W.G. Hatfield - Brushy Cemetery - Bowie, TX
N 33° 31.857 W 097° 48.149
14S E 611196 N 3710793
A hand-inscribed stone marker is at the final resting place of W.G. Hatfield, the earliest documented burial in historic Brushy Cemetery, southeast of Bowie in the old Brushy community.
Waymark Code: WM129QM
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 04/07/2020
Views: 0
A 1990 Texas Historical Marker at the front of the cemetery mentions Mr. Hatfield:
Settlement of this area began in the 1870s. By 1880 a school, church, and cemetery were established. Located on land deeded by W.W. and Mary A. Wilcox, this cemetery and the nearby church serve as reminders of the once thriving community of Brushy. The earliest documented grave in the cemetery is that of W.C. Hatfield (1846-1877). Also interred here, in marked and unmarked graves, are veterans of the Civil War, children, and pioneer settlers. Descendants of early citizens still reside in the area, and a cemetery association formed in 1973 maintains the graveyard.
Given this headstone's age and condition, it's understandable that the historical marker would read "W.C." and not "W.G." It's also possible that there wasn't information beyond what was on the headstone at the time the marker was approved, but Findagrave (which has a nice clean photo of the inscription) notes that he was William George Hatfield. The headstone is broken and could use a good professional cleaning, and it reads:
W.G. Hatfield
Born Oct. 16
1846
Died Apr. 24
1877