Gay – Hagan Cemetery

Gladewater, Gregg -Upshur County Line, Upshur County, Cemeteries of TX

Update Mar 2001

Submitted by Sharon Pierce

Cemeteries of Texas Coordinator: Dolores I. Bishop

This cemetery is located on the Greg-Upshur County line on N. Phillips Springs Rd., 4/10 of a mile east of East Lake Dr. and 1 9/10 miles northwest from Gay Ave. in Gladewater, TX. The cemetery is in very poor condition, no longer being maintained and has not been used for some time. Vandalism on the 1970’s and 1980’s has left its mark, with several stones taken from the cemetery, some stones broken, and some graves actually disturbed. There are lots of graves marked only with only native stones and others with just funeral home markers.

Ryan and Thomas Coker read this cemetery on February 11, 1990 for Ryan’s Eagle Scout project. Read in March 2001 by Sharon Pierce, Randy Pierce, and Eddie Philips. Each reading has a few different names than the other. Over time, with vandalism and erosion of the stones, some stones were lost, accounting for the difference in the readings. What you will find here is a compilation of all three readings. Some of the earliest settlers of Gladewater were buried in this cemetery.

A Texas Medallion, due to the efforts of John Ben Shepperd, once graced this cemetery, dedicated to Elvey Shepperd. The first one was stolen, it was then replaced, and the second one was stolen also. It Read:

Pioneer Mother Elvey Shepperd 1779- 1860 born in South Carolina, daughter of Elijah Anderson, a soldier of the American Revolution and ______Brock. Married William Shepperd in Georgia on Jan 22 1802. Husband died 1828 in Alabama. Led her family to Texas in 1845 where with help of her sons and slaves, she built one of the first log cabins in this area ---- a log cabin that stood over 100 years.