Beaumont in Jefferson County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Prater Cemetery
The site was already in use as a burial ground for travelers who died while passing through the area. The first family burial was that of Prater's infant granddaughter, Seawillow Ballard, in 1888. The cemetery grew in size as Prater's family increased and was used mainly by the Prater, Collier, Ballard and Odom families. Confederate veteran John Jackson Ballard, Prater's son-in-law, was buried in 1903, and Edwin Prater was interred in 1905. Confederate veteran John Collier, Prater's son-in-law and operator of Collier's Ferry on the Neches river, was buried in 1918. A third confederate veteran, Elijah Alexander Blackshear, a Ballard in-law, was laid to rest in 1927. The most recent burial is that of Prater's infant great-great-grandson, Samuel David Hamner, Jr., in 1952. The overgrown cemetery was discovered by a local boy in 1968, and he and Beaumont Boy Scout Troop 181 worked to clean up the cemetery in 1976, creating public awareness of the historic site. Today, Prater Cemetery contains fifteen marked graves and an unknown number of unmarked ones, and reminds visitors of a pioneering Jefferson County family.
Erected 2009 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 16418.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Cemeteries & Burial Sites. A significant historical year for this entry is 1894.
Location. 30° 7.496′ N, 94° 9.083′ W. Marker is in Beaumont, Texas, in Jefferson County. Marker is on Texecutive Drive, 0.1 miles east of Eastex Freeway, on the left when traveling east. The marker is located in the middle of the small hidden Cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Beaumont TX 77708, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. French Trading Post (approx. 1.1 miles away); Spell Cemetery (approx. 1˝ miles away); West Beulah Missionary Baptist Church (approx. 1˝ miles away); F/RF-101 Voodoo (approx. 2.9 miles away); War Memorial (approx. 2.9 miles away); Beaumont (approx. 3 miles away); Magnolia Missionary Baptist Church of Beaumont (approx. 3 miles away); J.P. Richardson, Jr: The Big Bopper (approx. 3.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Beaumont.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 22, 2022. It was originally submitted on January 21, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 243 times since then and 60 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 22, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.