Alton Cemetery, Fisher Co. Cemeteries of Tx Gloria B. Mayfield

Afton's Memories

Cemetery has been last reminder of Big Country town since 1965

By Josie Liming / Reporter-News
September 25, 2004

Five miles west of Hamlin on Highway 92 lies a little piece of Texas history. Although only granite gravestones remain, the words in Afton Cemetery speak volumes about the past and raise questions about the future.

The cemetery is all that is left of Afton, which hit the height of its existence in 1892. At that time, Afton consisted of a school, church, post office and the cemetery, according to the book, ''History of Fisher County, Texas.'' The post office closed in 1893; the school was later consolidated with another in Hitson. The deterioration continued, and since 1965, all that remains is the cemetery.

There are numerous unmarked graves. A tattered, plastic American flag marks the grave of someone who may have been a veteran. Some have a few rocks scattered atop them. Shirley Ann Townsend is the only face in the cemetery, her smiling picture on the stone declaring her a ''darling wife and mother.'' Although many dates on the stones have worn away with time, people are still being buried there.

Jimmy Cooper, owner of Cooper Oil in Hamlin, has been taking care of the cemetery since his father died in 1987. He and other relatives of those buried in the cemetery have taken it upon themselves to maintain the lot.

''We received a $12,000 trust 10 years ago and the proceeds from the interest are used for the upkeep,'' Cooper said. ''We usually get between one and 200 dollars a year to work with.''

With no water source nearby, Cooper has the cemetery sprayed once a year to keep grass and weeds from growing. This also cuts down on the maintenance costs.

However, there always are unexpected expenses, such as the fence that had to be rebuilt after a vehicle ran a stop sign in the snow and came to rest in the middle of the cemetery.

''Someone always steps up when needed,'' Cooper said.

Last Name	First Name	Birth	Death	Comments
Alexander	Baby	-	-	Known to be buried here
Bennett	Anna Lou	-	-	Known to be buried here
Bennett	James T.	-	-	Known to be buried here-
Brown	Eliza Jane	-	-	Known to be buried here-
Brown	Elmer	-	-	Known to be buried here-
Brown	Elvie	-	-	Known to be buried here-
Brown	Frances	-	-	Known to be buried here
Brown	Sally K.,	.	-	Known to be buried here
Brown	Sarah F.	-	-	Known to be buried here
Brown	William A.	-	-	Known to be buried here
Elder	Eppie Mae	Sep. 26 1908	Sep. 8 2005	w/o Ira Rickman Elder M: Nov 20 1926
Hall	Baby	-	-	-
Hext	Herman Valdee	1918	1968	-
Hext	Martha Elizabeth	1876	1939	-
Hext	P J	1865	1924	-
Hext	Peter James Jr	1906	1977	-
Hext	Poe	1900	1922	-
Hext	Zuma	1896	1916	-
Hill	Nora Belle	Jan 30 1919	Feb 21 2006	d/o Thomas E. & Alpha Milner Hill
Iles	Lucinda Weathingon	-	Nov 16 1933	w/o William F. (CH)
Iles	William F.	-	Jun 22 1915	children are William (Willie), born Apr 27, 1876, Annie C, born July 17, 1878, Robert L (Bob), born Sep 08, 1881, Elizabeth (Lizzie), born Jan 13, 1884, died Feb 23, 1968-my grandmother, John S, born May 9, 1887, Ophilia (Fellie), born Sep 02, 1891, and Bulah Mae, born May 22, 1895. I am a descendant of Elizabeth Iles, wife of Alonzo Mitchell Evitt. (CH)
Isles	Benjamin	Dec 22 1889	-	s/o William F. Iles(Ga) & Lucinda Weathington Iles(Ga) (CH)
Isles	Nora Alice Henlon	-	-	d/o W. M. & Ida Henlon w/o Benjamin (CH)