Phair Cemetery

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and here's how I'm gonna tell it to you. Way down in Brazoria County, there's a piece of ground with a long memory. We're talkin' about Phair Cemetery, and the story starts even before the first grave was dug.

The land itself sits on a grant given to Stephen F. Austin by Mexico. Old empresario ground.

You don't get much more deep-rooted Texas than that. Now, a piece of land is just dirt until somebody decides it ought to be something more. That somebody was E.

B. Thomas and his wife Mollie, devout Methodists both, and they gave this site so the community could have a place to lay its people to rest. The first grave came in 1853.

Eighteen fifty-three. Since that year, many early Texans have been buried here, and the ground has been keepin' their names ever since. A church went up on the grounds too, built by a man named Wm.

Hoskins, and a community grew up around all of it. And here's where the name comes in. The community was named for Reverend George Phair, who served as pastor here during 1875 to 1876, and then came back again for 1882 to 1885.

Two separate runs at it. A man who apparently had unfinished business with this corner of Brazoria County. So the name Phair stuck, the cemetery kept filling with early Texans, and that piece of Austin land grant ground became something that outlasted nearly everyone who ever walked it.

What the marker says

On land granted Stephen F. Austin by Mexico. Site given by E. B. and Mollie Thomas, devout Methodists. Since first grave, 1853, many early Texans have been buried here. Church was built by Wm. Hoskins. Community named for Rev. George Phair, pastor here 1875-1876 and 1882-1885. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1966