06/27/2024
Worth the read
đWell this is what you have all been waiting for.. This is a long read, but I guarantee there is some stuff you have never heard about below!đ
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This article gives the most detailed information presently known about Brownwoodâs âBoot Hillâ Cemetery. First off, Iâd like to thank everyone that has helped with research and personal accounts. Half of this article would be missing if it werenât for you.
Letâs start off with what Boot Hill represents for those who donât know. Boot Hill Cemeteries were scattered throughout the United States, primarily in the West and are not special to one particular place. These cemeteries were used to lay gunfighters and men who met a violent end to rest.
Brownwoodâs Boot Hill Cemetery was originally started as a family cemetery on Greenleaf Fisk property when Greenleafs son, William Augustus Fisk passed away on March 7th 1867. At that time, the cemetery had no name. William Fisk had been on medical leave from Morganâs Regiment, Texas Cavalry since 1863 and I am unsure if he passed due to injuries sustained fighting for the Confederacy. Soon after the burial of Fiskâs son, a need arose for space to bury men who met their end too early and records indicate Fisk allowed other burials at that location. The next major burial that I could find info on is a heated topic among some. Information from Tevis Clyde Smith show that Brown County Sheriff, Charlie Webb, who was gunned down by John Wesley Hardin, a notorious outlaw with violent tendencies, was buried at Boot Hill in 1874 for a short period before being relocated to Greenleaf Cemetery, previously known as Round mountain cemetery. Some accounts beg to differ and only mention his burial at Greenleaf. Records also show that by 1876, 10 people were buried at Boot Hill and out of the 10 only 1 had died due to natural causes. One must remember that Brownwood, during its early years, was no safe haven and could stand toe to toe with some of the most notorious Wild West towns. The latest recorded burial at Boot Hill that could be found was in August of 1889. The man buried there was businessman Bob Claiborne who was gunned down on Aug. 14th. Mr. Claiborne owned the Maxwell House Saloon and had walked down the way to Dan Lindseyâs Saloon to settle a problem the two had. During the altercation Dan Lindsey drew his revolver, shooting and killing Mr. Claiborne in front of many bystanders. At the time this was considered Brownwoodâs âsaddest and most deplorable affairs that had ever occurred in this cityâ. Bob Claiborne, like many early businessman, was a revered member of society and left behind several small children and a wife. Mr. Lindsey was also well revered until this incident but had no family left other than a terminally ill wife who had already been home bound for years. Mr. Lindsey knew of his wrongdoing and refused to speak about his act. During my research, I have yet to find where Mr. Claiborne was relocated to, and believe his body was never recovered from this cemetery. It is unclear when the cemetery was dubbed âBoot Hillâ but it was also referred to as Brownwood Cemetery at some point with Boot Hill possibly only being 1 section of the cemetery. Notable local figures like Robert E. Howard frequently visited the cemetery, and T.R. Havins was said to be one of the most versed men on Boot Hill and even led tours there in the 1960âs, passing on his knowledge to all who went. Boot Hill always struggled with flooding and after the massive flood of 1900, attempts to relocate graves commenced. During that massive flood, some headstones were washed away from the gravesites, bodies were unearthed, and some were lost altogether making recovery efforts very hard. By 1908 the cemetery was completely abandoned for Greenleaf Cemetery which had ample room and was not prone to flooding. Records indicate the cemetery was at the end of Milton Avenue, but is actually at the end of North Washington St. along the banks of the Adams Branch Creek. I was fortunate enough to purchase the property a few months ago and have slowly been uncovering numerous hand-chiseled sandstone rocks that I believe to be remnants of the lost Boot Hill cemetery, forgotten by time. While there are still some uncertainties regarding all names of people buried there, and what happened to them all after the floods, this article was aimed at shedding light on one of Brownwoodâs Lost Landmarks and painting a picture for present and future generations to learn from and enjoy. I hope to one day acquire a County Historical Marker if possible and have a plaque with the brief history of the property. With time, hopefully more information can be obtained regarding this Cemetery, but with potential records being lost in the courthouse fire, this may be all we ever know. Thank you for taking the time to read this long article, I hope you enjoyed it. Feel free to share this and join BROWNWOOD'S BETTER DAYS for more Brownwood history.đ
