The Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) Saltworks Camp No. 2353 have officially taken on the responsibility of caring for and maintaining the Nix Cemetery in Lampasas County. Even before receiving their new charter in 2024, camp members began the process of clearing and restoring the cemetery grounds, including the headstones. This cemetery serves as a burial site for local pioneers, their descendants, and members of the surrounding community, reflecting the area's rich history of family and communal ties. Additionally, the cemetery contains nine Confederate graves and one Union grave.
Nix Cemetery, located in the small community of Nix in Lampasas County, Texas, is a historic site with roots tied to the area's settlement in the 19th century. Established in 1878, the cemetery is situated near Dripping Springs, a natural feature that drew settlers to the region. The village of Nix itself began forming in the 1860s along the Fort Phantom Hill Road. The cemetery remains a landmark of the Nix community’s presence, which also included a school, cotton gin, blacksmiths, and later rock quarries and cedar yards that supported the local economy until the 1950s.
This is one of the several projects the camp has undertaken. The SCV is an organization dedicated to preserving the history and legacy of Confederate soldiers. Its stated purpose includes honoring the memory of Confederate veterans, defending their reputation, and promoting an understanding of the Confederate cause through historical education, monument preservation, and public events. The SCV emphasizes heritage, and focuses on commemorating the sacrifices of their ancestors while fostering Southern cultural identity.
The next project involves obtaining a new Texas Historical Subject Marker on the topic of The Knights Of The Golden Circle. Collaborating with W. W. Heartsill Camp No. 314 of Marshall, both camps plan to place the marker in Marshall, which served as the headquarters of the Army of the Trans-Mississippi during the War For Southern Independence (1861-1865). It was also the “nerve center” for the KGC, the organization that orchestrated Texas's secession from the Union. As many as 1,200 miles of frontier, twentyone forts, and military resources, estimated to be worth between three to six million dollars, were inventoried and turned over to the Texas militia and KGC Knights under Col. Ben McCulloch. By disarming and removing US troops, they prevented war from being fought in Texas. (More about the KGC in a series of articles coming in June.)
The next SCV meeting will be in San Saba County when the camp will hold a black power shoot and pig roast on Friday and Saturday, May 2nd and 3rd. If you are interested in the SCV, contact camp commander Michael Oliver at 254-432-0322.