| Marker Text |
In 1837, Daniel, Jesse and Joseph Bookman moved to Texas with their mother, Jemima, and sister Anna from South Carolina. They settled in Prairie Plains, which was later called Red Top. In October 1853, members of the Bookman family joined with others to form the Prairie Plains congregation of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. Brother Weyman Adair was called as the first pastor, but he died the next month and was buried behind the church. His grave today is the oldest one marked in the cemetery, but at the time of his burial, the graveyard was called Martha's Chapel in memory of 15-year-old Martha Bookman who was already buried there. Her grave is unmarked, and other unmarked graves may also exist.
Jesse Bookman deeded the land in 1857 for the cemetery, sanctuary and manse, all of which were used by the community until 1905, when the railroad bypassed Prairie Plains and went through nearby Shiro. The congregation moved in 1909 and became the Shiro Presbyterian Church. The cemetery fell into disrepair until 1970, when Jessie Harman, a descendant of Prairie Plains settlers, left funds to endow the cemetery, which, today, provides a link to the early pioneer settlement of Prairie Plains. Historic Texas Cemetery - 2003 |
