DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker at Riverside Cemetery has to say — and it's got more layers to it than the ground itself. Now, every cemetery has a beginning, and this one starts with a family. Ezekiel Smith — born 1781 — and his wife Susanna — born 1774 — packed up their lives in Virginia and brought their four sons west to Texas.
In 1837, Ezekiel was granted land in what is present-day Guadalupe County. He passed in 1854, Susanna before him in 1848, and the ground that held them would eventually hold thousands more. Their son French Smith — born 1809 — turned out to be something of a builder of communities.
He was one of the first shareholders of the city of Seguin. He donated land for a city park, a high school, and a Methodist church. And when 1880 came around, French Smith did one more thing for the place he'd helped build — he deeded that family cemetery, the one holding his own parents, to the City of Seguin.
French Smith himself died that same year, 1880. Make of that timing what you will. From there, the cemetery kept growing.
A public cemetery was established north of the Smith Cemetery and came to be called Riverside. George B. Hollamon deeded additional land to the city for the cemetery in 1888.
Then in 1896, a third parcel was deeded by W. E. Goodrich.
Three pieces of ground, combined — fifteen acres in all. And those fifteen acres hold more than two thousand burials. Pioneer settlers.
Veterans. Elected officials. Business leaders.
Clergy. And former slaves. Two thousand souls, each one a thread in the fabric of Guadalupe County.
But here's the thing about the land of the dead — the living have to tend it, and for a while, they didn't. Over the years, Riverside fell into disrepair. Headstones and histories alike going quiet under time and neglect.
Then in 1994, a group called Friends of Riverside Cemetery decided that wasn't going to be the end of the story. Through the voluntary efforts of concerned citizens and descendants of those buried there, they undertook a complete restoration of the site. Not a government program.
Not a big contract. Neighbors and descendants, rolling up their sleeves for the people in the ground. The Riverside Cemetery continues to serve the community today — which is, when you think about it, exactly what Ezekiel and Susanna Smith's family set in motion all those years ago on a piece of granted land in Guadalupe County.
What the marker says
This cemetery traces its origin to the Smith family graveyard established by early settlers to this area. Ezekiel (1781-1854) and Susanna (1774-1848) Smith and their four sons migrated to Texas from Virginia. In 1837 Ezekiel was granted land in present day Guadalupe County. Their son, French Smith (1809-1880), was one of the first shareholders of the city of Seguin. He donated land for a city park, high school, and Methodist church. In 1880, French Smith deeded the family cemetery to the City of Seguin. A public cemetery north of the Smith Cemetery was founded, and later called Riverside. George B. Hollamon deeded additional land to the city for the cemetery in 1888, and in 1896 a third parcel was deeded by W. E. Goodrich. These cemeteries were combined for a total of 15 acres. Among the more than 2000 burials are those of pioneer settlers, veterans, elected officials, business leaders, clergy, and former slaves. Although well maintained at times, over the years the cemetery fell into disrepair. In 1994 Friends of Riverside Cemetery undertook a complete restoration of the site through voluntary efforts of concerned citizens and descendants of those buried here. The Riverside Cemetery continues to serve the community. (1996)