Lorenzo Cemetery

Historical marker location:
Lorenzo, Texas
( FM 378, 1.8 mi. N of US 82/114, at CR 105)
Marker installed: 2003
Marker size: HTC marker

In 1876, the Texas Legislature created the Crosby Land District, which included several present-day Panhandle counties. Ranchers soon began establishing large ranches throughout the region, and in 1890, brothers Avery, John Stuart, Howard and Prentiss Coonley of Chicago joined with Julian Bassett of New York to form the C.B. Livestock Company.

In 1910, the company planned a rail line from Crosbyton to Lubbock, with towns platted along the route. It named the one here for Lorenzo Dow, a company attorney, and in 1916 it deeded land at this site to the county for a community cemetery. The first burial in Lorenzo Cemetery was reportedly that of a child who died of whooping cough in 1916. The first marked grave, dating to 1918, is that of W.A. Greenhill.

Over the years, volunteers and local groups, including a cemetery association, have provided maintenance, helping to preserve th collective history of Lorenzo. The county sold the property in 1995 to the City of Lorenzo, and today the cemetery is a link to generations of men, women and children who made unique and lasting contributions to the community.

Historic Texas Cemetery - 2003

As one of the most visible programs of the Texas Historical Commission (THC), historical markers commemorate diverse topics in Texas history, including: the history and architecture of houses, commercial and public buildings, religious congregations, and military sites; events that changed the course of local and state history; and individuals who have made lasting contributions to the state, community organizations, and businesses.

Loading...
The state of Texas was once an independent country known as the Republic of Texas. It gained independence from Mexico in 1836 and was a separate nation until it was annexed by the United States in 1845.