Adams Cemetery

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and here's how I'm passin' it along to you. Out in Polk County, there's a piece of ground that has gone by more than one name over the years. Lone Pine Cemetery, some called it.

Brown Cemetery, others said. Adams-Lott Cemetery for a while. Today it answers to Adams Cemetery, named for a former county commissioner.

But before any of those names, before any of that history had a chance to settle into the soil, this was simply a family graveyard for the Lott family. And the Lotts, they came a long way to get here. In 1843, Joshua and Anna Lott, Anna born a Woolsey, packed up their family in Mississippi and made the journey to the Republic of Texas.

Not the state of Texas, mind you. The Republic. That tells you something about the era these folks were willing to stake their lives on.

One of Joshua and Anna's sons, Calvin, is the one who put down roots on this particular property. He farmed the land. He also answered the call during the Civil War, serving as a Confederate soldier and in the Texas State Troops.

Calvin Lott died in 1884, and he is buried right here. His is the oldest marked grave on the grounds, though the marker is careful to note there are believed to be earlier burials, unmarked, resting quietly beneath the surface without so much as a stone to speak for them. That's a particular kind of silence, knowing someone is there and not knowing who.

Today, Adams Cemetery still stands as a record, chronicling several pioneer families of Polk County. Four names, one patch of earth, and stories going back before Texas was even a state. Some ground just holds more history than it lets on.

What the marker says

Now named for a former county commissioner, this burial ground has also been known as Lone Pine Cemetery, Brown Cemetery and Adams-Lott Cemetery. It began as a family graveyard for the Lott family. In 1843, Joshua and Anna (Woolsey) Lott moved with their family from Mississippi to the Republic of Texas. One of the couple's sons, Calvin, farmed this property. He also served as a Confederate soldier and in the Texas State Troops during the Civil War. Calvin lott died in 1884 and is buried here; his is the oldest marked grave, though there are believed to be earlier unmarked burials. Today, Adams Cemetery remains as a record chronicling several pioneer families of Polk County. Historic Texas Cemetery - 2008