Near Manor in Travis County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Boyce Family Cemetery
Photo courtesy of property owner where cemetery is located., March 31, 2021
1. Boyce Family Cemetery Marker
Set among rolling hills in Manor, the Boyce Family Cemetery only has five graves, consisting of the family patriarch, Aaron Boyce (1800-1846), his wife, Elizabeth Judah (Ely) Boyce (1804-1884), their son, James Boyce (1826-1841), their daughter, Elizabeth Ely (Boyce) Knight (1834-1870), and her infant son, R. Reason Pumphrey (d. 1850). The first known burial at the cemetery was fifteen-year-old James Boyce, who was killed and scalped by local Lipan Apache Indians. In 1837, Aaron Boyce moved his family to Texas and settled on a 1,280-acre plot of land, which now holds the small family cemetery. The Boyces were instrumental in settling the town of Manor in the days of the Republic of Texas.
Historic Texas Cemetery - 2017
Erected 2017 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 20057.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Native Americans • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1841.
Location. 30° 22.921′ N, 97° 37.053′ W. Marker is near Manor, Texas, in Travis County. Marker can be reached from Unnamed Road west of East Howard Lane, on the left when traveling west. The marker and cemetery are located on private property
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Evangelical Lutheran Church of Dessau (approx. 1.9 miles away); Oertli Dairy (approx. 2.2 miles away); Fortress Home (approx. 2.3 miles away); Jourdan-Bachman Pioneer Farms (approx. 2.6 miles away); Aynesworth-Wright House (approx. 2.6 miles away); Barr Mansion (approx. 2.7 miles away); Methodist Episcopal Church of Mount Salem Cemetery (approx. 3 miles away); Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church (approx. 3.4 miles away).
Also see . . .
1. Aaron F. and William Boyce. History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties, p.419. Retrieved from The Portal to Texas History, 03/31/2021 (Submitted on March 31, 2021, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas.)
2. Boyce Family Cemetery, Find A Grave. (Submitted on March 31, 2021, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas.)
Additional commentary.
1. Death of James Boyce.
The death of James Boyce is covered by J.W. Wilbarger in his classic, "Indian Depredations in Texas," (pp. 277-79). The tribe associated with Boyce's death was not conclusively
circa 2015
2. Boyce Family Cemetery
This photo of the cemetery is from the marker application when the fence around the cemetery was under construction by the current property owner.
— Submitted March 31, 2021, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas.
2. Death of James Boyce and where he died
A comment is in order with respect to where James Boyce may have been killed. Accounts of his death say he was close to home when killed. But that does not necessarily mean the homestead here where the cemetery is located. From History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties, (p.419), we know the Boyce family arrived in Bastrop County in the fall of 1837, then acquired a league of land on Gilliand's creek; the property on which the cemetery is located. But "The Indians .. became so troublesome in a short time that it became necessary to their safety to move nearer a settlement...". The family moved to Hornsby Bend, returning to their home in 1842. While some sources cite James death in 1842, the tombstone says he was killed in Nov 11, 1841. Point being the home referenced on the marker near where James was killed may have been the family home in Hornsby, Texas. The route from Hornsby to Austin was an established route, and better fits details of his death as described by Wilbarger in Indian Depredations of Texas
Photo submitted by family with marker application, June 30, 2021
3. Headstone for James Boyce 9-1-1826 to 11-11-1841
— Submitted June 30, 2021, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 31, 2021, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas. This page has been viewed 570 times since then and 91 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 31, 2021, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas. 3. submitted on June 30, 2021, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
