Taylor Family Cemetery

THIS BURIAL GROUND, ALSO KNOWN AS TAYLOR-BENNETT CEMETERY, ORIGINALLY SERVED THE TAYLOR FAMILY. IT LATER ALSO BECAME THE FINAL RESTING PLACE FOR MEMBERS OF THE BENNETT FAMILY, WHO WERE JOINED WITH THE TAYLORS THROUGH THE 1857 MARRIAGE OF ELIZABETH J. DAY (STEP-DAUGHTER OF PITKIN TAYLOR) TO BRITISH-BORN JOSEPH W. BENNETT.

JOSIAH AND HEPHZIBETH TAYLOR WERE EARLY ANGLO SETTLERS, MIGRATING TO TEXAS IN 1824. THEY SETTLED NEAR HERE WITH THEIR FAMILY IN 1829 AS PART OF THE De WITT COLONY. HOWEVER, JOSIAH TAYLOR FIRST CAME TO TEXAS IN 1812, WHEN HE JOINED THE GUTIÉRREZ-MAGEE EXPEDITION, A FILIBUSTERING EXCURSION DURING THE MEXICAN WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE. HE PARTICIPATED IN THE SEIGE AT LA BAHÍA AND IN THE BATTLES OF ROSILLO AND ALAZAN CREEK. THE TAYLORS’ IMMEDIATE FAMILY INCLUDED TEXAS RANGERS, VETERANS OF THE TEXAS WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE, PARTICIPANTS IN THE RUNAWAY SCRAPE AND VETERANS OF THE BATTLE OF SALADO CREEK IN 1842.

JOSIAH TAYLOR’S GRAVE IS THE OLDEST IN THE CEMETERY, DATING TO 1830. OTHERS BURIED HERE INCLUDE VETERANS OF U.S. MILITARY CONFLICTS AND THOSE KILLED DURING THE SUTTON-TAYLOR FEUD, THE LENGTHIEST AND DEADLIEST IN TEXAS HISTORY. THE CEMETERY FEATURES VERTICAL STONES, GRAVE SLABS, CURBING AND MASONIC INSCRIPTIONS. IN 1974, THE TAYLOR FAMILY ASSOCIATION FORMED TO MAINTAIN THE GRAVEYARD. TAYLOR FAMILY MEMBERS WERE NO LONGER BURIED HERE AFTER 1933, THOUGH THE BENNETT FAMILY CONTINUES TO USE AND CARE FOR THE BURIAL GROUND. TODAY, THE TAYLOR FAMILY CEMETERY REMAINS A RECORD OF AND MONUMENT TO TWO PIONEERING FAMILIES WITH VITAL CONNECTIONS TO THE HISTORY OF TEXAS.

HISTORIC TEXAS CEMETERY – 2009.