Historic Cemetery

Wheat Family Cemetery

a.k.a. Wheat

Fairchilds, Texas
Location: From Richmond, FM 762 S to FM 361. Right (north) on FM 361 .4 miles to field road on NE side. Follow road NE .6 miles, crossing through a locked gate into cattle pasture to drop gate gate on (right) southeast side. Follow grass road right (southeast) .5 miles to cemetery in clearing within wooded area near creek. This site is maintained and fenced once a year. All of the markers have been broken by cattle in the past, all markers are laying on the ground, but legible. The site is a map feature but difficult to access without a guide.

Source: RIP Fields Table

To address the problem of cemetery destruction and to record as many cemeteries as possible, the Texas Historical Commission offers the Historic Texas Cemetery designation.

The Historic Texas Cemetery designation was developed in 1998 to help protect historic cemeteries by recording cemetery boundaries in county deed records to alert present and future owners of land adjacent to the cemetery of its existence. Every county in Texas has at least one cemetery designated as a Historic Texas Cemetery through this program. The HTC designation is the first step toward preservation of a historic cemetery.

A cemetery is eligible for designation if it is at least 50 years old and is deemed worthy of recognition for its historical associations. The very nature of a cemetery being a landmark of a family’s or community’s presence is considered to validate the criteria of historical associations. Any individual, organization, or agency may submit a request for designation.

gravesites