You’re standing before a Texas Historical Marker, a testament to a place that played a vital role in the story of Austin. This is the Merrilltown Cemetery Plaque, a marker for a site that holds the stories of pioneers and a community long gone.
The Merrilltown Cemetery, located on Burnet Road, was established in the 1850s and served the surrounding area. It is named after Captain Nelson Merrell, who settled in the region in 1837. Captain Merrell, a Texan Ranger, established the post office and a store in the community. He was also a Travis County Commissioner from 1852 to 1859, and helped build Congress Avenue. In 1856, he deeded the land for the cemetery to trustees of School District #9.
The Merrilltown Cemetery Plaque tells the story of a man who was a true pioneer. You can almost feel the dust of the frontier in this place. Captain Merrell also deeded land for a church and school, a testament to his belief in education and community. He is also buried here, along with many other important residents of Merrilltown.
One of the oldest marked graves in the cemetery is that of Julia Merrell, Captain Merrell’s young daughter, who died in 1852. The cemetery also holds the grave of Lemuel Summerwell Woodward, another Travis County Commissioner. There are also veterans of military conflicts, dating back to the Civil War.
Over time, the Merrilltown community declined, but Merrilltown Cemetery remained a vital landmark. In 1982, the Round Rock School District was named the cemetery trustee; the Calvary Worship Center assumed the trusteeship in 1996. Today, it stands as a quiet testament to the past, and a reminder of the people who built this area. The Merrilltown Cemetery Plaque gives you a glimpse of a way of life in a bustling city that is now gone, a chapter in Austin’s history preserved for all time.