Harris County Texas Archives Photo Place.....Historical Markers October 21, 2006 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/txfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: John Lane starmhz1@yahoo.com October 22, 2006, 2:35 am Source: De Zavala Cemetery Photo can be seen at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/harris/photos/tombstones/dezavala/historic2430nph.jpg Image file size: 150.9 Kb Nothing compares to visiting the final resting places of some of the heroes of the Texas Revolution. Such a place is the San Jacinto Battle Grounds. There you can find a wealth of Texas history, guarded by some pretty vicious mosquito. The pictures that I posted are of De Zavala Cemetery. There are two Historical Markers erected in the front of the cemetery that tell the whole story. I copied the content of the markers for you and they are as followers: ---------- “De Zavala Plaza Name Honors Lorenzo De Zavala, Vice President of Republic of Texas (AD Interim, March 17 - Oct. 17, 1836). Born in Yucatan and educated in the Seminary of Ildefonso, De Zavala was an ardent liberal who was jailed 1814 -1817 for political activities. In prison he learned English and became a medical doctor. In 1821 he was a member of the cortes in Madrid, Spain. And later was governor of a province in Mexico. After Mexico won independence from Spain, He kept working for democratic reforms, loyal to the 1824 constitution of Mexico, he opposed dictator Santa Anna, and moved to Texas to seek freedom. On March 2, 1836, he signed the declaration of independence. Later he signed the Republic of Texas Constitution. Married twice he had six children. The family honored his memory by keeping alive his ideals after his early death. The legislature of Texas in 1858 named Zavala County in his honor. Lorenzo De Zavala, many of his descendants, and some of their neighbors and friends were interred in the De Zavala Cemetery, on the plantation across Buffalo Bayou from this site. This plaza is dedicated to the memory of vice president Dee Zavala. His family, and others buried in De Zavala Cemetery.” --------- “Persons known to be buried in De Zavala Cemetery: Vice President Lorenzo De Zavala 1789-1836 Emily West De Zavala Ricardo De Zavala 1835-1906 Minna Wadzick De Zavala Emily Smith De Zavala 1847-1883 Darwin De Zavala 1872-1881 Edward Theodore De Zavala 1963-1882 Katherine E. De Zavala 1911-1914 Leroy De Zavala 1905-1954 Lorenzo De Zavala III Sidney De Zavala 1870-1906 General Manuel Fernandez Died 1836 Frederick Dulitz 1873-1876 Peter Jefferson Duncan 1799-1836 Doctor Dunlap Willa Fork 1850-1871 Amy Inez Higginbotham 1901-1903 Emily De Zavala Jankins Thomas Jankins Ethel K. Joyner 1909-1912 Katherine S. Joyner 1887-1911 Frederick Nitsche 1794-1863 William Nitsche Emme De Zavala Singleton 1870-1938 James Singleton 1881-1912 David Thomas 1801-1836 Emily C. De Zavala Weaver 1861-1992 Ethel Gertrude Weaver Charles D. Wilcox 1873-1909” ---------- Many questions linger in my mind about the battle ground. Questions like; Why are there so many children buried in De Zavala Cemetery? Some were certainly family members, but perhaps some were orphans that had nowhere else to be buried. I think this scenario fit’s the thinking of a historic hero like Vice President Lorenzo De Zavala. It is a truly a noble act to canonize the memory of children. This is truly a special place. - John Lane File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/harris/photos/tombstones/dezavala/historic2430nph.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/txfiles/ File size: 3.8 Kb