Historic Cemetery

S. D. Lester Cemetery

a.k.a. Lester Grave

Apple Springs, Texas
Location: From Apple Springs; FM 375 south to Helmic-Apple Springs Road. Right (west) .3 miles to Forest Service Road 567. Go right .5 miles to private grass road on right side. Follow road .7 miles to grass road on left (south) side. South, through gate into pasture a total of .3 miles to another gate at back of pasture. Go through gate to crape myrtle grove on SW side and grave. This site is inaccessible without guide and 4-wheel drive.The limestone cairn is broken and the inscription is almost illegible. The site is surrounded by old crape myrtle trees and the current property owner has fenced the site with wire fencing. Family members know of the site and visit occasionally. Inscription on stone:S. D. Lester dau of Eddie C. & Joesph Lesterb. Sept. 12, 1870d. Oct. 4, 1880.

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.

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