Iatan Cemetery

Mitchell Co. Cemeteries of TX

Photos by Becky Hudgins

History of Iatan: By Jim Baum, April 1, 1993.
IATAN - Once called " 'Satan's Flat' because of the hot summer days, and low flat land," never grew to more than 300 people. But the town was a shipping point for cattle in 1881, and had four stops on the Texas and Pacific Railroad. When the town submitted an application for a post office, the clerk misread the name Satan, or for what ever reason listed the town as "Iatan." The low flat area the residents had settled in turned into a lake of mud whenever it rained, and for this reason, the town was moved several times, once two miles west upon a hillside, and then back down on the flat again. In 1891 there was a building that served as a one-room school-house, and as a Methodist Church. When motorized vehicles came into existence at Iatan, and the rain would commence, motorists would get stuck, and only a team of mules could be used to drag them out of it. Odis Wise used to make extra money that way. "When it rained, I'd ride a mule and lead a couple of others and get over there with my log chains, roll up my britches legs and get with it." Later the town would grow to include a filling station, post office, grocery store, café and depot. Most of the residents built there homes north of the railroad tracks, and all of the streets were dirt, even the highway back then. Eventually Interstate 20 would replace the old highway. Wise once said that he used to trap prairie dogs for Mr. Dupree's store to sell to tourists, and rattlesnakes were kept in "tin tanks for them to look at." In 1909, a developer named I. E. Lasseter began a new town site two miles east of Iatan, and called it "New Iatan." For several days, lots were sold and given away through various enticements. Lasseter advertised that "New Iatan was in the heart of the red prairie lands of West Texas and no better land can be found anywhere in the state." Red soil or not, Iatan never really made it, and in 1924 when the Postmaster John Hence died, the post office was closed and the town began to die. Oil booms would give the small town hope, but were never enough to sustain the towns growth. In 1938 the town was forced to consolidate it's school with Westbrook, and by 1942, the town was officially dead. Two miles north of "New Iatan", the town's cemetery remains. The only remaining remnant of Iatan.

Location: Highway 29 East to RR 2241, then turn left on Highway 29. Go through Lone Grove Community.

Updated June 2009

Last, First, Birth, Death, Comments
ADAMS, Clarence N., 1891, 1957; Nella D., 1896, 1996

ADAMS, Merrello, February 12, 1915, May 19, 1960

ADAMS, Ocie M., August 20, 1896, April 24, 1927

ADAMS, R. L., 1886, 1935; Jessie Ann, 1881, 1948

ANDERSON, Filemon S., 1891, 1892

ANDERSON, Jim, 1894, 1894; Infant

ANDERSON, William E., May 9, 1832, August 12, 1891
ANDERSON, Margarete A., June 5, 1840, June 3, 1925

BARKER, John H., April 24, 1864, August 21, 1924
BARKER, Lala, April 25, 1875 - March 10, 1934

Bonilla, Bernabe Orona        1925    -   1927

BRANDENBURG, Eric, November 12, 1987, November 12, 1987

BROWN, Dora Jackson, August 16, 1953, January 7, 1996

BURROW, J. D., August 27, 1861, May 22, 1914
BURROW, Mary Jane, August 3, 1867 - July 17, 1941

BURROW, Nettie Mae, October 13, 1901, June 7, 1914

BURROWS, Jess H., 1889, 1944

BURROWS, Gertie A., 1894, 1977

DANIEL, Alexander A., 1860, 1936; Myra Eva, 1860, 1947

DANIEL, Arnett, May 23, 1893, November 17, 1918; Son of A.A. & Iva Daniel

DANIEL, Clarence, July 15, 1898, October 11, 1918; Son of A. A. & Eva Daniel

DANIEL, Hugh O., 1885, 1939

FIELDS, Donald Ray, May 30, 1938, August 17, 1939

FIELDS, Clara Murl, July 15, 1927, June 17, 1938; Twin

FIELDS, Clarence Earl, July 15, 1927, May 20, 1928; Twin

FOUCH, Walter S., 1854, 1912

FRANKLIN, Ben, April 22, 1912, June 16, 1914

FRANKLIN, Lloyd, February 1, 1920, April 15, 1920

GREGSON, Belle, 1899, 1920; Daughter of E.B. & M. L. Gregson

GREGSON, Edward B., January 21, 1872, November 6, 1951
GREGSON, Minnie L., 1878, 1920

GREGSON, Guy Olen, October 22, 1904, April 11, 1915

HAWKINS, Rev. John W., October 20, 1883, September 9, 1961
HAWKINS, Alberta Daniel, September 3, 1894, January 28, 1973

