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Historic Cemeteries in or near Richardson
FLOYD PIONEER CEMETERY
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From the forthcoming book, RICHARDSON: A History of One of the Biggest Small Cities in Texas
Sometime during the 1860s, John B. Floyd set aside an acre of land, "on the highest spot on the farm," for a cemetery. This acre, marked by a tall old water tower, is now completely surrounded by Restland Memorial Park, though which one must drive in order to reach what is now called the Floyd Pioneer Cemetery. According to a Texas Historical Commission marker on the site, the first two burials were not family members, but two children who died of diphtheria at the Floyd Inn while passing through the area with their parents. Their graves are unmarked. Also unmarked is the grave of a bandit who was reportedly shot "as he entered the gate of the Inn," an incident that seems to have gone unreported in the press.
The first family member to buried on the site was Artemisia Broad, wife of Joseph Broad and mother-in-law to both James L. Floyd and his brother John Samuel Floyd. The Broad family reportedly came to Texas at the same time as the Floyds. Mrs. Broad died in 1873 at the age of sixty.
John B. Floyd was the founder of Breckinridge, the tiny town that preceded the establishment of Richardson in 1873. He is buried here, of course, as well as his wife, Julia, their son D. A. B. Floyd, and his wife, Martha. David Bowser, an early-day settler who owned the land that now makes up the Mark Twain neighborhood, is buried here too. His marker is flat on the ground, as are the markers for John B. and Julia Floyd.
LOCATION: The Floyd Pioneer Cemetery is located between the sprawling campus of Texas Instrucments and the equally sprawling campus of Richland College. To reach the Floyd Pioneer Cemetery, enter the Restland Road entrance to Restland Memorial Park, the entrance next to the Main Chapel (which will be on your right), and then after you pass the chapel, turn left. Just ahead you will see a fork in the road. Take the right fork and then drive to the next road and turn right. You'll cross another road and then you will see a road to the left and a small green sign that says "Historical Marker, 100 ft." Turn left here and drive until the old water tower with "Restland" painted on it is directly to your right. Park here. The Floyd Pioneer Cemetery is midway between this road and the base of the water tower.
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