Historic Cemetery

Franklin Cemetery

a.k.a. Puntch, Puntch Field

Grapeland, Texas 75844
Location: Driving Directions:From northernmost intersection of SH 21 and FM 227, go 1.5 mile north on SH 21. Turn right onto CR 1190 and go 0.1 mile east. Turn right onto small unnamed dirt road and go less than a 0.1 mile south. Turn left at first gate and go 0.1 mile south-southwest across field. Cemetery is located in wooded grove at southern edge of field. The cemetery is highly endangered. It is not a map feature and is located on private property. It is not accessible to the public. The cemetery is not fenced or maintained, and there are not cemetery signs posted. Many of the cemetery features are damaged, fallen, displaced, or missing. Land clearing with a bulldozer may have disturbed part the cemetery according to the current property owner. Cemetery features include formal marble markers, a CSA veteran's marker, and three locally cast concrete grave slabs/crypts. Heavy vegetation and leaf litter obscures many of the graves.

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