"A Fitting Place of Rest"
Bluffton Cemetery Association
P. O. Box 111
8685 RR 2241
Bluffton, TX 78607
"A Fitting Place of Rest"
Bluffton Cemetery Association
P. O. Box 111
8685 RR 2241
Bluffton, TX 78607
About Us
The Bluffton Cemetery is a historic cemetery that dates back over 150 years, to about 1864. In 2001, the Texas Historical Commission designated the Bluffton Cemetery as a Historic Texas Cemetery. The plaque to the left is proudly mounted on the wall of the chapel facing Ranch Road 2241.
This cemetery is actually the second Bluffton Cemetery. The first, the Old Bluffton Cemetery, was covered by the waters of Lake Buchanan in 1937; and this cemetery, the New Bluffton Cemetery was built in 1931 to replace the Old Bluffton Cemetery. Of the 459 graves that were moved from the basin of Lake Buchanan, 422 were moved to the New Bluffton Cemetery, now commonly called the Bluffton Cemetery. Today, there are approximately 1,500 persons buried here.
The Bluffton Cemetery is governed by the patrons of the Bluffton Cemetery Association. This consists of those who have family buried in the cemetery, those who have plots assigned to them, and those who are interested in the Bluffton Cemetery. These patrons elect a trustee (director), one of three, at the annual cemetery business meeting which is held on the first Saturday of the month of October. Each director serves a three year term.
The trustees (directors) are subject to the current Bluffton Cemetery Bylaws. The primary duties of the trustees include keeping the records of the cemetery, handling the finances of the cemetery, maintaining the cemetery, and planning for the future of the cemetery.
You, the patrons, are the most important link in the continued success of the Bluffton Cemetery. The association's only source of revenue is through your donations. Thank you for the support that has made the Bluffton Cemetery the success it is today.
Current Directors:
Clay Hallmark, President
clayh@moment.net - 512 430-0570
Nancy Chism, Vice President
nbchism1@gmail.com - 325 423-1200
Alfred Hallmark, Secretary/Treasurer
wahallmark@gmail.com - 325 247-4430
2024 BCA Annual Business Meeting Invitation/Newsletter
Springtime in the Cemetery - 2024
Pointing the Way
A Beautiful Entrance
Memorial Day - 2024
Lest We Forget
This year we honor 236 veterans who are interred in our cemetery.
"Some Gave All, All Gave Some"
Putting Out the Flags for our Veterans
Back - Butch & Linda Swenson
Front - Paula Davis Bundrant, Susan Barton-Davis Sims, Jerry Davis
The whole crew -
Alfred, Butch, Linda, Paula, Jerry, Suzie
Those We Honor - By No Means a Complete History, just Some Impressions, and Memories
Our Earliest Veterans
Elijah Arnold was born in about 1780, in Kentucky, before it was a state.
Records show him to have served during the War of 1812; and, at the age of about 75, he joined the Lone Star Guards, Burnet County Calvary, 27th Brigade, under Captain M. W. Matthews.
Elijah did not see combat during the Civil War, but his son Levi V., and grandson William Richard did see combat. They were captured and became
Thomas Gooch was born in Lexington, Missouri on August 30, 1826, and died in Bluffton on March 2, 1885. He served in the Mexican War in the Mounted Regiment infantry, Meare's Company of Mounted Volunteers.
At the age of 37, in February of 1864, he joined the civil war effort, providing for the local defense, serving as a 2nd Sgt. in San Saba County.
David Hill was born on November 27, 1805, and died on February 23, 1886.
He fought in the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836, in Colonel Sherman's Regiment, Captain Wm. Kimbour's Company
Frontier Texas Rangers and the Civil War - 18 Veterans
Jesse Chism remembered, “I was promoted to forage master. Morgan’s was an independent Battalion, and was assigned to Gen. Walker’s division, it being the only Cavalry he had....I received only one wound during the war..."
Hiram Casner reflected, “You never heard such whooping and a lying about how they were going to kill Yankees. Everyone was id the war would be over by the time we got there, and
World War I - Approx. 20 Veterans
Young Claudie Maxwell, barely 22 years of age, entered the army at the beginning of the USA's entrance intoWorld War I. Unfortunately, he died from the Spanish Flu pandemic while stationed in Camp Bowie, Fort Worth, Texas; before being sent to the European theatre of war. More men died of the pandemic than died in combat during the war.
Isaac Davis was drafted into the army in 1917, from Bluffton, and by 1918, was in France, fighting in the Argonne Forest.
In his later years, Isaac's boss, President Lyndon B. Johnson, found out he had been gassed with nerve gas during WWI, and personally saw to it that Isaac received his disability pension, dating back to the time of his service in the military.
World War II/Korea - Approx. 145 Veterans - Some Gave All - One Died Way Too Soon
Leonard Baker
KIA
January 5, 1945, barely 21 years old
Damon P. Meador
KIA
March 9, 1944, 24 years old
--- A True Teagedy --
Edkar P. Cowan, 23, was a youngster who joined the army at age 16. He saw action from Algeria to Germany, received a Purple Heart, and was scheduled to invade Japan, but the war ended. Sixteen days after the Japanese surrender, in Llano Co., he entered a bar called the B-C Club. He got into a fight, was hit in the back of the head, and as he lay on the floor, was shot to de
Vietnam - Approx. 20 Veterans -- Still a work in process - more to follow
Photo Gallery
Early scene from Old Bluffton Cemetery - ca 1914
Old Bluffton Cemetery Plat - With names of deceased added by Alfred Hallmark during the summer of 2011, by researching BCA records.
Building the "New" Bluffton Cemetery
1931
1931
Today
1931
Today
Relocating Deceased from the Basin of Lake Buchanan
