The Richard Williams Cemetery

Born in Georgia in 1808, Richard Williams moved to Texas in 1834. He fought in several battles of the Texas revolution, including the "Grass Fight" (Nov. 26, 1835), where he was wounded, and San Jacinto (April 21, 1836). Wed to Mary Miller in 1836, he built a cabin near this site on land granted to him for service in the revolution. Besides farming, he operated at various times a sawmill, gristmill, and cotton gin. Williams joined the 1842 Somervell Expedition but became ill and left before the force reached Mexico. In 1852 he was elected a Montgomery County Commissioner.

Originally this one-half acre site was set aside for family burials, but it was later used by the people of the community. The oldest grave is that of Leila Jacinto Williams, the third of the Williamses' ten children, who died on March 8, 1842. Other early graves include that of a son, Sam Houston Williams, who died in 1852. Richard Williams was buried here on Oct. 10, 1876, and his wife on Nov. 9, 1894. A fenced portion of the cemetery contains graves of the Carroll family. The Williams' section was neglected until recently when the Montgomery County Historical Survey Committee fenced it. About 70 unmarked graves are located in unfenced areas of the cemetery.