as a young wagon train master in the War of 1812, and several Civil War soldiers, as well as those who served in the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, Korea and Viet Nam. Descendants faithfully continue to care for this site by way of improvements as needed, through donations and regular graveyard work days. Liberty Cemetery stands as a chronicle of the heritage of the many families that have settled in this area of Harrison County. Historic Texas Cemetery - 2002
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
This burial ground began serving the Baptist Church of Christ at Liberty, a congregation active in the Soda Lake Baptist Association as early as 1854. Church member Bennett C. Ragon, who came from Mississippi in 1853, deeded the first acreage in 1872, and the site has since grown to nearly seven acres. Its oldest dated stone belongs to Hightower Davis, who died in 1873, and among those laid to rest are veterans spanning every American conflict from the War of 1812 through Vietnam.
Why it matters
A rural cemetery like this is a chronicle in stone, tracing the families who settled East Texas and the generations who answered the nation's call across nearly two centuries of war.
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Related people
- · Bennett C. Ragon
- · Hightower Davis
- · Philip Craver
Themes & tags
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