DUANE
Duane's take
The way I tell it, this comes straight from the official marker — so let's honor what it says. Now, Harris County has seen a lot of history buried beneath its soil, and some of that history is buried more literally than you might think. Morgan's Point Cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in continuous use in the whole county, and the story of the place — and what happened to its tombstone — well, that one takes a turn.
The cemetery was founded by Colonel James Morgan, a Texas revolutionary soldier, on land he bought in 1834. He called the estate The Orange Grove, and it was there that the Morgan family put down roots — and, in time, put down their dead. The earliest marked grave belongs to James Morgan's niece, Sarah P.
Morgan Patrick. She died of smallpox on July 13, 1838. Not long after, in October of 1840, Morgan's wife, Celia Gordon Morgan, was buried there — a victim of tuberculosis.
And Colonel Morgan himself was laid to rest in that same ground in March of 1866. The family plot was something to see in its day. Handmade bricks lined the perimeter, and a large tombstone stood at the center bearing the names of the family members.
Fitting tribute for a Texas revolutionary and his kin. Then the stone disappeared. Years later, fishermen found it.
Submerged in the bay. How it got there, the marker doesn't say — but there it was, sitting on the bottom, keeping the fish company. The stone was replaced.
Then it was stolen again. And this time, it was never recovered. The cemetery itself had originally encompassed a much larger area.
Today it sits surrounded by an industrial complex — the kind of neighbor that doesn't make for quiet reflection. The Morgan's Point Cemetery Association was formed in 1922 and cared for the place until 1965, when the city of Morgan's Point assumed responsibility for maintenance. A fence was built in 1968, and in the years that followed, ordinances were passed regarding the care of the grounds.
This marker was placed during the Texas Sesquicentennial, marking one hundred and fifty years from 1836 to 1986 — a reminder that some stories need tending, just like the cemetery itself. Colonel Morgan's tombstone may be gone for good, but the ground where he and his family rest? That, at least, endures.
What the marker says
One of the oldest cemeteries in continuous use in Harris County, this cemetery was founded by Colonel James Morgan, Texas revolutionary soldier. Located on land bought by Morgan in 1834, it was part of a family estate called "The Orange Grove." The earliest marked grave here is that of James Morgan's niece, Sarah P. Morgan Patrick, who died of smallpox on July 13, 1838. Morgan's wife, Celia Gordon Morgan, was buried in October 1840, a victim of tuberculosis. Colonel Morgan was buried here in March 1866. The Morgan family plot was at one time lined with handmade bricks and marked by a large tombstone bearing the names of family members. The stone disappeared and was found by fishermen years later submerged in the bay. Stolen again after its replacement, it was never recovered. The cemetery, which had originally encompassed a much larger area, is surrounded by an industrial complex. The Morgan's Point Cemetery Association, formed in 1922, cared for the cemetery until the city of Morgan's Point assumed responsibility for maintenance in 1965. A fence was built in 1968, and ordinances regarding care of the cemetery were passed in recent years. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986