SANTA ANITA CEMETERY, Hidalgo Co. Cemeteries of TX

SANTA ANITA CEMETERY

Submitted by Frances Isbell

With Permission of Hidalgo Co. Historical Commission (2005)

Location: 5 1/2 miles west of Highway 281 on FM 1017. 3.4 miles West of Southern Pacific Railroad.

HISTORY: Santa Anita Ranch was established in 1798, when Jose Manuel Gomez of Reynosa purchased Santa Anita Land Grant (95,202 acres) from the King of Spain. In 1819, his widow Maria Gregoria Balli de Dominguez passed it on to her sons Antonio and Estanislado Dominguez. Estanislado's granddaughter Salome Balli inherited it from her mother Maria Guadalupe (Mrs. Francisco Balli).

Salome married (1) merchant John Young, and (2) his manager John McAllen. When Salome died in 1898, her interests went to husband John McAllen, and her two sons John J. Young and James Balli McAllen. In 1903 the property was divided, Young receiving the eastern half called Santa Anita and the McAllens the western half, San Juanito. In 1923 the Youngs sold their interest. Now called the McAllen Ranch, it is operated by the McAllen Family, where they raise Beefmaster cattle

Santa Anita Cemetery was probably established soon after the ranch was founded in 1798. According to family tradition, the old boveda of JOSE ANGEL DE LA VEGA was erected in 1880. One daughter SOFIA DE LA VEGA died about 1889 at the age of 20-25 from accidental gunshot wounds and is believed buried at Santa Anita. Another daughter Joaquina de la Vega de Vela (1861-1891) is buried at Laguna Seca Ranch

1st Row on west side, north to south

1. SERAPIO OLIVARES Q.E.P.D.

2. Wooden cross, nothing legible

3. AUGUSTIN A. GARCIA
Died May 27, 1974 - Aaged 54 years
(no stone, funeral home marker)

4. Wooden cross, nothing legible

2nd Row from west

5. MARIA GUTIERREZ
Died July 7, 1944
(No stone, funeral home marker and wooden cross)

6. Wooden cross, nothing legible

7. Wooden cross, nothing legible
(Funeral home marker with "DORA" legible)

8. GUADALUPE MERCADO
Nacio 1862 - Murio 1903
Recuerdo de esposa e hijos

9. ANTONIO GARCIA
Died Nov 22, 1943 (?) - Aged 59 years
Nacio Agosto 8, 1864 Faleio Sep. 4 1952
(No stone, funeral home marker and wooden cross)

10. Wooden cross, nothing legible

11. Wooden cross, nothing legible

12. Wooden cross, nothing legible

13. Cement cross, nothing legible

14. GARCIA - Cement cross, nothing else legible

15. JOSEFINA DE LUNA
Nov 26, 1892 - Marzo 18, 1862 (? 1962 ?)
Un recuerdo de sus hujos

16. Funeral home marker with ""____IANA 1972" legible

17. VIRGINIA M. BARTON -
March 18, 1962 - Age 71 years, 7 mos, 24 days (no stone,
funeral home marker)

VIRGINIA M. BARTON
Nurio Marzo 18, 1962 (Wooden cross). Also, vase with incription:
Un Recuerdo de San Juan de los Lagos

18. Unmarked grave

19. Wooden cross - nothing legible

3rd Row from west

20. RAMON DE LOS SANTOS
Nacio 1900 - Fallecio 1924
Recuerdo de sus padres y hermanos E.P.D.

21. Wooden cross, nothing legible

22. PLACIDO GARZA, JR.
Died Oct. 11, 1943 - Aged 1 yr. 3 mos, 27 days
(No stone, funeral home marker and wooden cross)

23. Wooden cross, nothing legible

24. Wooden cross, nothing legible

25. ALEJANDRO N. GARCIA
Died July 5, 1958 - Aged 75 years
(No stone, funeral home marker)

26. Wooden cross, nothing legible

27. JESUSA M. GUTTIERREZ
F Edad 47
Recuerdo de su esposo e hijos

28. TIODORO MERCADO
F 29 Aug 58 - edad 72
Rcd de sus HRNS (with photograph)

29. Funeral home marker - nothing legible; also white wooden cross

30.. ANTONIO MERCADO
Died Dec. 24, 1959 - Aged 71 years, 7 mos, 18 days
(No stone, funeral home marker)

4th Row from west

31. Old Boveda - nothing legible

32. EDNARDO MERCADO
Feb 8, 1916 - May 14, 1925

33. MARTINA GARCIA MERCADO
Died Edinburg Dec. 19, 1946 (unsure about the "4")
Aged 28 (unsure about the 8")
(No stone, funeral home marker and wooden cross)

34. JOAQUIN MERCADO
N 16 ATO 84 - F 2 ATO 60 (Nacio 16 Agosto, 1884; Fallecio 2 Agosto,
1960) Recdo D Hrmnos (with photograph)

35. ________ MERCADO
Died June, 1958 (no stone, funeral home marker)

36. JOHN J. YOUNG
March 14, 1890 - June 16, 1973

37. EDUVIDAN ZAM____
Born 1945 (unsure of the "5") - Died November 1960
(No stone, funeral home marker and wooden cross)

38. JUAN ZAMORA
Died June, 1949
(No stone, funeral home marker and wooden cross)

39. Wooden cross, nothing legible

5th Row from west

40. AGRIPINA M. DE CRUZ
Nacio Junio 23, 1896 - Fallecio Mar 14, 1958 E.P.D.
Un recuerdo de sus hijos y su llerno

41. ANICETO CRUZ
Nacio Aug 3, 1887 - Fallecio Feb 26, 1954
Un recuerdo de su esposa e hijos Guadalupe Cruz E.D.P.

42. MEDARDO SALINAS
June 8, 1915 - July 26, 1973
Recuerdos de su esposa y familia

Row along south side of Cemetery, east to west

43. ESTEFANA G. MERCADO
Nov 25, 1898 - Apr 30, 1968

44. Wooden cross, nothing legible

45. MANUEL MERCADO
Nacio Jun 23, 1922 - Fallecio Feb 9, 1964
Un recuerdo de su madre y sus hermanos (with photograph) E.P.D.

46. RO_____ MERCADO
(No stone, funeral home marker)

End of Santa Anita Cemetery listing