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North Carolina native Alexander Younger (1786-1866) and his wife Jane Merchant (Hancock) (1798-1881) came to Texas in 1847. They first settled in present Ellis County, where they were granted land in the Peters colony. By 1850 they had moved to Navarro County and had begun farming here. This area of the family farm was set aside as a cemetery in 1854 for the burial of the Youngers' son George Worthington Younger (b. 1820). Maintained originally as a family burial ground, it was later made available for use by local residents. About 1860 adjacent property, now known as Woodward Cemetery, was first used for the burial of slaves. Additions to the cemetery have been made through land purchases and through donations from the J. S. Callicutt family and Younger family descendants. The community burial ground now covers about ten acres and contains over 1600 graves. Those buried here include many pioneer settlers and early leaders of the Purdon area. Still in use, the Younger Cemetery has served area residents since before the Civil War. Today it is the site of an annual memorial service and homecoming held each May. |
