Near Mingus in Erath County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Thurber Cemetery

Photographed By Duane Hall, September 8, 2016

1. Thurber Cemetery Marker

Inscription. Encompassing slightly more than nine acres, the Thurber Cemetery documents the multi-ethnic Thurber community. The graveyard was divided into three sections with separate entrances: Catholic, Protestant, and African American. There are more than 1,000 graves here, including almost 700 unmarked burials. The oldest tombstone is that of Eva Chapman, an infant who died in 1890. More than half the total graves are those of infants and children, a reflection of such epidemic diseases as scarlet fever, typhoid fever, diphtheria, and whooping cough.
Historic Texas Cemetery - 2000

Erected 2000 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 5487.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Cemeteries & Burial Sites. A significant historical year for this entry is 1890.

Location. 32° 30.676′ N, 98° 25.092′ W. Marker is near Mingus, Texas, in Erath County. Marker is on Private Road 741, 0.3 miles Texas Highway 108, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Mingus TX 76463, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Site of Hotel Knox and Thurber Mining Office (approx. ¼ mile away); Evolution of an Oil Company (approx. ¼ mile away); Thurber (approx. ¼ mile away); New York Hill

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(approx. half a mile away); Site of Thurber's First Coal Mine (approx. half a mile away); St. Barbara's Catholic Church (approx. half a mile away); Site of Thurber Brick Plant (approx. half a mile away); Whitehead Cemetery (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mingus.

Also see . . . Thurber Cemetery - findagrave.com. (Submitted on October 6, 2016.)

Driveway to Thurber Cemetery image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane Hall, September 8, 2016

2. Driveway to Thurber Cemetery

The cemetery is 900 feet from Private Road 741

View to Southeast towards Townsite of Thurber image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane Hall, September 8, 2016

3. View to Southeast towards Townsite of Thurber

The Thurber smokestack is visible in the background

Thurber Cemetery image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane Hall, January 22, 2018

4. Thurber Cemetery

View to northwest from cemetery entrance

Cemetery Plot of Peter Wasielski and Family image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane Hall, January 22, 2018

5. Cemetery Plot of Peter Wasielski and Family

From information sign at plot: Migrated from Sierpc, Poland, mined Thurber coal for 30 years. Also a skilled brick mason as evidenced by this neat, distinctive brick wall which he built in 1913. Pete helped building the Thurber Smokestack in 1908. (Ref: Gentry 1946 Thesis, UT Austin, p. 157).

Knights of Pythias Burials image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane Hall, January 22, 2018

6. Knights of Pythias Burials

From information sign at burial plot: (K.P. gate emblem stolen). Two male infants and 14 male kids, parallel rows, graves are precisely located but all unknown. (Tombstones stolen when cemetery abandoned 1936-1970?) K.P. very active in Thurber and K.P. officials state burials possible but no records. Graves verified by Gravity Gradient analyses.

Credits. This page was last revised on March 15, 2018. It was originally submitted on October 6, 2016, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. This page has been viewed 774 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 6, 2016, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. 4, 5, 6. submitted on March 15, 2018, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas.