Prairie Lea Cemetery
Brenham, Washington County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Graves in this historic cemetery date from the 1840s, although trustees of the Brenham Cemetery Association did not formally set aside the property until 1871. It came into operation following concern the earlier Masonic Cemetery would soon reach capacity, given the large number of yellow fever victims in the late 1860s. Trustees purchased the initial 22.77 acres here from J.D. Giddings. Among those buried in Prairie Lea are veterans of military conflicts dating to the Texas Revolution. Notable gravesites include those of brothers Jabez Demming and Dewitt Clinton Giddings, prominent local lawyers, bankers, railroad promoters and politicians. Influential religious leaders buried here are Carl A. Urbantke, an Austrian-born Methodist minister instrumental in formation of what became Blinn College, and Robert Alexander, also a Methodist preacher, and a founder of Georgetown's Texas University, forerunner of Southwestern University. Others interred here are Thomas B. Dwyer, a native of Ireland who aided Catholic missionaries, helped establish St. Mary's Parish and started a reading room and Free Library Association that led to the Brenham Public Library; powerful U.S. Congressman James Paul Buchanan, for whom Lake Buchanan on the Colorado River in central Texas is named; and Confederate General John David McAdoo, a Texas Supreme Court Justice. Interesting features in Prairie Lea Cemetery include tombstones with German inscriptions, reflecting the area's early heritage, and Rest Chapel, built in 1897. Both contribute to the site's significance as a valued historical landmark. Historic Texas Cemetery - 2006
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Prairie Lea Cemetery holds graves dating from the 1840s, though the Brenham Cemetery Association did not formally establish it until 1871, spurred by the yellow fever deaths that were filling the older Masonic burial ground. Among those interred are veterans reaching back to the Texas Revolution, prominent Giddings brothers, Methodist founders of early colleges, and Confederate General John David McAdoo. German-inscribed tombstones and the 1897 Rest Chapel reflect the area's deep immigrant heritage.
Why it matters
The cemetery gathers into one ground the soldiers, clergy, and civic founders whose lives span Texas's journey from revolution through the Civil War.
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Related people
- · Jabez Demming Giddings
- · Dewitt Clinton Giddings
- · John David McAdoo
- · James Paul Buchanan
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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