Boundary Monument Hitching Ring -- Hansford Cemetery, Spearman TX - Historic Upping Stones, Hitching Posts, and Carriage Blocks on Waymarking.com

THIS IS NOT A HOMEMADE TOMBSTONE WITH A HITCHING RING FOR VISITORS, although it sure looks that way. It is, in fact, a historic property corner monument with a hitching ring that was set in 1878.

Blasterz thought this was a homemade tombstone until we called Mr. Don Maize of the Hansford Cemetery Association. He has been taking care of this cemetery for decades. Mr. Maize told us this is NOT a grave but is instead a historic boundary monument that marked the western property corner for this parcel of land.

The waymarked boundary monument is one row west of the grave of Nanalee Brown in Lot 5, Block B, Plot 71, and next to the grave of Jimmie D. Burch.

The boundary marker is a local sandstone which has been engraved by pecking the surface of the stone with a crude tool, exposing the lighter stone underneath.

The west side of the stone is marked as follows:

"B [for Boundary -- BMB]

Hamilton
Indiana"

The west side is more professionally carved, and reads

"W.
1878"

The east side is carved with only the letter "W" [for western boundary - BMB].

Oddly, this stone monument has an iron support and a hitching ring attached to it. I guess you can come hitch your horse to it while checking on this corner of the property. I guess it makes sense if you remember that in 1878 this was fenceless open range. If a horse got spooked out here it could run to the horizon unimpeded, and its rider could die without a horse to get home on.

The land marked in 1878 now occupied by the Hansford Cemetery. Officially, the Cemetery is located in Sec 136, Block 45 of the Houston & Texas Central Railroad Co. Survey. The H&TC RR granted this section of land to J. Wright at some point in the late 19th century. This land grant is on file in Austin as Abstract No. 513. Source: USGenWeb Archives (visit link)


"Survey -- H&TC RR CO
Block -- 45
Grantee -- J. WRIGHT
Section -- 136
Abstract -- 513"

2014 Hansford Co. TX Appraisal District records show the the current owner of Sec 136 in Block 45 of the H&TC RR CO Survey is the Hansford Cemetery Association. Source: (visit link)

"Property ID: 1001261
Legal Description: Sec 45 Block 136 H&TC RR CO
Owner: Hansford Cemetery"

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Date Logged Log User Rating   12/30/2013 Benchmark Blasterz visited it