Young County cemetery to receive Historic Texas Cemetery designation

After approval by the Texas Historical Commission and official record with the Young County clerk last week, Oak Grove Colored-William P. Johnston Memorial Cemetery will be designated as a Historic Texas Cemetery.

The designation is an official recognition of family and community graveyards that imposes no restrictions on use of land adjacent to the cemetery or the daily operations of the cemetery. According to THC, every county in the state has at least one cemetery with this designation, which serves as a first step to preserve a historic cemetery.  

To receive the designation a cemetery must be at least 50 years old and deemed worthy by THC due to its historical associations. The designation can be submitted by any individual, organization or agency.

Rev. Vanessa Sims is a descendant of one buried at the local cemetery and she is the one who first shined a spotlight on its condition. Sims has been working with multiple entities to push for answers for not only herself, but also other descendants.

Sims, who lives in Denton now, was born in Olney and her mother lived in Graham. Her sister Marie Ann East, who was born prematurely in February 1952 and died in the same month, was supposed to be buried in the colored section of Oak Grove Cemetery, but her grave is currently unable to be located.

Sims filed for the THC designation for the cemetery Nov. 1, 2023. THC approved the application and Thursday, April 18 submitted a “Declaration of Dedication for Cemetery Purposes.” The application was taken to the office of the Young County clerk and filed into official records Friday, May 3.

“Oftentimes cemeteries, especially African American burial sites, are neglected and forgotten,” Sims said. “With the preservation designation it preserves it in history.”

The designation records the cemetery location and boundaries in the county deed records as a historically dedicated cemetery for preservation and alerts current and future landowners of the historic location. Additionally, the designation documents the current conditions of the cemetery through photos, maps and details in case of vandalism, fire or other natural disasters.

The designation does not result in a historical marker for the cemetery, but serves as a prerequisite if applied for in the future. This designation is separate from the Official Texas Historical Marker process, which requires another application and additional conditions to be met.

The cemetery has been a beacon for research recently as work started in March and concluded in April with students and their professor from Texas Tech University. Dr. Tamra L. Walter, historical archaeologist and associate professor of archeology, along with graduate students, worked to unearth and document the history of the Young County cemetery.

When the researchers return in the fall the cemetery will host a new designation and potentially a new medallion from THC. The designation will mark the location as historically significant for Young County.

For more on state historic designations efforts through THC, visit thc.texas.gov/preserve.