Historic Pleasant Grove Cemetery North Memorial Day Saturday July 7, 2018

The Pleasant Grove Cemetery (North) is located near Cumby, Texas in western Hopkins County along I-30. Families will come from all over Texas and beyond to take part in the annual visitation weekend, and many local families will include a reunion as part of the visit. Visiting the graves of loved ones buried in the cemetery is part of the Memorial Day, as well as a cemetery board meeting and dinner on the grounds under the picnic pavilion. Each family brings a large meal to enjoy and to share, as well as folding chairs and tables. If you are planning to attend, the meeting begins at 11am and the dinner will be spread starting at 12 noon on Saturday July 7, 2018.

A bit of history about Pleasant Grove area, the prairie community was settled in the 1870’s by early settlers of the Palmer, Gaddy, Pogue, Middleton, Beck, Lackey and Collins families. The cemetery was established later on the historic site of the old Plunkett School. The Plunkett Schoolhouse, named for it’s builder, was constructed in 1903 on donated land. In 1905, two schools were operating; a white school with an enrollment of 56 students, and a black school with an enrollment of 38 students. However, a school was already in operation as early as 1867 as district #30 among 32 total school districts in Hopkins County at the time. In it’s early years, Pleasant Grove was associated with schools serving students living in the Faulk Grove, Branom and Whistle Hill communities. The Plunkett school building at one time served as a meeting place for Cumberland Presbyterian Church in addition to a non-denominational congregation. The Plunkett School closed in 1945 and the building was razed. The cemetery was in use as early as the 1930’s. In 1991, a Texas Historical Marker was erected on the cemetery grounds, marking the site of the Plunkett School.

Some historical information about the Pleasant Grove North Cemetery was taken from the Texas State Historical Association Handbook of Texas Online and the Hopkins County< Texas Research Guide 2016.

 

 

Author: Enola Gay

Share This Post On