Thursday, October 31, 2013

TEXAS PIONEERS CEMETERY

This is not a quilt-related post but it does cover another of my pastimes, genealogy.
Down in south Texas there is a little town named Utopia. I mean VERY little.  There is family history in the area, in particular my mother’s 1st great-grandmother Amy Biggs.

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My aunt and uncle knew where some of the Biggs relatives were buried so we visited the Waresville Cemetery just outside of Utopia, Texas.  If a cemetery can be beautiful, I this is one, especially because of all the huge oak trees.  The first burial happened here in 1853.

The Texas Historical Marker located at the cemetery says:  Those interred here include members of the Ware family and other early settlers:  Henry Fuller, former slave of Captain Ware, victims of conflicts with local Indians, and descendants of early Waresville pioneers.  The older part of the cemetery is still bounded by its original fieldstone fence.

There are numerous cast iron fences around some of the older graves.  Because this cemetery is out in the country not visible from the highway, these fences have managed to survive unharmed except for earth movement. Rust can be beautiful.
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Flowers and Vines with arrowhead tops on posts
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Same fence as above but a fuller view of the gate
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An extreme close up of the floral design
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This one was extremely ornate.  There are
lambs lying under weeping willows.

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A sorrowful angel

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Spiked finials

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Flowers, vine and curly-cues.
This fence was around several grave sites.
 
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Fleur de Lis accents and


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and very unusual  four-sided gate and fence posts.


And we did find some of my Biggs ancestors:

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My 2nd  Great Grandfather
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My 2nd Great Grandmother
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My 3rd Great Grandmother
Thanks so much for visiting today.  Hope you weren't creeped out about the cemetery post but it did seem appropriate for Halloween.

So long for now.
a red Signature
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons license.

6 comments:

  1. Lovely pictures, Donna...My best friend from high school was a Biggs...and I don't know if your interest in genealogy is family related only or if you like old cemeteries (I do), but there is a wonderful old German cemetery in Fredricksburg that is outstanding in the spring....is totally covered with bluebonnets! Thanks for sharing!

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  2. It WAS a perfect Halloweenie post!! And very interesting. When I'm in TX I love to visit the old cemetaries. I've taken some very cool pictures. I'll have to check out Utopia this winter! Always looking for someplace new to explore.

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  3. Donna, thanks for your post! I will add it to the family tree and the photos of the gravestones too. What a beautiful cemetery. What about the Billings family connections...

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  4. What a beautiful cemetery! I will add the information to the family tree and the photos of the stones too. How about the Billings family ties....are you in touch with them.

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  5. I like cemeteries! When we were on vacation in September we went to a few. Love the rusty iron fence- very ornate.

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  6. I love that the name of the town is Utopia and I love all the wonderful ironwork in the cemetery. Great post. I like to tramp around and look at old things, too.

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Hey, leave me a comment so I know that I'm not talking to just myself!