Ovilla Cemetery

The Ovilla community was founded by members of the Peters Colony in 1844. Benjamin and Erixna Caroline McFarlin were among the early members of the thriving farm community. On November 17, 1886, they deeded four acres to the new Ovilla Methodist Episcopal Church, South, for a church building and a burial ground. Though there may have been earlier burials, the earliest marked grave is that of Rebecca Summers McElroy, the wife of Tom C. McElroy, who died in 1884. Among the more than 440 people buried here are early settlers, at least seven veterans of the Civil War, and veterans of World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Ovilla Cemetery remains a chronicle of the pioneers of Ovilla community. (2000)

Ovilla Cemetery is a historical marker in Ovilla, Ellis County, dedicated in 2000. It is one of 116 historical markers documented in Ellis County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 300 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 32.5243, -96.8838 near Ovilla. The nearest cataloged historic site is First Baptist Church of Ovilla (historical marker), about 0.2 miles away. Others within a short drive include Ovilla, Shiloh Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and Shiloh Cemetery.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5139011782. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.