79R5401 JNC-D

By:  Strama                                                       H.R. No. 244



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, The Texas Historical Commission has designated 
Santa Maria Cemetery in Pflugerville a Historic Texas Cemetery, and 
the official marker, which is being dedicated on February 12, 2005, 
will stand as an enduring symbol of the local citizenry's 
commitment to preserving our state's rich history; and
	WHEREAS, Santa Maria Cemetery was established in 1924 by a 
group of Mexican families who had traveled north to escape the 
Mexican Revolution of 1910; and
	WHEREAS, While awaiting the outcome of the war, the Mexican 
expatriates found work on local farms, but were unable to obtain 
burial insurance; to defer funeral expenses, the families formed a 
local chapter of the Sociedad de Agricultores Mariano Escobedo, an 
organization created to help Mexicans residing in the United 
States; through fund-raisers and donations, the chapter collected 
$100 and purchased an acre of property for the cemetery from local 
landowner LaRue Noton; and
	WHEREAS, Most of those original families remained in the 
region, and today, many of the names on the graves of Santa Maria 
Cemetery continue to be prominent in Central Texas; the cemetery 
was originally called San Camilo in honor of Camilo Mercado, the 
first person to be buried there, but it was renamed Santa Maria in 
1965; and
	WHEREAS, The unique and colorful heritage of the Lone Star 
State is a vital part of our shared culture as Texans, and the 
preservation of the state's historic sites is a worthy endeavor, 
deserving of the highest praise and recognition; now, therefore, be 
it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas 
Legislature hereby commemorate the dedication of Santa Maria 
Cemetery in Pflugerville as a Historic Texas Cemetery and commend 
area residents and the Texas Historical Commission for preserving 
this important landmark.