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Texas Boneyards   October 8, 2001 - Star-Telegram.

Married women are much more difficult to find then men - married or single. The reason is obvious. Men are born and die with the same names. Not so with the ladies. Enter two ambitious people who would like to solve this problem for Texas researchers. Gloria B. Mayfield and Gary M. Webb have created a free Web site where they plan to cover all the cemeteries in the state.

"1919 Dallas County maps ­ show the location of Dallas County Pauper's Cemetery, Dallas City Pauper's Cemetery and a city cemetery for black residents on property now occupied by Opportunity Park and People's Baptist Church. "

"Sometimes all that's left of a community is a cemetery. "  "I want cemeteries to be protected," Ms. James said. "I want people to recognize them as sacred places."

DeVon Wood, along with several individuals, including members of the Austin Geneological Society, is currently working to locate and document cemeteries in Austin and surrounding areas. With the help of correspondence from relatives of the deceased and other concerned members of the Austin community, they have already discovered more than 360 cemeteries.

More than 270 graves make this cemetery my favorite one to visit. It's removed from neighborhoods and constant traffic and has sites dating back to 1811. There are newer tombstones engraved with fancy lettering and poems written by the deceased as well as older gravemarkers with only one or two hand-carved words in them.

"I think they dug a bunch of them up when they brought that street," he said.  Now about 30 years later, the ivory and marble tombstones are no longer there. One wouldn't even know a cemetery borders Peachtree Road. "

"We carry it out just as dignified as if it were someone who lived here locally." "The burial, which costs about $2,000, is dignified, but spare. The body is dressed in the white inmate uniform, a prison spokesman said, and placed in the plywood casket lined with white crepe. "

"The older cemeteries are part of a family's history, part of the community's history. That is worth preserving and recognizing."
To receive the designation, a cemetery must be at least 50 years old and be deemed worthy of preservation for its historic value, Coleman said.
Each cemetery must apply for the designation by sending in maps showing the borders of the cemetery, photographs and a $25 fee covering the cost of sending letters to the bordering addresses. "We look forward to being able to help small cemeteries that may be falling apart and (being recognized as a historic site) will probably be a requirement," Coleman said.