DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker at Little Flock Cemetery has to say — and friends, it's a story worth slowing down for. By 1880, a small farming community had taken root in the rural reaches of San Augustine County. The Erwin family, the Crockers, the Zeaglers — sometimes spelled Zeigler — the Woods family, and the Harveys.
These were the names that shaped this particular patch of East Texas earth. And before they had a proper building to worship in, they gathered near Tiger Creek under a brush arbor to help organize a community church. Picture that — open sky, creek nearby, families pulling together out of nothing but faith and a shared need for each other.
Around 1882, they built something more permanent: a one-room log church right here on this site. Now, one room doesn't hold a crowd, and the congregation knew it. So they named themselves accordingly — Little Flock.
Small in number, maybe, but they were planting something that would outlast all of them. Then comes 1883, and the story turns quietly heartbreaking. A family traveling through stopped at the home of Joseph N. and Lizzie Harvey Erwin, asking for help.
With them was their daughter, six-year-old Carrie Bell Hawkins. Carrie died while at the Erwin home. And the Erwins — these people who had just taken in strangers — buried her on their own property, near the Little Flock church.
That's the first grave. By 1887, three Erwin family members were buried near that same first grave site. The ground was becoming something more than ground.
And by 1900, there were twenty-nine marked graves on the property. In 1914, Joseph Erwin — born in 1845 — and his wife Lizzie, born in 1854, formally donated one acre of land for church, school, and cemetery purposes. They didn't just live here.
They gave it. Additional acreage was purchased at that time, and again in 1931. The place kept growing even as the people kept going.
By the turn of the twenty-first century, Little Flock Cemetery held more than four hundred burials. Among them: veterans of the Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Five generations of American conflict, all represented in one quiet acre of San Augustine County.
At least five graves remain unmarked — five souls here without a name we can still read. Charter members of the Little Flock Baptist Church rest here, including George Washington Crocker, born in 1840. And Joseph and Lizzie Erwin themselves — the people who took in a dying child, who gave the land, who made this place — they're buried here too.
A little flock, they called themselves. But four hundred burials, veterans of five wars, pioneers who broke this ground and families who never stopped coming back to it — that's not such a little legacy after all.
What the marker says
By 1880, a small farming community had been established in this part of rural San Augustine County. Members of the Erwin, Crocker, Zeagler (Zeigler), Woods and Harvey families met first near Tiger Creek under a brush arbor to help organize a community church. About 1882, a one-room log church building was constructed on this site. Its small size led the congregation to name itself "Little Flock." In 1883, the family of six-year-old Carrie Bell Hawkins stopped for help at the home of Joseph N. and Lizzie Harvey Erwin. Carrie died while at the Erwin home, and the Erwins buried her on their property near the Little Flock church. In 1887, three Erwin family members were buried near the first grave site, and by 1900 there were 29 marked graves. In 1914, Joseph (1845-1931) and Lizzie (1854-1948) Erwin formally donated one acre of land for church, school and cemetery purposes. Additional acreage was purchased at that time and again in 1931. At the turn of the 21st century, there were more than 400 burials in the Little Flock Cemetery, including those of veterans of the Civil War, World War I, World War Ii, Korea and Vietnam. At least five graves are unmarked. Charter members of the Little Flock Baptist Church, including George Washington Crocker (1840-1922), are buried here as are land donors Joseph and Lizzie Erwin. Little Flock Cemetery stands as a reminder of the pioneers who settled this part of Texas and of their contributions to local history. (2001)