Damascus Cemetery is one of the early historic cemeteries of Titus County. It was founded, most probably in the 1850s, in the Northwest part of the rural county. An article published in the Baptist Monitor perhaps has the most factual description of the origin: “History records that Dr. and Mrs. Riddle (Dr. Isaac Rogers Riddle) has buried a child on what they thought was their land, but was actually on land belonging to Josh Stevens. Upon learning of this, Mr. Stevens deeded two acres of land for the church and cemetery on April 8, 1869. In 1889 J. W. And Florence Edmonds donated an additional one and one-half acres to the church. The Edmonds had lost a child and buried the child outside the cemetery on land belonging to them. When they sold out and moved, they gave the land to the church”. Another historical document (source unknown) states: “On 12th August 1869 Joshua Stephens deeded one acre of land to ‘The Missionary Baptist Church of Christ called Damascus’ for the love of Christianity. This came about, according to stories from an “old timer,” because a family had buried their children on what the thought was church property and later found out it was Mr. Stephens land. Mr. Stephens, instead of having them move the graves, just gave an acre for the purpose of a graveyard to be used for that purpose ‘Forever’! These deaths & burials may have been as early as 1857.

The cemetery is blessed with a beautiful setting, peaceful and isolated, however it has been surrounded by the Texas Utility mining operation. A perpetual care fund assures the continued excellent maintenance of the fenced and landscaped grounds. As of April 30, 1998 the committee overseeing this fund was given as: President - Roland Bridges; Vice President/Secretary/Treasurer - Chuck Hinson; Program Committee - Gene Rhea, Jimmy Franklin, & Billy Hinson; Perpetual Care - Roland Bridges, Chuck Hinson, Ennis Grarraputo, Harold Amerson, Dickie Crooks, Wayne Floyd, Billy Hinson. An annual Memorial Service is held at the Damascus Church for the cemetery on the Saturday before the first Sunday in May.

The routine maintenance of the cemetery, no doubt, has resulted in some grave sites being lost but there remain many ways of marking known sites. A concentrated effort has resulted in the placement of at least 193 concrete slabs. Additionally, there was one native rock with an unreadable inscription, 3 concrete blocks, 2 concrete slabs with granite chips embedded spelling “HOBBS”, 7 native stones, a brick cairn, 3 concrete rounds, 3 petrified rocks, a concrete monument that was inscribed “Rest while friends in sorrow”, 1 brick, 2 slope-faced concrete blocks which appears to have been inscribed, five manufactured concrete markers on which the glass was broken and data missing, a broken flower pot that had the name “Annie May Denny” and rocks and concrete blocks, 2 concrete slabs approximately 2 ft. X 3 ft. that marked one grave site, and 2 red clay forms mounted in concrete that had on them: “In God we trust”.

To reach the Damascus Cemetery from the Titus County court house, take West 1st Street west for 0.3 mile to the intersection of Edwards Avenue. Turn right (north) on Edwards Avenue. Edwards will cross US 67, IH 30, and US 271 and also become FM 1734. After 3.8 miles on Edwards County Road (CR) 1135 will intersect from the right. Turn right onto CR 1135. The road dead ends at the cemetery after about 0.4 mile. Coordinates: 33^o11.591'N 095^o01.049'W

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