Old City Cemetery

Old City Cemetery began in 1840 with the burial of four-year-old Josephus Choate, son of Moses Livingston Choate (1794-1867) and Ursula Choate (1807-c. 1880). Early pioneers from Kentucky, the Choates moved to Texas and received a league of land while this area was still part of Mexico. On his land, Moses Choate established a town he called Springfield. After Polk County was created in 1846, he donated 100 acres near Springfield for the county seat and renamed the town Livingston. A one and one-half block tract that included the Choate family cemetery was reserved for religious and educational purposes, and in the 1850s a Masonic lodge with a schoolroom and a church were built there. After those institutions relocated later in the century, the cemetery expanded to cover the entire block. By 1906 burials there had almost ceased, and the last interment took place in 1940. At least 25 citizens of the Republic of Texas, two Mexican War veterans, and 30 Civil War veterans are buried there. A few memorial markers honor people buried elsewhere. The cemetery has 167 visible tombstones and at least 65 unmarked burials, while more than 70 grave sites have been destroyed over the years, making it an important cultural resource for the community and a reminder of the early heritage of Texas and Polk County.

Livingston, Texas · United States