Historic Cemetery

Vaughan Family Cemetery

a.k.a. Vaughan Family Graves

Ratcliff, Texas
Location: Driving Directions:From SH 7 in Ratcliff, go 2.4 miles north on FM 227. Turn right at Forest Service Rd. #5140 and go 0.3 miles northeast. Cemetery is adjacent to west side of forest service road. Fenced with two markers.The cemetery is highly endangered. It is not a map feature, and it is located in a remote area on private property. No cemetery signs are posted. The cemetery only contains two graves, but 1.0 acre of land has been set aside for the cemetery. The cemetery is fully enclosed with a barbed wire fence, but sections have fallen. The cemetery entrance gate is chained but unlocked. Several no trespassing signs are posted. In order to access the cemetery, one must cross US Forest Service land.

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