Smith Cemetery
Oakalla, Burnet County, Texas
Marker Inscription
James Gibson Smith Jr., a native of Tennessee, married Sarah A. James, a native of Arkansas, soon after settling this part of Burnet County in 1850. Together they raised eight children and set aside this site as the family cemetery. Their granddaughter, Anita Fay Smith, who died of diptheria in 1901, was the first person to be buried here. A neighbor, Charles McLean (d. 1901) was the second person buried here followed by James G. Smith (d. 1902). A cemetery association formed by Smith descendents in 1981 maintains this site which includes veterens of the Civil War and World War II.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Tennessee-born James Gibson Smith Jr. and his Arkansas-born wife Sarah settled this part of Burnet County in 1850 and set aside ground as a family burial place while raising eight children. Their granddaughter Anita Fay, lost to diphtheria in 1901, was the first laid to rest here, soon followed by a neighbor and by the family patriarch. Descendants formed an association in 1981 to tend the site, which holds veterans of the Civil War and World War II.
Why it matters
Family cemeteries like this one map the quiet spread of pioneer settlement across Texas and preserve the personal cost of frontier life, from childhood epidemics to generations of military service.
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Related people
- · James Gibson Smith Jr.
- · Sarah A. James Smith
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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