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VT * VI ftMrs. W. E. Barrow is spending some time in Houston, where she went through the clinic last week. She was accompanied to Houston by her son, George B. Clark.ROGAN FIELDfa]tolt;hu\vntinTo the News:We feel, that in justice to ourselves, after the publication of the letter from Mrs. Liptak in last week’s issue that the public should know something of our acts in giving the old pioneer graveyard to the School Board to be used by them as an athletic field.The title to the property in question has been in our family since about 1856, and it has been a great source of responsibility one which our grandfather, Dr, Rogan, felt very keenly; he was anxious that it be preserved, beautified and made a renting place for the living as well as the dead, and to this end he asked the Methodist church here to assume this responsibility, which they accepted, but as usual with small town churches they had no funds with which to assume this responsibility, and at their request, our mother, Mrs, J B, Longley, brought suit in the District Court of San Saba county, and after hearing the deed wag cancMed, and the title reverted back to her, and at her death, to us. After the property came into our mother’s hands, the Ladies Cemetery Association raised the money and put up the present fence, more than twenty years ago, and without ar.y further care, it is now falling down. During ail this time this sacred plot of ground has been depredated upon by cattle, sheep and horses, and a dumping ground ^or refuse, many of the !head stones have been broken up, and at this time there are not more than eighteen or twenty identified graves, and these have had no care whatever. Since our mother’s death we have worried over the problem of its care and preservation, and have talked with numbers about how best to perpetuate this property for the good of ail. When this opportunity came that it might be turned over to the school and made a playgrcund and athletic field and park for the school children, we felt it would, in a way, carry out the wishes of our grandfather and mother. We offer-, ed this to the school board, without I strings, except that it should always be used as such, or it would again revolk; and that a marker or tablet should be erected at the entrance stating that this was the site of the Pioneer Cemetery that was condemned and abandoi^ed in 1878, since which time there has been no burials there. And may we not also say, that no attention paid by the living relatives of the dead; during this time part of the graves that were on ihe church property have been obligated, a street, 40 or 50 feet wide has tven opened through, west of the church running over quite a number nf gnives. otu- of which is a bnbv sister of ours, and al the protest of our mother. We firmly believe that with the depredation of time in ten years lunger then1 would be nothing left.Suggestions have been made as to beautiful Cemeteries in the East. We, too, have had th- pleasure of visiting Sleepy Hollow, and ot ing awed by 'its beauty and quietude. We have visited Trinity Jnurch in New York City, and viewed its Cemetery in the busy marls of trade; have admired the ernir-ertttian in their tenacity in holding on to this property; but we have au,o seen during the noon hour the clerks from the financial institution around using this as a recratiuri place and spreading tin..- un the: marble slabs of the dead; these are a few, but on the other hand how many other grave yards have made wav for progress.In regard to its use as an athletic field, this is not without precedent; San Angelo has it~s High School { Athletic Field located on an old burying plot.Our every feeling and sentiment has always been as our mother and grandfather, to preserve this as the graveyard of their loved friends and relative:-. We ai(e not financially able to do this, and no one else has ever spent one dime on this *and except what they contributed through the Cemetery Association; and on Decoration Day ’twas pitiful to see its neglect. What better way could we dispose of it than to give it to the school children of our community, for the use of all the people and f,f every creed and denomination; and we believe that those who now lie in this neglected space would appreciate the joy ami pleasure it will givethe children.We now want to thank the Snhoil Board for lheir designation of the j place aa Rog*n Field, nod by motloafedadiifrlt;in;fa:ofiniwiwianWJ;BuVlfHianandatoiCOEhEditiinitefoipateMilas]onthinici*9WClshrthrnicSchitrilt;LI a 1HpPM r; flei but*-\I!i♦iii#■*iiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiIIII!I} f t-
Newspaper Details
San Saba News
San Saba, Texas, US
Thu, Apr 11, 1935
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Lynn B.
USA 27 Feb 2020
Other Publications Near San Saba, Texas
San Saba News and Star
San Saba Star
San Saba County News
San Saba Weekly News
San Saba News
