HistoricSiteMarkers
Early Republic

Nesbitt Cemetery

Marshall, Harrison County, Texas

Marker Inscription

Robert Jameison (1810-86) and Nathan L. Nesbitt, twin brothers from Tennessee, settled this area in 1847. First grave here was that of Nathan's wife, Psyche ("Sackey") Walker Nesbitt (1815-51) Robert's wife, Susan Adeline Nesbitt (1827-1901), who often nursed sick neighbors in the absence of a community doctor, donated this site for the family cemetery. After her husband died, she used her pension from his service in the Mexican war (1846-48) to fence the plot. Nesbitt descendants, led by Julian Womack Nesbitt, established a trust fund for perpetual care of the cemetery in 1969.

Erected by Texas Historical Commission

The Story

Twin brothers from Tennessee settled this area in 1847, and the family burial ground began in 1851 with the grave of one brother's wife. Susan Adeline Nesbitt, who often nursed sick neighbors when no community doctor was near, donated the land for the cemetery and later fenced it using the pension she drew from her late husband's Mexican War service. Descendants established a trust for its perpetual care in 1969.

Why it matters

The Nesbitt story preserves the quiet frontier labor of women who served as caregivers and stewards, and the veterans' benefits that sustained pioneer families.

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Related people

  • · Robert Jameison Nesbitt
  • · Nathan L. Nesbitt
  • · Susan Adeline Nesbitt
  • · Psyche Walker Nesbitt

Themes & tags

Westward ExpansionWomen's HistoryFrontier HistoryLandmark

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