Feb. 28, 2012, left to right in back: Calhoun County Historical Commission Cemetery Committee members John Meitzen, Cliff Bacchas*, Steve Koch, and John Kassner; in front: Cemetery Committee Chairman Mary Belle Meitzen, Marie Hawes of the Port O’Connor Service Club, and POC Cemetery historian/caretaker Bob Allen presenting the document for recording to Calhoun County Deputy Clerk Karina Mechaca. *Cliff Bacchas is a photographer for “Find A Grave” www.findagrave.com

“Know All Men By These Presents:

That the Port O’Connor Cemetery….has been set aside and dedicated for cemetery purposes through historic use…That this dedication is subject to all the laws, rules, and regulations of the State of Texas regarding cemeteries…”

So reads, in part, the document, certified by the Texas Historical Commission, which was filed, along with a map, on February 28, 2012, at the Calhoun County Courthouse, establishing legally that which has been known traditionally as the Port O’Connor Cemetery.

The journey to officially recognize the cemetery and keep it intact from any future development has been a long one. Beginning in 2007, The Cemetery Committee of the Calhoun County Historical Commission, working with Bob Allen of Port O’Connor, began recording the graves and putting them on the website “Find A Grave”. Since then, Bob has recorded the whole cemetery and located many missing graves.

Mary Belle Meitzen, Chairman of the Committee, aided by Melissa Sterling of Gulf Coast Title, put in many hours of “detective work” to achieve this designation. The land the cemetery occupies was never recorded as being bought or sold as far as the records go back, which is 1909 when W.J. O’Connor transferred the Port O’Connor Townsite to P.R. Austin.

It is believed that sometime between 1909 and 1919, the property was set aside for a cemetery. The oldest known grave is of Lola Mae McCarty in 1913.

“Calhoun County owes a great deal of appreciation to Bob Allen* and his mowing crew for their care of the cemetery for so many years and to the Port O’Connor Service Club for their efforts in building the outdoor chapel and entrance gate,” said Mary Belle. “I am excited to finally be able to have this designation for Port O’Connor Cemetery, giving it the much needed protection to assure its continued existence.”

After the recording documents are received by the Texas Historical Commission, the Cemetery Committee will apply for a medallion designating Port O’Connor as a Historic Texas Cemetery. This process is expected to take about a year.

But for now, Mary Bellle Meitzen, the Cemetery Committee and Bob Allen are happy in the knowledge that Port O’Connor Cemetery is officially recognized as belonging to the Port O’Connor community.

*The Dolphin wishes to note that Bob Allen and his “mowing crew” are all unpaid volunteers serving the Port O’Connor community.