Urban Cemetery
Sharp vicinity, Milam County, Texas
Marker Inscription
This burial ground is named for Julius Paul Urban (1848-1923), a Wendish immigrant who deeded 1.05 acres of land for use as a cemetery in the late 1890s. The oldest known grave is that of Madalena Denker, who died in 1903. The cemetery also contains numerous graves of infants and children dating from the early years of the 20th century. Many tombstones bear German-language inscriptions, reflecting the area's strong German heritage. Although the Lutheran church and school that once served the Felton, Duncan and Sharp communities no longer exist, the Urban cemetery remains in use for this rural part of Milam County. (2001)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
This cemetery bears the name of Julius Paul Urban, a Wendish immigrant who deeded just over an acre for burials in the late 1890s. Its oldest known grave dates to 1903, and many headstones carry German-language inscriptions that reflect the settlers' Old World roots. Though the Lutheran church and school that once served the Felton, Duncan, and Sharp communities are gone, the cemetery remains in use.
Why it matters
It preserves the presence of Wendish and German immigrants whose language and faith shaped rural central Texas.
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Related people
- · Julius Paul Urban
- · Madalena Denker
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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