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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The year 2007 marks the 150th anniversary of the |
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Edom Cemetery, one of the oldest and largest cemeteries in Van Zandt |
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County; and |
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WHEREAS, According to tradition, the first individual to be |
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buried in the cemetery was William Featherston, who had recently |
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arrived in the area with his family when he died in 1857; at that |
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time, the property surrounding the site of Mr. Featherston's burial |
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was owned by James Coltharp and John J. Snider; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the years, the cemetery has grown considerably |
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through the purchase and donation of land; today it embraces 10 |
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sections and contains more than 2,000 marked graves, in addition to |
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a number of unidentified grave sites; and |
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WHEREAS, The Edom Cemetery serves as the final resting place |
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for some of the county's earliest settlers and their descendants; |
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in addition to its links with 19th century pioneers, the cemetery is |
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the burial ground for nearly 150 individuals who served in the |
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military, including 31 Confederate veterans of the Civil War, 22 |
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veterans of World War I, and 55 veterans of World War II; and |
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WHEREAS, For approximately a century, before the hiring of a |
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caretaker, the cemetery was maintained by families who would get |
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together on a Saturday in July to clean the grounds; the work day |
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doubled as an occasion for a picnic and provided a welcome chance to |
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visit with friends and relatives; although the upkeep of the |
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cemetery has now been contracted out, the reunion continues to be |
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held and now takes place in May; a large open-air pavilion, |
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constructed in 1971, offers shelter for such gatherings; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1976, individuals concerned about protecting the |
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cemetery established the Edom Cemetery Association, and 10 years |
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later that group published a compilation of the existing grave |
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markers and tombstones; the cemetery received a Texas State |
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Historical Marker in 1986, and in 1998 a memorial plaque was erected |
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in honor of Confederate veterans known to be buried there; and |
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WHEREAS, Like other historic Texas burial grounds, the Edom |
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Cemetery is an irreplaceable cultural resource, and this notable |
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milestone in its history is indeed worthy of recognition; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Edom |
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Cemetery and extend to the Edom Cemetery Association sincere |
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appreciation for its dedication to preserving the heritage of the |
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Lone Star State; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the association as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |