Decades ago, Ulalia Ybarra passed away. She was buried in Robert Lee TX, in what is now known as the Old Mexican Cemetery -- an overgrown and neglected patch of sacred ground between a state highway and an earthen dam.
Her tombstone consists only of her name, pinpricked with a nail in the wet concrete that outlines her tiny grave.
She is listed in the only cemetery records we could find, from the Old Mexican Cemetery page of Coke County TX Cemeteries website: (
visit link)
"Old Mexican Cemetery
Coke County, Cemeteries of Texas
Submitted by Pat Hudgins
This information came from the "Cook County Cemeteries Epitaphs and Dates" book, was compiled and printed in 1990 by Bonita Copeland and Wanda Smith and used with permission
The little cemetery by the Mountain Creek Reservoir has not been used since the dam was constructed in 1950. However, many people remember it being here many years prior.
Alvin Lara related that the first person he remembered being buried here was killed by lightening at Sanco, about 1927. He told us that two black men were buried between the fence and the dam, in earlier years.
There seems to be at least 16 graves within the fenced area. Positive identification is hard to make. Alvin helped with identifying some of them.
This area was part of the original 11.7 acres given by L. B. Harris to the Masonic Lodge, September 29, 1892. the highway cut across creating this corner to be separate from that cemetery land on the south side of the road.
It is located near Robert Lee City limits on the east, between the Mountain Creek Dam and Highway 158.
16 Visible Graves
5 Markers
11 unmarked Graves
5 MARKERS ALMOST READABLE;
Y..e..s Solo… (???)
1803 Mexico
March 6, 19??
Elida Tijerina
? 12, 1935
February 13, 1937
Jos.. Urteaga
? ? , 1938
January ?6, 1939
Eula..ua..lia Ybarra
April 1, 1946
Name on concrete curbing
Ge..v..ch..e..io (can’t read) ??? 4, 1943
NAMES AND INFORMATION GIVEN TO US ON PEOPLE BURIED HERE;
Francisco Facundo Age about 70 years
Rosa Galindo Age about 16 years
Ysabel Suniga Age about 87 years
Elida Tijerina Age about 2 years
Juanita Torres Age about 67 years
Ulalia Ybarra Age about 1 year"