Port O’Connor has a special parcel of land which is the final resting place of many past residents and people who made Port O’Connor their home. The land is located on W. Monroe Avenue and Cemetery road. Many of us who have lived here for years remember the POC Cemetery from our childhood. Like so many families in our area, my parents, grandson, and parents in law are there. I have noticed some families have relatives there dating back several generations.
Since 2007 the Calhoun County Historical Committee has been working with Mr. Bob Allen, recording graves, and putting them on the web-site Find A Grave.com. Bob has worked diligently hundreds of hours to record the entire cemetery and actually located many missing graves.
Mary Belle Meitzen, Co-Chair of the Calhoun County Historical Commission is in charge of preserving Calhoun County’s Historical Cemeteries and Port O’Connor Cemetery is definitely among them. The earliest grave marked in our cemetery is 1913.
On February 27, 2012, the Port O’Connor Cemetery was officially designated a Historic Texas cemetery. The official document was received in April of this year. The designation will preserve and protect the cemetery for future generations. A Texas historical marker will be erected in the near future.
Mary Belle has worked countless hours getting our cemetery designated. She has recommended forming a cemetery association to insure the cemetery will be preserved and maintained in the future. Careful planning and organization will guarantee this historic property will be protected. A cemetery association would play an important role making sure the cemetery will be protected and will be available to be used by families for years to come.
The association would elect a board of directors, adopt bylaws of the PORT O’CONNOR CEMETERY ASSOCIATION, and adopt articles of association. The Texas Historical Commission will offer advise/suggestions in forming an association. Samples of those documents are available.
Anyone interested in forming a PORT O’CONNOR CEMETERY ASSOCIATION may get in touch with the Texas Historical Commission . Their main number is 512-463-6100. Also, if you have any questions, you can email Mary Belle Meitzen at mmeitzen@cableone.net.
