The Abandoned Cemetery Association of Parker County Texas Cleans Up

Weatherford, Parker County, Texas

Lowell Sullivan is 80 and admits he can’t do as much as he used to, but Friday he’s going out to chop apart limbs from a fallen tree. It’s not for exercise or to prove a point, but a way to help preserve Parker County history.

Sullivan and members of the Abandoned Cemetery Association will be going out to a cemetery down by Horseshoe Bend. The group takes care of 62 cemeteries in the county, said Sullivan, who is president of the association. Many of these are little family cemeteries, out in the woods, on private ranches, though some are along county roads, he said.

“These people are the ones who have beat the trail for us,” Sullivan said, noting many of the graves belong to families who helped settle Parker County.

Some of the cemeteries don’t even have gravestones or have rocks, he said.

The group most recently cleaned up the Martin family cemetery. Granite markers, made by Moore Monuments, were put in place of the original rocks where the grave sites were located.

Read the full article in the August 12, 2010 edition of the Weatherford Democrat.

About Leland Meitzler

Leland K. Meitzler founded Heritage Quest in 1985, and has worked as Managing Editor of both Heritage Quest Magazine and The Genealogical Helper. He currently operates Family Roots Publishing Company (www.FamilyRootsPublishing.com), writes daily at GenealogyBlog.com, writes the weekly Genealogy Newsline, conducts the annual Salt Lake Christmas Tour to the Family History Library, and speaks nationally, having given over 2000 lectures since 1983.

4 Replies to “The Abandoned Cemetery Association of Parker County Texas Cleans Up”

  1. My great grandmother, Clara Effie Burnett Whitfield, is buried in the Walker Bend Cemetery. I visited there two weeks ago and found that her headstone has fallen off its base. Is there anyone I can contact regarding repairing this headstone. My husband and I cannot tackle this job but it’s a shame to see a beautiful 101 year old headstone laying on the ground. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

  2. Hello Leland,
    Re: The Poor Farm cemetery in Weatherford.
    I read that the ACA did a lot of restoration after its rediscovery in 1985. I want to help with maintenance, since I pass by there daily and ocassionaly have time to spare. Sadly, the gate next to the historic marker is always locked and a ‘No Trespassing’ sign is posted. Is there another access road?
    Thanks for your time,
    Pammie in WFD

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