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 Jacobs Well Cemetery - Wimberley, TX Posted by:  Raven
N 30° 01.556 W 098° 07.770
14R E 583937 N 3321978
Established in the 1880's, this state historical cemetery near Wimberley, Texas (Hays County) is the final resting place of the early pioneers who settled this particular area of the country.
Waymark Code: WM13AEF
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 10/25/2020
Views: 1
Per the Hays County Historical Commission's " Histories of Hays County Cemeteries" webpage: Located approximately six miles northwest of Wimberley, Jacob's Well Cemetery was thought to have been established to serve the people in that area who felt the need for a cemetery in a location not subject to flooding; however, since our first publication of these inscriptions we uncovered more history of this cemetery. The earliest death record on a stone is that of Moses Bond Egger (11- 11-1798/1883), who, it was reported to us, was thrown from a horse on this site, broke a leg, and froze to death on a bitterly cold February night. He was found where he fell and the family buried him at that spot. According to Clemmie Egger New, the cemetery expanded around his grave. The information in our first printing that John Hons was the first grave is erroneous. This cemetery is still in use by descendants of the early day pioneers of that area. It is well kept, fenced and has its name over the entrance gate. It consists of approximately one-half acre of land, and in early years the Jacob's Well School was located nearby. There is a Jacob's Well Cemetery Association.
Also, since we first read this cemetery it has been cleaned, new stones erected to replace some of the old crumbling ones and a fence removed from around a family plot within the cemetery's confines. Some of the new stones do not contain all the information that was on the older stones; however, some stones have more information such as exact dates.
There is a story that at the death of Melinda Clem Egger (1863-1930), her husband William Henry took a cutting from her favorite rosebush and planted it on her grave. It bloomed faithfully every spring for many years.
There are nine CSA veterans buried in Jacob's Well Cemetery, all of whose stones are marked with CSA except those of James Foster Massey and Moses Bond Egger. James Foster Massey was not quite fourteen years old when he enlisted in Travis' Home Guard. In Dorothy Wimberley Kerbow's book, Wimberley, Texas, Historic Belle Of The Blanco she gives a detailed history of the Massey family, including a rather unusual account of James Foster Massey's two wives, both named Cassie, the second Cassie having been named for the first. The first Cassie is buried in the Gatlin Cemetery. Her stone is no longer there. Also in the book is a history of the Egger family and more about the three Egger CSA veterans buried in this cemetery, Moses Bond Egger, Ellis Egger, and James L. Egger.-=-=-=-=- Also, per a historical marker at the site: Since 1883, Jacobs Well (Jacob’s Well) Cemetery has served as a final resting place for area residents. In 1876, three schools were organized nearby, including one for the Jacob’s Well community, named for a natural spring in Cypress Creek. The school building housed grades first through eighth and also hosted the community church. Many of the settlement’s pioneers came from South Carolina. After the school closed down, students started attending class in Wimberley.
The earliest burial here is of pioneer Moses Bond Egger (d. 1883). James Hardy Monroe Spillar, who owned this property, donated land for use as a burial ground after Egger’s death. Other notable burials include Texas Ranger Foster Massey, Texas Ranger Elisha McCuistion, and Hays County sheriff Alton Lee Smithey. The interred also include ranchers, teachers, ministers, blacksmiths, store owners, housewives and veterans of conflicts dating to the Civil War. Entire families who died from epidemics are also interred here.
The cemetery features vertical stones, wooden gravestones, interior fencing and a number of unmarked or unidentified graves. Around 1950, descendants of the Jacobs Well and Wimberley cemeteries began to work together to maintain the burial grounds. In 1980, the Jacobs Well families separated and formed a cemetery association, which continues to care for this burial ground. Today, Jacobs Well Cemetery continues to chronicle the history and legacy of the early area settlers.
City, Town, or Parish / State / Country: Wimberley, Hays County, Texas, USA
Approximate number of graves: 150
Cemetery Status: Active
Cemetery Website: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
Post an original, un-copywrited picture of the Cemetery into this Waymark gallery, along with any observations about the cemetery.
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