The Blanco Cemetery

In 1853, Texas Ranger Captain James Hughes Callahan and three of his friends, General John D. Pitts, E.C. Hinds, and William Trainer, settled in the area now known as south Blanco County to form a town.

It would be named Pittsburg, and was built across the river from present-day Blanco.

Callahan was later killed in a shoot-out, and being considered a hero in the fights against the Indians and the Mexicans, it was decided he should have a proper burial in a proper cemetery (Callahan's remains were moved to the State Cemetery in Austin in 1931, because of his importance to Texas history).

Tradition has it that Samuel Durham - Pitt's brother-in-law - donated Farm Lot 37 for a cemetery. However, no deed has ever been found to document this action.

The intention appears to be there, because the reverse side of the cemetery marker (placed by Charles Whitworth and Lee Whitworth - Durham family descendants) states the desire to honor family members.

When the Blanco County Courthouse burned in August of 1876, all documents were lost. Unfortunately, few people managed to get to the county seat to re-record deeds and other documents.

So our cemetery is very obviously a cemetery - in continuous use for the last 150 years - and has recently been made "official."

Here's our new sign:



[Dorothy Dillon and Laura Mabrito did a tremendous amount of research in preparation for the Blanco Cemetery Sesquicentennial, most of it pieced together from documents from other counties' records. They will be sharing more of this information in the near future.

Thanks, Dorothy and Laura.]

Sesquecentenial Celebration
The Blanco Cemetery is having its 150th anniversary.

Cemetery Proclamation
The Mayor's official proclamation.

Texas Ranger Markers
There are at least six Texas Rangers buried in the Blanco Cemetery.

Genealogy
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