The Evergreen Cemetery is the final resting place for many notable citizens of Paris and Lamar County. Due to the steady growth of the area, the old cemetery of Paris, located near the center of town, quickly became too small. In 1866, the Evergreen Cemetery Association was chartered by well-known community leaders to purchase land for cemetery purposes. After the initial purchase of sixteen acres from George Wright, additional tracts were acquired in 1893, 1907, 1956 and 1957. The first burial is attributed to Lucy Pope Maxey (1794-1866), the mother of Samuel Bell Maxey, a West Point graduate, Confederate General and United States Senator. His wife, Marilda C. Maxey (1833-1908) is also buried in Evergreen Cemetery. Most of the cemetery’s eleven incorporators are buried here, including Samuel Bell Maxey (1825-1895), Dr. Alfred Simpson Johnson (1814-1881), Albert J. Redding (1821-1900) and William Bramlette (1851-1908). Another incorporator buried here is Willet C. Babcock (1828-1881). His “Jesus in Cowboy Boots” monument attracts visitors from across the nation. Examples of the unique stonecutting art within the cemetery include a bevy of angelic figures and religious imagery, flowers, vines, cotton bales, broken trees, anchors and chains, sheep, a life-size buffalo and a replica of the front page of the Paris Morning News. This historic cemetery reflects the growth and rich history of Paris and Lamar County.
Evergreen Cemetery (2013)
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Evergreen Cemetery is a historical marker in Paris, Lamar County, dedicated in 2013. It is one of 46 historical markers documented in Lamar County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 89 historic sites cataloged across the county.
The site sits at 33.6432, -95.5518 near Paris. The nearest cataloged historic site is Travis Clack Henderson (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Evergreen Cemetery, Maxey, Samuel Bell, House, and Home of Sam Bell Maxey.
This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5507017580. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.
“Evergreen Cemetery” names 2 distinct records in Lamar County. This page is the historical marker dedicated in 2013 in Paris. The others:
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