Historic Cemetery

Springhill Cemetery

Hemphill, Texas 75948
Location: SB-C007 Springhill Cemetery AKA Spring Hill Cem. AKA Spring Hill School Cem.USGS point3193-232 Springhill 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: Sabine Co. Hist. Marker: “The first person known to have been interred here was William Isaac Pace in 1837. The Pace home was located on this site, and according to local history the family established a Methodist church and a school, significantly contributing to the development of the Springhill community for which the cemetery was named. Other pioneer families represented here include the Bennett, Campbell, Conner, Cooper, Davidson, Davis, Dent, Easley, Ferguson, Hyden, Jacks, Tatom and White families. Maria Ann Davis Pace (1812-1909) lived to be nearly 100 years old, as did William F. Stanley (1869-1968). The graves include veterans of the War of 1812, the Texas revolution, the Mexican War, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. LOCATION: 3.5 mi. W of Hemphill on FM 83; 1.5 mi. S on gravel road -- Erected 1999”THC site visit MB 7/31/04: Springhill, Tx. Two access routes. S of Hemphill on FM 83, then 1 mile SE on Sprinhill Rd. OR S of Hemphill 4.4 miles on Beckom Rd, aka FM 2971 to intersection with Sprinhill Rd, turn R for 0.3 mile to site of old schoolhouse, cemetery. Large fenced site in rural residential and wooded area. Arched entryway. Considerable diversity of formal markers over time. Marker trees of Cedar, Crape Myrtle, Jumiper, large Oaks, and marker shrubs of Gardenia, Lantan, Rose. Some stumps of previous marker trees. Formal markers include obelisks, curbing, white sand, folk and unique markers, gravel, metal markers, and scraped earth. Large memorial marker, THC historical marker, and modern pavilion in central area. Maintained privy at E edge of cem. Recent annex. Abundant floral relivious and decorative grave materials, some creative materials, embellishment of stones. Photo enamels. Rural, wooded.Approx 5.73 acres. GPS 31.18.09.86557N –93.53.40.25305W. Quad 3193-232.Low risk of endangerment, fenced, THC marker, maintained, recent burials, associated church at separate site, cemetery association. 3193-232 Tx Co Hwy Map, on-line THC Marker, 1999.

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.