A Brief History of the Moffat Cemetery

Compiled by William A. (Steve) Stephens, 2003, revised in 2006

Moffat Cemetery originally began many years ago as a Masonic and family cemetery. The first record of the cemetery was a deed from J. A. Grimes in March of 18691.  He sold his farm to Mary E. Dean and made a reservation of two acres in the form of a square, near the center of the 109 – acre tract, conveyed for the purpose of a graveyard. In the center of this was a live oak tree marked “G”.

Although no deed to anyone has been found showing these two acres as a cemetery, they were included in a deed, dated July 23, 1921, from the Leon Lodge #193 A.F. & A.M. to the Moffat Cemetery Association2.

The second tract was conveyed by Mary E. Dean to the Leon Lodge #193 A.F. & A.M. in a deed dated December 26, 18933. This consisted of a two-acre strip around the original tract. It is these field notes that locate the first tract for us.

The third tract was also conveyed by Mary E. Dean to the Leon Lodge #193 A.F. & A.M. as a gift in a deed dated December 26, 18934. This tract consists of two acres joining the second tract on the North side.

R. J. Goode and Hattie Goode conveyed the fourth tract to the Leon Lodge #193 A.F. & A.M. in a deed dated August 28, 19165. This consisted of a 75’ wide strip extending from the Southeast corner of the existing graveyard eastward to what was known as Winkler’s Gin Road, containing one acre. The eastern portion of this tract, approximately 300 feet, was later abandoned by agreement6. This was done because of a conflict of claims reflected in the filed notes by the surveyor in a deed to J.W. Arnold, dated January 28, 19587.

All of the four tracts above were deeded by the Leon Lodge #193 A.F. & A.M. to the Moffat Cemetery Association on July 23, 19218.

Historical Marker for Moffat Cemetery

The fifth tract consists of a 90’ wide strip along the entire West Side of the tracts two and three and extends south past the southwest corner of these tracts to the north line of State Highway 36 containing 1.3 acres. This tract was taken by condemnation, in the County Court of Bell County in cause # 7719 in July of 19469.

J.W. Arnold and Bertha Arnold conveyed the sixth tract to the Moffat Cemetery Association in a deed dated December 30, 197410. This tract consists of 3.45 acres adjoining the fifth tract on the west and runs from an extension of the North line westward to Arnold’s west line, south along his west line to the highway and southeasterly along the highway to the west line of the fifth tract.

Until the Cemetery Association was legally organized in approximately 1975, the community had to get together to clean the cemetery several times a year with no funds available to do anything.
The State of Texas incorporated the Moffat Cemetery Association as a perpetual non-profit corporation on December 23, 1976 to exist under the laws of the State of Texas11. All donations are therefore tax deductable.

A Declaration of Trust12 was made at that time to create a Trust fund for the perpetual existence of the cemetery. All funds donated to the Association go into this trust fund and only the income from the trust may be used for the purpose of maintaining the general care and beautification of the Moffat Cemetery grounds. The Association, which administers and maintains the cemetery, meets on a regular basis once a year to elect officers and transact business. Our officers and directors and many others, perform services for the association voluntarily and no fee is paid to anyone.

The oldest grave listed is that of Mary Marshall, who died 1-21-1861. Since there are many unmarked graves, it is possible there are older ones.

Among those buried here is one of the Bell County pioneers, Isaac Thomas Bean, who was granted a land certificate dated June 6, 1839. An immigrant to Texas, he had been born in Arkansas on March 5, 1821. He moved with his family to Texas in 1823, and they settled near Alto. He lived in Moody and died in Bell County, on July 5, 189913.

Many other prominent local families are represented here as well. The Browns, for example, date back to William Brown, who died on October 21, 1886. The Nibling family had an ancestor who had a large tract of land in the area patented to him. The McLaughlin family, whose members were instrumental in developing much of the Moffat area, is also represented here. All three families still have members living in the Moffat area14.

