Historic Cemetery

Ellis County Poor Farm Cemetery #1

a.k.a. Ellis County Farm Cemetery, Work Farm Cemetery, Pauper Cemetery

201 S College St, Waxahachie, Texas 75165
Location: NE of Waxahachie; located in the SE corner of the “T” intersection of FM 878 and a NW to SE gravel road connecting FM 878 and FM 879. The cemetery is in the SE corner of the farm adjacent to the gravel road mentioned above and FM 879. The cemetery is bordered by a white iron pipe fence. It is on FM 879, 1.2 miles N of the intersection with FM 878.
Graves: 73 (1890s to 1940s)
Size: .63 acre

Source: THC records; USGS; TxDot map 1990

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