Family of Dallas’ first mayor doesn’t want his grave moved

Background: Pryor, one of the first doctors in the region, became the first mayor of Dallas after the city was granted a town charter by the state legislature in 1856. During the Civil War, he served in the Confederate Army.

After his original headstone gave way, his grave was marked by the Daughters of the Confederacy.

• Family legend says he also lost Oak Cliff in a poker game — though that was never verified.

The intrigue: Carol Bell-Walton, part of Pryor’s family of descendants, says she had no problem with the city removing the Confederate memorial in Pioneer Park two years ago, calling it "a stain on the area." But she strongly opposes the idea of moving the graves or headstones.

What they’re saying: "As a relatively young city, Dallas doesn’t have an abundance of recorded history," Bell-Walton tells Axios. "My true concern is really broader than protecting an old family grave. Dallas’ landmarks are few. If this landmark designation is removed just for appearance sake, that is a precedent."