Possibly the most colorful, and best known outside of the Moffat area, are the Evetts and Haley families, who have ancestors and many members of the family buried here. William Caperton Evetts (aka Brazos Bill) was born in Washington on the Brazos to a San Jacinto battle veteran, James Evetts, on November 13, 1839. William was a colorful cowboy and cattle driver on the trails that go through Bell County. He left home at the age of 14, joined the South in the Civil War at the age of 17, became a POW for a time, and finally, after the war came back to Moffat to marry and have 16 children. He died May 19, 1895, and is buried here15.

William Evetts’ eldest daughter, Julia, married John A. Haley – the father of J. Evetts Haley, who developed the Haley Ranches which now include ranches in Loving, Winkler and Gray Counties in Texas, and in Sequoyah County in Oklahoma. (Ranch headquarters are in Midland, Texas.) J. Evetts Haley was also an author who wrote several books, including Rough Times – Tough Fiber. He was a well-known historian and was a one-time candidate for governor of Texas. He died October 9, 1995. He and his wife, Nita Stewart Haley, are buried here16.

Also buried here is the other grandfather of J. Evetts Haley, Dr. James Haley, who died February 20, 1887, along with several other members of the Evetts and the Haley families17.

Perhaps there are many other historically significant grave sites in the Moffat Cemetery of which we are not yet aware.

We now have been designated an historic cemetery as of October 2003 by the Texas Historical Commission. There was a Historical Marker ordered and was installed at the front gate and formerly dedicated on November 27, 2004.

  1. Deed Records, Bell County, Texas, Volume L, page 175, and re-recorded in Volume L, page 132.
  2. Deed Records, Bell County, Texas, Volume 328, page 617.
  3. Deed Records, Bell County, Texas, Volume 94, page 171.
  4. Deed Records, Bell County, Texas, Volume 94, page 170.
  5. Deed Records, Bell County, Texas, Volume 253, page 398.
  6. Deed Records, Bell County, Texas, Volume 1637, page 429.
  7. Deed Records, Bell County, Texas, Volume 771, page 180.
  8. Deed Records, Bell County, Texas, Volume 328, page 617.
  9. Deed Records, Bell County, Texas, Volume 540, page 415.
  10. Deed Records, Bell County, Texas, Volume 1308, page 739.
  11. Certified Copy of the Articles of Incorporation, dated 10-31-83, from the State of Texas, held by the President of the Moffat Cemetery Association (William A. Stephens).
  12. Copy of Declaration of Trust held by President of the Moffat Cemetery Association (William A. Stephens).
  13. Information provided by William A. Bean, a descendant of Isaac Thomas Bean, and by the website for LaRK Communications.
  14. Local families are still available to verify information on their own ancestors.
  15. Rough Times – Tough Fiber, by J. Evetts Haley. Palo Duro Press. Canyon, Texas. 1976.
  16. Information provided by Evetts Haley, Jr., and website: http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/print/HH/fhahj.html
  17. Information provided by Evetts Haley, Jr., P. O. Box 2515, Midland, Texas 79702.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bean, William A. (unpublished correspondence). Deed Records, Bell County, Texas: Volume L, page 175; Volume L, page 132; Volume 328, page 617; Volume 94, page 171; Volume 94, page 170; Volume 253, page 398; Volume 1637, page 429; Volume 328, page 617; Volume 771, page 180; Volume 540, page 415; and Volume 1308, page 739.
Haley, Evetts, Jr. (unpublished correspondence).
Haley, J. Evetts. Rough Times – Tough Fiber. Palo Duro Press, Canyon, Texas, 1976.
LaRK Communications (web site)
Moffat Cemetery Association, Minutes and other unpublished records, 1976- 2003.
Website: http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook
State of Texas. Certificate of Incorporation.

[THIS IS THE INFORMATION SENT TO THE HISTORIC COMMISSION TO GET APPROVAL FOR THE MARKER]

For a PDF file of the personal account of Wm. A. [Steve] Stephens detailing the organization of records, mapping of the cemetery and the work of the Cemetery Association please click here. The file will open in a new tab or window.