Near Cedar Creek in Bastrop County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

St. Mary's Colony Cemetery

Photographed by Larry D. Moore, August 30, 2026

1. St. Mary's Colony Cemetery Marker

Inscription. In 1873, a landowner named Mary Doyle, on her deathbed, willed 1,714 acres of her land along Cedar Creek to the freedmen who then were living or had lived on her farm. The list of freedmen included members of the Doyle, Overton, McArthur, Patton and Davidson families. Some families were natives to the area, and some families, such as the Overtons, had moved from elsewhere after emancipation to engage in sharecropping and domestic work. The families became interconnected through marriage. The new residents established a freedmen's colony and named it St. Mary's in honor of Mary Doyle. Over time, the community's population grew to more than 300. A Rosenwald school and Baptist church were established. The community declined mid-century as residents moved to the city. Water infrastructure was not established in the area until 1979.

Today, the cemetery stands as the only reminder of this rural freedom colony. Among the earliest burials is George M. Curtis (1836-1892), a school teacher in Bastrop County. Known veterans interred at the cemetery include the Reverend Daniel Webster Ates Jr. (1913-1974), Navy, WWII; Eugene Bryan Cavanaugh (1892-1939), Quartermaster Corps, Army, WWI; PFC Luther Landren (1887-1941), Army, WWI; and PVT Johnnie Buel Patton (1894-1938), Army, WWI. The most recent burial is that of Andrew O Wilson (1931-1975). There are approximately 140 marked graves and numerous unmarked graves present in the cemetery, which stands at just over one acre in size. The St. Mary's Colony Cemetery provides an opportunity to reflect on the hardships and triumphs of generations of residents.

Erected 2022 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 23653.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Cemeteries & Burial Sites. A significant historical year for this entry is 1873.

Location. 30° 4.015′ N,

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97° 37.49′ W. Marker is near Cedar Creek, Texas, in Bastrop County. It is on St. Mary's Road (County Road 261), on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Dale TX 78616, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Central Texas

and in the Austin Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American South.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Republic of Texas,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Harris Cemetery (approx. 4 miles away); Elroy (approx. 4 miles away); Kings Highway Camino Real — Old San Antonio Road (approx. 5.8 miles away); Moore’s Crossing Bridge (approx. 7.4 miles away); Dr. Jacob Tally Wilhite (approx. 8.1 miles away); Saint John Colony (approx. 8½ miles away); Collins Cemetery (approx. 8.6 miles away); Haynie Chapel Methodist Church

St. Mary's Colony Cemetery Marker Area image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Larry D. Moore, August 30, 2026

2. St. Mary's Colony Cemetery Marker Area

(approx. 9.3 miles away).

Another marker is no longer nearby. Pilot Knob (was approx. 7.2 miles away but has been confirmed missing).

Credits. This page was last revised on August 31, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 31, 2026, by Larry D. Moore of Del Valle, Texas. This page has been viewed 2 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 31, 2026, by Larry D. Moore of Del Valle, Texas.