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 Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Roman Catholic Cemetery
N 29° 24.988 W 098° 12.421
14R E 576926 N 3254389
The first known burial of the Polish immigrants who founded and settled St. Hedwig, TX and built the first of the Annunciation of the BVM Church buildings was buried in 1873. These remains were later reinterred into this present and larger cemetery.
Waymark Code: WM18RER
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 09/17/2023
Views: 6
This Texas historical marker for this cemetery is an excellent summary of the history of this early Texas settlement and growth of the town of Saint Hedwig and the building and growth of the Annunciation of the BVM Catholic Church. Polish immigrants settled here in 1854 from Upper Silesia in Poland. The village formed by these immigrants originally was named Martinez, but was later changed to Saint Hedwig, TX. A few years after the settlers had a chance to establish their farms, they built their first church building from local logs. As the village prospered and grew, the church expanded and larger facilities were built here. A new cemetery was begun on the church property in 1872. The previous cemetery internments were moved into this cemetery, which is still currently being used. The cemetery is north of the main church sanctuary. Turn into the large general parking lot area and drive between the church sanctuary and the education building and office. Head north toward the cemetery which is visible once your are in the parking area. The Texas historical marker is on the left side of the driveway that leads off of the parking lot and takes you back into the cemetery proper. Link to the Historical Marker Database for Annunciation of the BVM church cemetery:: ( visit link) Link to article on this Annunciation of the BVM church cemetery: ( visit link) .
Marker Number: 13574
Marker Text:
In December 1854, Polish settlers began arriving in eastern Bexar County from their homeland in Upper Silesia. The early community of fewer than 20 families was called Martinez. In 1857, residents built a mission log church on the land of Ludwig Zaiontz (0.4 mi. W). Adjacent to the church, which was served by traveling priests, the local settlers established a cemetery. The first known burial was that of the Rev. Julian Przysiecki in November 1863. Przysiecki's death, the result of a fall from his horse, left the church without a Polish-speaking priest for some time. In 1868, the community built a new church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. In 1872, church members chartered a new cemetery at this site, reinterring burials from the original site. Residents changed the settlement's name to St. Hedwig in honor of Silesia's patron saint. Today, gravestones indicate the ethnic heritage of the community, which has included residents of Polish descent as well as those with German, Hispanic, Irish, Alsatian and other surnames. Historic Texas Cemetery - 2005
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Visit Instructions:
Please include a picture in your log. You and your GPS receiver do not need to be in the picture. We encourage additional information about your visit (comments about the surrounding area, how you ended up near the marker, etc.) in the log.
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