St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery
Caldwell, Burleson County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Early area priests served Caldwell’s Catholic residents in the early 1890s, meeting in various locations, including the home of the Windhausen family. The community built a church dedicated to St. Mary’s Our Lady of Lourdes in 1895, and four years later bought this adjacent land for use as the Caldwell Catholic Cemetery. The first burial, that of Jacob Svejda (Schweda), dates to September 1899. The burial ground is the final resting place of military veterans, local leaders, church founders and families from the area’s Catholic community, with a strong link to the numerous settlers of Czech and Hispanic heritage. Historic texas cemetery - 2005
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Catholic families in Caldwell first gathered for Mass in private homes in the early 1890s before building the church of St. Mary's Our Lady of Lourdes in 1895 and buying this adjoining land for a cemetery four years later. The first burial, in 1899, was that of Jacob Svejda. The graves here belong to church founders, local leaders, veterans, and families reflecting the area's strong Czech and Hispanic Catholic heritage.
Why it matters
The cemetery records how Czech and Hispanic Catholic communities put down roots in central Texas, blending faith and ethnic identity into the region's fabric.
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Themes & tags
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