Historic Cemetery

Taylor #2 Cemetery

a.k.a. Taylor Plantation, Taylor Plantation Slave Graves

Wheeler Springs, Texas
Location: Driving Directions:From FM 229/FM 2544 junction, go 3.2 miles west on FM 2544/CR 2210 (Note: FM 2544 becomes CR 2210 at end of pavement) to private gated road on left (south) side of road. From end of pavement, where FM 2544 ends and CR 2210 begins, it is approx. 0.9 mile west to private road. Turn left onto gated, private road and go 0.6 mile south. Cemetery is located just a few feet east of the private road, along a white wood fence. The cemetery is enclosed by white wood fence. This cemetery reportedly contains the graves of slaves and former slaves of the Taylor Plantation. The Taylor Family cemetery (HO-C223) is located approx. 273 ft. southwest of this cemetery (HO-C287). This cemetery is partly fenced and appears to be seasonally maintained. A white wooden fence encloses the cemetery. A section of the fence is missing, but the property owner is planning to repair it. Cemetery features include one formal headstone and at least six inscribed fieldstones The inscription on the formal headstone reads:FrankGilmoreDiedFeb. 17, 1898"His many virtues form the noblest moment to his memory"The fieldstone inscriptions are not legible. The cemetery is not a map feature, and there are no cemetery signs. The cemetery is located on private property, and permission is required to access the cemetery.

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