The Final Word on the Graveyard

Over the last weeks, there has been lots of publicity on several social media platforms regarding Rogan Field aka “The Graveyard.” With the spotlight comes much misinformation and many people criticizing our forefathers for developing a rundown cemetery into an athletic facility. This was a “hot topic” as well in 1935 with letters to the editor going back and forth on the subject every week. In the April 11th, 1935, edition to the news, J.W. Longley, and Mrs. R.W. Burleson (grandchildren to Dr. Rogan) wrote an article to the news justify the decision they made. Here is an excerpt from that letter: To the news:

We feel that in justice to ourselves, after the publication of the letter from Mrs. Liptak in last weeks issue that the public should know something of our acts in giving the old Pioneer Graveyard to the school board to be used by them for an athletic field.

The title to the property in question has been in our family since about 1856 and has been a great source of responsibility one which our grandfather, Dr. Rogan felt very keenly: he was anxious that it be preserved, beautified and made a resting place for the living as well as the dead, and to this end he asked the Methodist Church here to assume this responsibility, which they accepted, but as usual with small town churches they had no funds with which to assume responsibility, and at their request, our mother Mrs. J.B. Longley, brought suit in the district court of San Saba County, and after hearing the deed was canceled, and the title reverted back to her, and at her death, to us. After the property came into our mothers’ hands, the Ladies Cemetery Association raised the money and put up the present fence, more then twenty years ago, and without any further care, it is now falling down. During all this time this sacred plot of ground has been depredated upon by cattle, sheep and horses and a dumping ground for refuse, many of the headstones have been broken up, and at this time there are no more then eighteen or twenty identified graves, and these have no care what ever. Since our mother’s death we have worried over the problem of its care and preservation and have and talked with numbers about how best to perpetuate this property for the good of all. When this opportunity came that it might be turned over to the school and made a playground and athletic field and a park for the school children, we felt it would work, in way, carry out the wishes of our grandfather and mother. We offered this to the school board, without strings, except that it should always be used as such, or it would again revoke; and that a marked or tablet should be erected at the entrance stating that this is the site of the Pioneer Cemetery that was condemn and abandoned in 1878, since which time there have been no burials there.

And may we not also say that no attention paid by the living relatives of the dead; during this time part of the graves that were on the church property have been obligated, a street 40 or 50 feet wide has been opened through, west of the church running over quite a number of graves, one of which is a baby sister of ours and at the protest of our mother. We firmly believe that with the depredation of time in ten years longer there would be nothing left.

Our every feeling and sentiment has always been as our mother and grandfather, to preserve this as the graveyard of their loved friends and relatives. We are not financially able to do this, and no one else has ever spent one dime on this land except what was contributed through the Cemetery Association: and on Decoration Day ‘ twas pitiful to see its neglect. What better way we could we dispose of it then to give it to the school children of our community for the use of all the people and of every creed and denomination: and we believe that those who now lie in this neglected space would appreciate the joy and pleasure it will give the children.

We now want to thank the school board in the designation of Rogan Field, and by motion requesting that this should be designated in the deed of conveyance, that the name be so perpetuated. What we did was as unselfish as possible, and we thought for the best interest ALL.

Respectfully, J.W. Longley, Mrs. R.W. Burleson, R.W. Burleson