Location: SB-C132 Smith, Obediah Jackson Cemetery AKA Obediah Jackson Smith Cemetery Recorded: SABI01—Parsons, Kim. 1988. References to Texas Cemeteries; Sabine Co Hist Commission with Kay Parker McCary, Weldon McDaniel, and M. Doer website, Rootsweb: “Off #117 on Sandy Creek. Historic Marker as Clark-Dickey-Smith Cemeteries; biog. William and Mahala Graham Clark: “settled in the Big Sandy Creek area before 1837. William died in 1856 and his is the oldest marked grave in the Clark-Dickey Cemetery. It is believed that earlier pioneers camped near here and buried their dead in unmarked graves. In 1850 Obediah Jackson Smith and Elizabeth Chapman bought land from William F. Clark. Obediah died in 1868; his is the only marked grave in the Smith Cemetery. It is likely that family members are also buried nearby. These two cemeteries are the last physical remnants of the Big Sandy Creek community. Erected 1996.” Clark-Dickey and Smith Cem. Assoc. PO Box 16546, Hemphill, TX 75948. (409/787-3204.) NOTE: SEE separate listing, Clark-Dickey Cem SEE separate listing, Obediah Jackson Smith Cem. THC marker suggests they are one, as a subject, but sites are actually quite separate, historically and physically. THC marker notes: “14 miles S of Hemphill on SH87, turn 4 miles W on forest road USFS117, then 2 miles on USFS 117B.”THC site visit MB 8/31/04 w/ W. McDaniel..Fairmont, Tx area. Off FM 201. Adjacent to but NOT AKA Clark-Dickey-Smith Cem. Fenced formal site separated by 160 ft. from Clark-Dickey Cem. Formal cemetery, diversity of formal markers, remnants of a grave house and brick vaults, also obelisks, mounding. Approx 0.06 acre. GPS 31.11.50.07980N –93.47.27.74884W. Quad 3193-224Moderate risk endangerment, remote, nat’l forest, but well-fenced, THC marker on associated cemetery, site maintained, on USGS. 3193-224.
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.