Greater Riverside Cemetery
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Location: Hearne, Robertson, Texas, United States
Surnames/tags: African-American Cemeteries US_Black_Heritage Cemeteries
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General Information
Cemetery Name: Greater Riverside Cemetery (also know as New Colored Cemetery; Hearne Colored Cemetery, St. Mark's Cemetery; Riverside Cemetery Address: Hearne, Robertson County, Texas Memorials: 1,940 added (67% photographed) as of 06 Jan 2022
History
Marker Inscription: This cemetery has served the African-American community in Hearne and the old town of Hearne since 1894. The area was originally settled by farmers, many of whom brought slaves with them when they immigrated to Texas. Hearne, named for Christopher Columbus Hearne, was platted in 1868 and developed as a crossroads for rail traffic.
This burial ground was originally named the New Colored Cemetery, though it was known by a variety of names over the years; it was most commonly called St. Mark's Cemetery until 1933, when it became known as Riverside Cemetery. The original burial ground was made up of twenty acres purchased by the Colored Cemetery Association. The Primitive Baptist Church donated an acre to the burial ground when they relocated from here in 1906, and St. Manuel Baptist Church added an additional three acres in 1948.
The first known interment here was of Chaney Delila Henderson in 1896. Since that time, hundreds of burials have occurred here. The grounds hold an especially large number of military veterans, including those who fought in conflicts dating back to the Spanish-American War.
The Greater Riverside Association formed in 1982 and maintain the 24-acre cemetery; the association also renamed the burial ground. Today, Greater Riverside Cemetery continues to serve as a testament to the rich African-American legacy in the community of Hearne.
Notable Interments
Among the cemetery's features are markers for members of the Mosaic Templars of American, a black fraternal association with few known chapters in Texas.
More Information
- See the Find A Grave Memorial Page
- See Greater Riverside Cemetery category for profiles of those who have been documented at this cemetery
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