Richland Cemetery

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker at Richland Cemetery tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. The town of Richland came into being after the Houston and Texas Central Railroad bypassed the older villages in the area. That railroad changed the map, and wherever it ran, new towns had a way of sprouting up along the line.

Among the early arrivals were J. T. and Prudence Anderson Patrick, who moved an early store all the way from Pisgah Ridge, five miles to the west, and settled in Richland in 1870. They raised three sons, Walter, Jim, and Arthur, and a daughter named Willie.

The Patricks were putting down roots, and Richland was putting down roots right along with them. But a town that intends to last eventually has to reckon with the hardest kind of permanence. The first need for a burial site arose in 1895, with the death of Mrs.

Willie Patrick Brown, wife of Dr. A. N.

Brown. That name will come back around in a moment. Now, land for a cemetery had to come from somewhere.

An acre for burials was given by the estate of William Marsh Rice, an investor in the Houston and Texas Central and the owner of much land along the line. A few years after that, two adjacent acres were bought from the Rice heirs. Still later, three more acres were bought from Mmes.

Eva Swink and Jewel Weaver. The ground grew as the community grew. Early trustees who helped steward that ground included Horace Ballew, Dr.

A. N. Brown, Shelton Brown, T.

B. Skipper, Henry Swink, Fred Tucker, and Clint and Dick Williams. For years, the maintenance was carried out through an annual All-Day Working, neighbors showing up together to tend the place by hand.

Then in 1935, the Richland Cemetery Association was formally organized, with Mrs. Dora Anderson as president and Mrs. Gordon Elkins as secretary-treasurer.

The association has been making improvements ever since. Today, within those acres, rest veterans of the Civil War, World War I, and World War II, alongside members of many of the founding families of Navarro County. A town that started because a railroad chose one path over another ended up building something the railroad never could: a place where the people who made it real are remembered.

What the marker says

In town founded after the Houston & Texas Central Railroad bypassed older villages. An early store was moved from Pisgah Ridge ( 5 mi. W) by J. T. and Prudence Anderson Patrick, who settled in Richland in 1870. They had three sons, Walter, Jim, and Arthur; and one daughter, Willie. First need for a burial site arose in 1895 with death of Mrs. Willie Patrick Brown, wife of Dr. A. N. Brown. An acre for burials was given by the estate of William Marsh Rice, an investor in the H. & T. C., and owner of much land on the line. A few years later, two adjacent acres were bought from the Rice heirs; Still later, three more acres were bought from Mmes. Eva Swink and Jewel Weaver. Early trustees included Horace Ballew, Dr. A. N. Brown, Shelton Brown, T. B. Skipper, Henry Swink, Fred Tucker, and Clint and Dick Williams. Maintenance for years was done in an annual "All-Day Working". In 1935, Richland Cemetery Association was formed, with Mrs. Dora Anderson as president, and Mrs. Gordon Elkins as secretary-treasurer. Many improvements have since been made by the association. In this cemetery are veterans of the Civil War, World War I, World War II, and members of many of the founding families of Navarro County. Marker Sponsors: Richland Cemetery Association, Mr. and Mrs. Gussie Weaver and Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Patrick, Jr.