There are SEVEN cemeteries in this large rectangle bound by Broadway (Avenue J) on the north, Avenue L on the south, 40th Street on the east, and 43rd Street on the west. Avenue K runs through the middle.
North of Avenue K, from west to east: Evergreen (Cahill), Oleander, and Old City.
South of Avenue K, from west to east: Hebrew Benevolent Society, New City (Yellow Fever Yard), Old Catholic, and Trinity Episcopal.
"Episcopal Cemetery (1844) is associated with Trinity Episcopal Church. It has a brick wall and concrete walkways. Five large above ground vaults are located here. During the grade raising of 1904-1910 many of the monuments and vaults were elevated although the graves were undisturbed. More than 1,000 persons are buried here. For many years a famous Galvestonian, “Uncle” Newton Taylor (1828-1905), worked for the church digging graves and as an organ blower. He was easily recognized by his black silk top hat under which he carried his fried chicken lunch to work." (
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Notable interments:
James Love (1795 -1874) - US Congressman (
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John Bankhead Magruder (1807 -1871) - Confederate Major General (
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Louis Trezevant Wigfall (1816 - 1874) - Confederate Brigadier General, Congressman (
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Asa Hoxie Willie (1829 - 1899) Confederate Major, US Congressman (
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From the National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form:
Episcopal Cemetery (1844)
The Episcopal Cemetery was deeded to the Rector of the Episcopal Church in 1844 by the Galveston City Company and consecrated within a few days of the deed. Burial plots within this cemetery are organized according to a linear grid with narrow walks along the north and south boundaries and a central walk that originally connected to a similar walk within the adjacent Old Catholic Cemetery. The two cemeteries are now separated by a chain-link fence. The cemetery is subdivided into eight sections with each row delineated by concrete walks. Five large vaults, similar to those constructed within Old City Cemetery, are located within the Episcopal Cemetery.
The overall dimensions of the cemetery are approximately 288’- 0” north to south and 342’- 0” west to east. The cemetery was enlarged once in 1864 when 41st Street was closed and the resultant parcel divided between the adjacent Catholic Cemetery and the Episcopal Cemetery. Reports to the Rector of the Episcopal Church describe in detail the construction from 1876 until 1878 of a brick wall and iron fence enclosure surrounding the Episcopal Cemetery. Vestry minutes indicate that a brick receiving vault once extant within the Episcopal Cemetery was ordered demolished by the Board of Health of the City of Galveston in 1890. In addition, the grade of the cemetery grounds was raised to meet the city grade after a massive fill project was completed in response to damage after the 1900 hurricane. The grade raising project included the raising of monuments and addition of curbs at concrete walks.
The area of the Episcopal Cemetery was increased once in 1922 by taking in ground within the wide walks of the cemetery and again ca. 1928 when a 17’- 0” portion of the central avenue, Avenue K, was given over to the cemeteries along both the northern and southern boundaries of this street. A brick wall and concrete walks were added to the site after the expansion and extend the length of Avenue K on both sides. Another grade raising of the Episcopal Cemetery was completed in 1925 in response to a fill project in the city cemetery. Currently, over 1,000 interments are located within the Episcopal Cemetery, with over 90-percent of the burial sites dated within the period of significance from 1839 until 1964.
Note: The mentioned chain link fence between the Episcopal and Catholic Cemeteries no longer exists.