| Marker Text |
Old Plum Grove Cemetery began as a family burial ground. Texas pioneer John Y. Criswell buried his wife, Eleanor, on this site. The Criswell family was part of Stephen F. Austin’s Third Colony, which arrived in Texas by 1830. In 1839, the Plum Grove Baptist Church, which would become linked to the cemetery, formed. This was one of the earliest Baptist churches in the state of Texas. In 1851, John Click deeded land for the church and cemetery to the congregation. Church participation declined in the 1860s, and by the end of the decade, the congregation moved its place of worship. Soon, though, the nearby community of West Point started to grow and began using the burial ground. The earliest grave here dates to 1835. Other graves include those of military veterans involved in conflicts dating to the Texas Revolution. The cemetery had two sections – one where whites were interred and the other for African American burials. Today, as one cemetery, the site serves as a monument to the history of the surrounding communities. Historic Texas Cemetery - 2006 |
