Location: St. Mary’s Catholic Cem.--Direct of Cems in Waller Co, 1977/1992: Under care of St. Mary’s Ch, Hempstead and Cem. Com. 3 miles S of Hempstead on Hwy 159. Property deeded to Bishop Byrne by Francis Mills in 1944., Sec & Plots. Approx. 60 burials, a few unmarked, earliest about 1913. Index.” [Topo Zone map in file]THC site visit MB 4/30/04: Large fenced site, FM 159, SW 2.5 miles from railroad tracks in Hempstead. Just N of Jingles Rd. Arched entryway, steel fence. Crucifx curbed and graveled at center back, Christ sculpture above. Paved central access. Great diversity of markers, formal diversity over time, and recent informal and elaborately embellished markers. Historical burial within two Catholic aestheitic traditions, Czech and Mexican. Curbing, slabs, obelisks. Abundant floral and religious and decorative grave materials. Many grave toys on more recent burials. Tall Oak marker trees, also shrubs of Oleander, Rose, Laurel. Some seasonal bedding flowers. Wildflowers in bloom. Quad 3095-222 GPS 30.04.03.340N -96.05.44.547W.
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.