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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, An Official Texas Historical Marker is being |
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dedicated at the site of the Harrington, Cassady, and Clark |
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Cemeteries in Denton County on May 2, 2015; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, these three separate, historically African |
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American graveyards occupy 1.77 acres bordering Lloyd Road in the |
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northeast part of the county; the Harrington Cemetery remains in |
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its original location, while the Cassady and Clark Cemeteries were |
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moved to adjacent sites by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1953; |
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because of the construction of the Garza-Little Elm Dam, their |
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original locations are now covered by Lewisville Lake; the Texas |
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Historical Commission named all three burial grounds Historic Texas |
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Cemeteries in 2011; and |
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WHEREAS, The Harrington Cemetery likely served Lloyd, an |
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early farming community dating back to 1850; the land occupied by |
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the cemetery was initially owned by the Harrington family, but it |
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belonged to E. L. Lugrand, the property's only African American |
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owner, between 1913 and 1914; the graves are marked with headstones |
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of marble, granite, sandstone, and concrete; and |
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WHEREAS, The Cassady and Clark Cemeteries were established |
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outside the nearby community of Garza on land owned by African |
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Americans; both burial grounds feature fieldstone and funeral home |
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steel plate markers; a family resting place, the Cassady Cemetery |
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was initially situated on a 30-acre plot purchased by Jacob Cassady |
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in 1872, and it includes the graves of Mr. Cassady and his wife, |
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Melinda; in 1876, former slaves George Clark and Zack Rawlings |
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bought 80 acres of land and deeded half an acre to the county for |
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both a public school and a graveyard; in addition to the Clark |
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family and a relative of Mr. Rawlings, many former neighbors were |
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buried in the Clark Cemetery, an indication of the close-knit |
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communal ties in the area; and |
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WHEREAS, These three burial grounds provide an irreplaceable |
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link to African American communities that emerged in North Texas |
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following emancipation, and the installation of this marker will |
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serve to inform and enlighten current and future generations about |
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the area's rich history; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the dedication of an Official Texas |
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Historical Marker for the Harrington, Cassady, and Clark Cemeteries |
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and extend to all who helped to bring this project to fruition |
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sincere gratitude for their contribution to preserving the heritage |
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of the Lone Star State. |