Three 1936 State of Texas markers from the Texas State Cemetery

In 1936, the State of Texas erected hundreds of granite monuments across the state. This was before the Texas Historical Commission. There are many in the Texas State Cemetery marking the graves of individuals of historical interest to the State of Texas.  State of Texas Markers 15538, 16098 and 15484 respectively

John Litton

A soldier of the San Jacinto
Army. Born in South Carolina
1812. Died July 4, 1856.

 Dr. Gideon Lincecum

A veteran of the War of 1812
Internationally famous botanist
Friend of Darwin
Born in Georgia
Died at Long Point
Washington County, Texas
November 28, 1873 

Winslow Turner

Born in Missouri
1811
Died in Bastrop County, Texas
May 6, 1880
Participated in the
Battle of Gonzales
October 2, 1835
Served in the Texas Army, 1836
and in the Woll Campaign, 1842

Education in Manchaca

Marker Number 16207,  Erected 2009

Location
Jose Antonio Menchaca Elementary School

Size
27" x 42"

Text
The Community of Manchaca, named for a campsite of Tejano Army Officer Jose Antonio Menchaca. First received a post office in 1851.  Early Educational Efforts included an 1870s subscription school in a one-room frame schoolhouse on Onion Creek. The first public school began in the early 1880s and was held in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church near Onion Creek and adjoining Live Oak Cemetery.  This building was also known as "Old Rock Church," and Professor Alfred H. Decherd was the principal.

The building of the International and Great Northern Railroad tracks through Manchaca in 1881 brought an influx of new settlers and increased economic activity.  In 1883 a new public schoolhouse was built immediately east of this site.  The one-story brick building with bell tower was expanded with a second story in the 1910s.  Which added cafeteria and auditorium space.  The school offered seven grades.  And students went to nearby towns such as Buda for high school education.  Separate schools for African American and Mexican American students operated east and northeast of this site, respectively, beginning early in the 20th century.

The second story of the school was deemed unsafe in the 1950s and was removed, and a new wing of classrooms was added in 1957.  Manchaca schools joined with Oak Hill in 1961 to form a rural high school district, and in the 1960s Manchaca schools became fully integrated. The Austin Independent School District annexed the Manchaca-Oak Hill District in 1967.  Just west of the historic school site, in an area previously known as Dodson's Park, a new school, Jose Antonio Menchaca Elementary School, opened in 1976.

The old school across the street was torn down and is now a church

ANTI-SLAVEHOLDING UNION BAPTIST CHURCH

Text from the Historical Marker:

This early Williamson County graveyard has been referred to as the Smalley Cemetery due to its connection with the family of pioneer Baptist preacher Freeman Smalley.  Early settlers of this area, the Smalleys were associated with the nearby Anti-Slaveholding Union Baptist Church.  Though the oldest grave marker is dated 1953, it is believed that Freeman Smalley, Jr. was the first person buried in the cemetery in 1849.  The land on which the cemetery is located was deeded to trustees of the church in 1854.

As the Historical Marker states, the cemetery stone is located down the street to the east.  The stone marking the location can be found on the left hand side next to the house on the corner.  I don't believe this the original grave marker but more a memorial stone raised later.  The entire are where the church and cemetery used to be is now a subdivision.

 Not sure I would want to live on the site of an old cemetery.  Didn't they make a movie about that once?  Poltergeist?

More can be found at HMDB.org

Round Rock, Tx.
GPS: 
N 30.31'  28.406'
W 097 39' 13.491