| |
| In
Jeddo
are ten lost graves located in a pasture on 713 E. directly across from Peach
Creek Dr. As far as I know, these graves are unknown to the public. This is a
bother to me. My purpose in writing is to let someone know about this cemetery.
[There are only] three other people who know these graves exist. |
Left
- The Tombstone of James Bownds
Right - Tombstone detail
TE Photos, 1-05 |
| Only
one grave still has a tombstone and it has been knocked down by the cows. It is
the grave of James Bownds (pronounced Bounds) who was killed by Richard Whitehead
at the Peach Creek bridge on Peach Creek Dr. |
| | The
Bovine Suspects
TE Photor, 1-05 |
Richard
Whitehead stood trial for the murder of James Bownds. He was acquitted.
Richard Whitehead was killed in Rosanky on Sept. 29,1897 by Philip Davis.
Philip Davis stood trial for the murder of Richard Whitehead. He was acquitted.
Both men had large land grants in Jeddo
but each lost land defending himself.
On the murder of James
Bownds by Whitehead:
There
was bad blood between James Bownds and Henry Lundy. Whitehead, Henry Lundy and
a Mr. Coquet were en route to Rosanky on horseback when they met James Bownds
at the Peach Creek bridge coming from the opposite direction.
Coquet
made haste to get in the trees, Whitehead got off his horse on the opposite side
from Bownds with the horse between him and Bownds. Brownds shot at Whitehead and
missed but he shot the saddle horn off of the saddle. Whitehead shot, did not
miss. I have never checked the court records but I rather think Whitehead was
acquitted on self defense. I find it a mystery that Bownds shot at Whitehead instead
of Henry Lundy. Maybe Lundy went into the trees. |
| | Peach
Creek as viewed from the bridge
TE Photo, 1-05 |
The
original bridge which was built by Jeddo residents (white and black) was used
until the flood of 2000 washed it away.(I believe it was 2000 when several such
bridges in Bastrop County were destroyed by a flood). It is now a modern bridge
easy to drive over without noticing the creek The original one was a one-way wooden
bridge.
By the way, Jeddo is part of
an area that was originally Hallmark Prairie.
James Bownds tombstone
reads:
In memory of: James Bownds
Born: Feb. 8, 1831
Died: Dec.
18, 1892
He died as he lived
A Christian
On the opposite side
of the tombstone is inscribed:
His toils are past
His work is done
He fought the fight
The victory won
© Velma Fogle Shurtleff,
January 5, 2005
Editor's note: Velma Fogle is from
the corner of Texas where the three counties of Bastrop, Caldwell and Fayette
come together. Her knowledge of the area is deep and she has written a history
of the St. Phillip's Colony of Bastrop County.
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Jeddo
Texas Forum Subject:
Thank you
I just want to say thank you for the information and picture
of the tombstone of James Bownds (Lost graves of Jeddo). James was a brother of
two of my great-grandmothers, Eliza Jane Bownds Ponton and Mary Ann Bownds Offield.
Thanks for taking the time to share information with others, who would never know
it was there. - Nora Tyler, March 24, 2006
See Jeddo,
Texas
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