The elegant Woodman's Circle tombstone for Cynthia Bumpass stands mostly upright at East Mount Cemetery, in Greenville TX USA.
The tombstone reads as follows:
"Erected by the
Woodmen Circle
CYNTHIA
wife of
W. H. BUMPASS
Born
Sept. 22, 1866
Died
Nov. 27, 1902
Gone, but not forgotten"
From Find-A-Grave, more information on Mrs. Bumpass, giving rise to a mystery: (
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"Dallas Morning News, Thu, 27 Nov 1902, page 8:
MORTUARY, BUMPASS-Ardmore, I. T., Nov. 24-Mrs. W. H. Bumpass, after a lingering illness, died here last night. The remains were taken to Greenville, Tex., for interment.
Dallas Morning News, Mon, 1 Dec 1902, page 5:
MORTUARY, BUMPASS-Greenville, Tex., Nov. 26-Mrs. Cynthia Bumpass, wife of W. H. Bumpass, died at Ardmore, I. T., Sunday. Deceased formerly lived in this city and the remains were brought here for interment."
Blasterz were not able to find a grave for Mr. Bumpass, which made us wonder why she is buried here in Greenville, if she died in Indian Territory where she apparently lived a relatively affluent life with her husband, who was an Engineer at the Ardmore Cotton Compress.
There are no other Bumpasses in this cemetery.
We found many references to Mrs. Bumpass in the Society Pages of the Daily Ardmoreite between 1898 and 1902, mostly hosting out-of-town visitors, giving garden parties, and being involved in local charities affiliated with the Order of the Eastern Star (the ladies auxiliary of the Masonic Lodge) of the Methodist Ladies Association.
The earliest mention of her we found is this one, dated 18 July 1898: (
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"Mrs. W. H. Bumpass, wife of Engineer Bumpass at the compress, arrived Saturday from Greenville, Texas, accompanied by their son."
We also discovered this ominous blurb from 23 Nov 1902: (
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"Mrs. W. H. Bumpass is, we learn, in a very serious condition."
On 30 Nov 1902: (
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"CARD OF THANKS
we desire to extend our most sincere thanks to the ladies and friends who so kindly rendered us assistance, both by word and deed, during the fatal illness of our beloved wife and mother.
W. H. Bumpass & son Claude"
W. H. Bumpass remarried in the Chickashaw Nation of Indian Territory in 1905, 3 years after his wife died:
"BUMPASS, W H, 39, to SACRA, FANNIE R, 32, on 6 AUG 1905, ARDMORE"