Barclay Cemetery
Barclay, Falls County, TexasFrom Rosebud, take State Highway 53 west about 8.5 miles, then go south on FM 1722 about 5 miles to the Barclay Community
Year Erected: 1984
The town of Barclay was founded in 1877 when William Anderson Barclay (1849-1927) opened a
General Mercantile store here. A leader in farming, business, commercial and industrial circles throughout central
Texas, W. A. Barclay also operated a large horse and cattle ranch nearby and was appointed the town's first postmaster
in 1881. As more settlers moved into the area, the need for a church and cemetery became evident. In 1881 pioneer
Lyddleton Smith of Washington County assigned three acres of land for a Baptist Church. The congregation that was
organized became known as Beulah (later Barclay) Baptist Church, and its members set aside part of the property for a
burial ground. Barclay Cemetery, with its oldest grave dating from 1882,has been enlarged several times over the years.
Confederate veteran Paul Pieper (1849 -1914), who moved his family to the town in 1882, donated part of his acreage for
additional burial grounds in 1886 and deeded more land to the cemetery upon his death. The graveyard has been maintained
by the Barclay Cemetery Association since 1915. In use for more than 100 years, the burial ground remains an important
part of the history of this community.