Near Newcastle in Young County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Proffitt Cemetery
Photographed By Duane Hall, March 23, 2016
1. Proffitt Cemetery Marker
Members of the Robert Smith Proffitt family came to this area about 1862 and established homes. A son, John Proffitt (1846-1925), amassed large landholdings and built a gin and other businesses. The developing community was named Proffitt. At its height it boasted homes, a post office, school, retail businesses, a Methodist church, and Baptist church.On July 17, 1867, three young men were killed in an Indian raid near this site. They were buried in a common grave on John Proffitt’s land about one mile south of town. Theirs was the first burial in the community graveyard which became known as Proffitt Cemetery.
The cemetery contains both marked and unmarked graves of area pioneers. The numerous interments of infants and children illustrate the often harsh conditions of frontier life. The largest number of burials occurred in the years between 1910 and 1920, and include many victims of the World War I-era influenza epidemic. Also buried here are veterans of the Civil War, World War I, and World War II.
Maintained by a cemetery association, this historic graveyard stands as a memorial to young county pioneers.
Erected
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1862.
Location. 33° 10.97′ N, 98° 51.98′ W. Marker is near Newcastle, Texas, in Young County. Marker is on U.S. 380, 0.2 miles west of Proffitt Road, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Newcastle TX 76372, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Proffitt Cemetery Veterans (within shouting distance of this marker); Common Grave (within shouting distance of this marker); In Memory of Proffitt, Carlton, and Johnson (approx. half a mile away); Indian Raid on Elm Creek, C.S.A. (approx. half a mile away); Joseph Alfred Woolfolk (approx. 5.7 miles away); Two Miles Southwest to Fort Belknap (approx. 7.3 miles away); Military Road (Fort Belknap - Fort Phantom Hill) (approx. 7˝ miles away); Tonkawa Scouts, C.S.A. (approx. 7˝ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Newcastle.
More about this marker. On the bottom border of the marker is etched, “Edna Gleason Creel, President 1948-1977; Director 1977-1989”. On the back side of the marker is a plaque with the following:
Proffitt Cemetery Association, Organized July 1948
Board to 1977: Mrs. Edna Gleason Creel, President; Wayne Self; Verna Tucker; Mrs. B.C. Wooldrige; Burgess Bellomy; Doc Blanton; Georgia Wells; Mrs. Jim Brown
Board 1977-1990: R.T. Wells, Jr., President; Mrs. Edna Creel; Terry Creel; Nita Proffitt Wells; Georgia Griffin Wells; George Wilkinson
Also see . . .
1. Proffitt, TX. From the Texas State Historical Association’s “Handbook of Texas Online”. (Submitted on March 29, 2016.)
2. Proffitt Cemetery - findagrave.com. (Submitted on March 29, 2016.)
Photographed By Duane Hall, March 23, 2016
2. Proffitt Cemetery Marker (Back Side)
Photographed By Duane Hall, March 23, 2016
3. Proffitt Cemetery
Marker is on left side of entrance
Photographed By Duane Hall, March 23, 2016
4. View of US 380 from Proffitt Cemetery
Photographed By Duane Hall, March 23, 2016
5. Proffitt Cemetery
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on March 29, 2016, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. This page has been viewed 437 times since then and 53 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on March 29, 2016, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas.
