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ROGAN FIELDTo the News;We feel, that in justice to ourselves, after the publication of the letter from Mrs. Liptak in last week’s issut 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 1S5C, and it has been a great source of responsibility one which cur grandfather, Dr, Rogan, felt very keenly; he was anxious that it be presei'ved, beautified and made a resting 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 was cancleled, 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 all 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 all. 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 offered this to the school board, without [ 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 abandoi4(Cd 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 the church property have been obligated, a street 40 or 50 feet wide has tuen opened through, west of the church running over quite a number nf graves, one of which is a balrv sister of ours, and at the protest of our mother. We firmly believe that v* ith ihe depredation of time in ten years lunger then* would be nothingleft.Suggestions have been made as to beautiful Cemeteries in the Hast. We, too, have had th*- pleasure of visiting .Sleepy Hollow, and oeing awed by 'its beauty and quietude. We have visited Trinity Jaurch in New York City, and viewed its Cemetery in the busy marts of trade; have admired the ernircrr'Jon in their tenacity in holding on to this property; but we have ah,o seen during the noon hour the clerks from the financial institution around using this as a recration place and spreading th; ..• on the marble slabs ef 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 its 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 a^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 of every creed and denomination; and wa believe that those who now lie in this neglect ed space would appreciate the joy ond pleasure it will give the children.We now want to tliank the School Board for (heir designation of the place as Rog'fus Field, and by motionf.dtdiftirftoiinwwa:wBVIHa a a?diteetE.E.itinitfoP*toMla,onthnilt;wcshthinilt;chtriLbKp{MiHebuiI\!i♦fIi*%i\i»iiiiiIiiIiiiiIjiiI
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
