Rock Springs Cemetery - Parker County, TX
N 32° 52.375 W 097° 50.820
14S E 607865 N 3637788
Long inactive and having endured periods of neglect, the Rock Springs Cemetery is the last vestige of the Rock Springs community, out in the woods in rural Parker County, near Peaster.
Waymark Code: WM119AD
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 09/10/2019
Views: 1
Rock Springs is part of the portfolio of the Abandoned Cemetery Association of Parker County, Inc. They've done an outstanding job of restoring and maintaining this cemetery, and their sign is at the gate with phone numbers and a PO box where you can send donations.
It might be appropriate to wear appropriate clothing and footwear, and bug spray is very helpful. A bottle of water wouldn't hurt unless you're a camel, as this one requires a bit of work to locate. As Weatherford grows, so do the surrounding communities, and Peaster is no exception. For best results, follow McClendon Rd east from FM 920. Don't pay any attention to any addresses you find for "1390 McClendon Rd", as that can get you into trouble. Turn south at Rock Springs Rd and follow it until it ends (for now...) in a cul-de-sac. It's safe to park there, but please don't block the driveway at #260. There are a few dirt tracks in the area, but be careful where you go or you'll find yourself walking in the vicinity of three tank ponds that are nowhere near the cemetery. The best way to find the cemetery is to walk over to the mailbox at #260 and just follow the fence from outside while respecting their privacy. You'll see some dirt track every now and then, and once you pass behind that owner's land, start looking to the right. You'll be able to pick out the fence at the back of the cemetery, and unless you'd like to bushwhack, some of that track will veer off to your right (west) to the cemetery. For best results, put the cemetery coordinates into your GPS. At the cemetery, you'll be greeted by the 1985 Texas Historical Marker, as well as a granite marker that notes others who are believed to be resting here.
The granite marker notes these additional burials, although there is some overlap with Findagrave and at least one visible headstone: Dr. Denton Plumlee, his wife Martha, and their son Robert Plumlee; John Key, his wife Martha Plumlee Key, and their children, Issac, Dempse, John, and Matt; Kate Plumlee; John Cline Ernest and his wife, Mary Ann Plumlee Ernest; William David Carter; a Stephens infant; Catherine Heathcock; Issac Price and his wife, Lorena; three children in the t-shaped rocks, one unknown, one named Measures and the other named Hemphill. And yes, those names appear as "Issac" and not "Isaac."
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There are at least thirty burials here, and the Texas Historical Marker (which says "thirty-one") provides some background:
This cemetery contains the graves of many of the pioneers of Rock Springs, a village that served as a social center for area farmers. Thirty-one graves are marked with native stones, while a few are identified with engraved headstones. The earliest marked identifiable grave, dated 1867, is that of Mary L. Sullivan. The last marked grave in the cemetery, that of Mary J. Robertson, bears the date 1882, the same year the town of Peaster (1 mi. W) was established and Rock Springs began to decline. The cemetery is one of the few remnants of this early Parker County community.