Egypt Plantation Cemetery In 1838, William Jones Elliot Heard purchased more than 2,000 acres of land from John C. Clark and established the Egypt Plantation in what is now Wharton County. He set aside three acres for a cemetery. Early graves were covered with brick crypts, and the oldest marked grave is that of George S. Heard, the youngest of Heard's four children, who died on January 8, 1854. Andrew Northington's grave dates to October of that same year. Heard's wife America (Morton) died in 1855 and was also buried here. Today, the cemetery is maintained by Heard heirs, including the Northington family. Many of Heard's descendants are buried here. It is believed that the cemetery contains several unmarked graves, including some of the many burials covered by brick crypts. Historic Texas Cemetery - 2002