UNION GROVE CEMETERY HISTORY: On March 2, 1838, William McBee and Adam Sullivan were granted headright certificates for land in Texas long before Van Zandt County was established. The two land grants were joined by a grove of trees that soon became known as "Union Grove". The first camp was established in February 1844, where Mr. McBee operated the first corn mill in Van Zandt County. As the Union Grove community grew, missionaries arrived in September 1844 and the McBee School was established in February 1880. The Union Grove Cemetery sits on a hill overlooking the countryside on Farm to Market Road 751 north of Wills Point, with many large oak and cedar trees enhancing the grounds. The original plot of land was given by C.R. Peery back in 1880. As the story goes, a wagon train was passing through this area and camped near what was known as Union Grove. Henry Henson's wife, Mary, became ill and died on January 3, 1880. Mr. Henson asked Mr. Peery if he could bury his wife on Peery's land, hence the beginning of the Union Grove Cemetery. In later years, Frank Peery gave the Union Grove Cemetery deed to Ellie Walters and on September 14, 1957, Mrs. Walters gave the deed for 1.97 acres to the Union Grove Cemetery Association. On July 19, 1946, the Association purchased the adjoining McBee School land that now contains an old open-air pavilion, a new steel building, and a flag pole. In 1981, .4 acre of land was given from the Henry and Ava Beck Estate to expand the Union Grove Cemetery. On October 10, 1999, one acre of land was donated to the Union Grove Cemetery by John D. and Lue Jean Beck. Currently, Carolyn Sue Beck Shell is donating one acre of land to the cemetery for future growth. This information was attained from the Van Zandt County Genealogical Society, Van Zandt Cemetery Book, Union Grove business meeting minutes, Union Grove Cemetery markers, and the Van Zandt County Appraisal District Records. This historic information was compiled by Stefani Harris Curtis. Thank you for visiting my page at Angelfire. Please come back and visit again!
