Concordia Cemetery - El Paso, Texas

Known as Concordia Cemetery during the 1840s, this area was originally the home of Chihuahua based trader Hugh & Juana Stephenson. In 1856 his wife, Juana (Ascarate) was buried in what is now part of Concordia Cemetery. The graveyard gained widespread use in the 1880s when El Pasoans drove three miles to Concordia to bury their dead. By 1890 various sections had been purchased by different groups and were designated Catholic, Masonic, Jewish, Black, Chinese, Military, Jesuit, City, and County. Buried here are over 60,000 people including gunfighter John Wesley Hardin, Buffalo Soldiers, Texas Rangers, Civil War Veterans, Mormon pioneers, Florida (Lady Flo) Wolf, Lawman John Selman, and was formerly the first burial site for Mexican Revolution President Victoriano Huerta and numerous other civic leaders, pioneers, and war veterans. Concordia Cemetery wasn't established until the early 1880s by Judge J B Leahy and his wife Benancia Leahy (Nee Stephenson) . Benancia was 1 of 4 daughtesr of Hugh and Juana Stephenson. Before that it was the Concordia Ranch and community. After her death in 1856, Juana was buried near the community chapel Alto de Concordia. That chapel was located near the intersections of Alameda and Copia. Later she would be move to the French plot in Concordia. Ruins of the chapel remained until the 1930s. Last paragraph made by the Concordia Ranger - Nov 30, 2015.

Area: Central / Five Points

Source: EPMH

Uploaded by: El Paso Museum of History