Lilac Cemetery
Davilla vicinity, Milam County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Dr. John Herndon Graves (1807-1889) and his family settled in this area in 1858. They acquired several large tracts of land over time, and Dr. Graves' daughter and her husband deeded the land around this site for Lilac Baptist Church in 1880. It was intended for use as a cemetery as well. According to oral history, another area resident subsequently deeded a strip of land across the south end of the cemetery. The earliest marked grave on this site is that of Calvin McCormick (d. 1870). Dr. John H. Graves' marker indicates that he was the earliest-born of those interred here. Other burials of interest include four Civil War veterans, one Spanish-American War veteran, nine veterans of World War I and a number of veterans of other wars and conflicts. Lilac Cemetery continues as a chronicle of Milam County history. (2000)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Dr. John Herndon Graves settled this Milam County area in 1858, and in 1880 his daughter and son-in-law deeded land for Lilac Baptist Church and its burial ground. The earliest marked grave, from 1870, belongs to Calvin McCormick, while Dr. Graves himself was the earliest-born of those interred. Among the graves lie veterans reaching from the Civil War and Spanish-American War through World War I and beyond, marking the community's service across generations.
Why it matters
The cemetery chronicles a pioneering Central Texas family and the long thread of military service that ran through a small rural community.
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Related people
- · Dr. John Herndon Graves
- · Calvin McCormick
Themes & tags
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