George West Cemetery

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the George West Cemetery, out in Live Oak County. Now settle in, because this one starts with land. A whole lot of land.

Back in the 1880s, George Washington West, born in 1851, and his wife Kitty Searcy West, born in 1858, went and purchased one hundred and forty thousand acres in Live Oak County. That's not a ranch, friends. That's a kingdom with fences.

George Washington West would live until 1926, and Kitty would carry on all the way to 1939, and together they built something that outlasted them both. On March 4, 1916, George set aside six acres of that vast ranch for use as a community and Live Oak County Cemetery. Six acres carved out of one hundred and forty thousand.

A small gift, maybe, measured in acreage. But measured in meaning, well, that's another matter entirely. Management of the cemetery stayed with George West and his family right up until his death in 1926.

And then, rather than fold it back into the estate, the family did something. The estate gifted the cemetery to the citizens of the county as a free burial ground. Free.

Not for sale. Not for profit. Administered through a committee appointed by the Live Oak County Commissioners Court, it belonged to everybody now.

Over time, acreage added by West heirs and a man named W. Hale Canfield expanded the cemetery to more than twenty acres. It grew because the community grew, and because communities always need more room for their stories.

Now, the first legible headstone in that ground belongs to Espetasion Garza, born in 1900 and gone by 1916. The inscription is in Spanish. Many of the early headstones around that one, the marker tells us, are no longer legible at all.

Those names have gone quiet. But some names remain, and the marker calls out a few worth knowing. Civic leader William Hale Canfield, born 1907, died 1991, rests there alongside his wife Mable Frances Lamm Canfield, born 1913, died 2004.

Judge William Bill Scott Kendall, born 1913 and died in 1990, was a World War II veteran. And there is Ramiro Garcia, born 1912, died 2000, a lifelong George West citizen who owned the successful T and T Café, right there with his wife Lena Chapa Garcia, born 1912, died 2004. Veterans, medical personnel, ranchers, business owners, educators, laborers, the marker says.

All of them helped shape the landscape of George West and Live Oak County. The place itself has been improved over the years, a water well, electricity, caliche roads, a stone gate. And since 1926, the George West Cemetery Association has been the one keeping it all.

Mowing, maintaining, preserving what the marker calls a chronicle of early George West and Live Oak County heritage. Six acres from a hundred and forty thousand. A gift made free.

And a community still tending it, name by name, stone by stone.

What the marker says

The George West Cemetery was originally part of the George West Ranch. The ranch dates to the 1880s, when George Washington West (1851-1926) and his wife, Kitty Searcy West (1858-1939), purchased 140,000 acres in Live Oak County. On March 4, 1916, George set aside six acres of his vast ranch for use as a community and Live Oak County Cemetery. Management remained with George West and family until his death in 1926. The estate gifted the cemetery to the citizens of the county as a free burial ground. It was administered through a committee appointed by the Live Oak County Commissioners Court. Acreage added by West heirs and W. Hale Canfield expanded the cemetery to more than 20 acres. The first legible headstone is for Espetasion Garza (1900-1916) and is inscribed in Spanish. Many early headstones are illegible. Notable burials include civic leader William Hale Canfield (1907-1991) and his wife, Mable Frances (Lamm) Canfield (1913-2004). Judge William “Bill” Scott Kendall (1913-1990) was a World War II veteran. Ramiro Garcia (1912-2000) was a lifelong George West citizen and owner of the successful T&T Café, along with his wife, Lena (Chapa) Garcia (1912-2004). Burials also include veterans, medical personnel, ranchers, business owners, educators, laborers and others from the area. All helped shape the landscape of George West and Live Oak County. Improvements to the cemetery were made over the years, including a water well, electricity, caliche roads, and a stone gate. Since 1926, the George West Cemetery Association has maintained the cemetery, preserving this chronicle of early George West and Live Oak County heritage. Historic Texas Cemetery – 2018