HAYS, Dois  Sept 26 1926, Jan 12 2007

HAYS, Jane Williams  NBD- Sep 12 2006
HAYS, Russell Wayne, July 27, 1954, September 27, 1954; Son of C.D. Hays

HINES, Moses M., December 24, 18450, November 13, 1923
HINES, Margaret E., November 19, 1842, April 24, 1930

HINES, David Colman, December 16, 1963, May 29, 1999

HOLLAWAY, Vira, No Dates

HOLLIDAY, Baby Boy, No Dates

JACKSON, Tom, 1900, 1974; Theresa 1896, 1987

JACKSON, Tommie Lee, December 1, 1927, October 7, 1984; U.S.Navy

JACKSON, Emma Theresa, November 8, 1949, September 25, 1951

JOHNSON, Barbara J., January 15, 1923, June 4, 1998

JONES, R. M. "Rufe", March 22, 1867, November 20, 1938
JONES, Dora Lee, February 17, 1877, August 17, 1955

JONES, Sera A., 1893, 1952; Fannie May 1897, 1945

JONES, Sidney, January 13, 1921, December 24, 1997
JONES, June I., November 24, 1921, January 31, 1994, Married 5/19/1940

JONES, Lewis Jack, Janaury 3, 1917, March 28, 1991, U.S. Army, WW II
JONES, Wanda June, April 12, 1923, March 20, 1978

JENKINS, W. J., August 11, 1857, June 22, 1916

JENKINS, Gertrude, 1867, 1949JENKINS, Jessie K., Augu8st 18, 1885, December 8, 1918

JULIAN, Sarah M., December 29, 1839, February 5, 1917

KENDRICK, Olsimus H., August 6, 1877, February 28, 1937

LATTY, John F., November 16, 1900, July 16, 1962
LATTY, Sudie B., July 28, 1900, February 15, 1970, Married December 23, 1936

LEWIS, John, December 2, 1851, February 2, 1929
LEWIS, Mary, March 16, 1865 - February 16, 1950

LEWIS, Maggie, February, 1885, July, 1968

McCLAIN, Mrs., No Dates

McMAHON, Howard Chester, November 4, 1899, February 12, 1951
McMAHON, Willie Marion Sneed, April 15, 1901, March 29, 1986, Married 8-30-1925

MARTIN, Dr. G. D., July 3, 1886, June 28, 1914

MARTIN, Texas V., January 4, 1853, August 10, 1936

MAY, Durwood-Edward-Clarence, August 31, 1932

MORRISON, Will (Infant), 1914, 1914

MITCHELL, H. D., 1931, 1931 (Infant)

MURPHY, Earl Thurman, July 1, 1922, January 21, 1935

MURPHY, Earnest Edwin, June 1, 1921, February 8, 1922; Son of L.H. & M.A.

MURPHY, Lavelle Houston, March 17, 1891, February 27, 1972
MURPHY, Mary Alice, July 14, 1892, October 31, 1966, Married 3/14/1911

MURPHY, Thelma K., November 3, 1922, July 7, 1993
MURPHY, Leland Edwin, January 30, 1919, June 6, 2000

MURPHY, Franklin Pierce, February 9, 1853, April 7, 1929
MURPHY, Mary Louisa, November 18, 1858, March 1, 1941

OLIVER, James Arthur, 1931, 1931

Orona, Hinio    1927   -   1927

PAIGE, Melvin Ray 1939, 1939

PHILLIPS, Ada Sweatt, May 20, 1869, September 21, 1949

PUETT, Myrtle Gregson, September 15, 1907, No Death Date

REVIS, Melba Ruth 1924, 1958

RICKARDS, Mrs. E. J., No Dates

SMITH, William Henry, December 1, 1877, July 3, 1953

SMITH, Daniel Webster, January 22, 1909, July 18, 1938

SMITH, Minnie Mae, May 3, 1888, October 11, 1993

SMITHERMAN, George M., January 9, 1886, May 17, 1948

ST. JOHN, George E., 12-23-1919 , Jun 1 2009
ST. JOHN, Paula M., August 13, 1925, No Death Date, Married 11/18/1942

SUTPHEN , Emma Fay, October 17, 1905, February 14, 1915, Daughter of G.E.

SUTPHEN, Infant of G.E., No Dates

SUTPHEN, Sarah W., June 21, 1829, April4, 1916

SWEATT, Ed, 1851, 1918

SWEATT, Mrs. E. A., May 22, 1826, May 26, 1897

SWEATT, LaRue, January 9, 1942 (twin)

SWEATT, LaRay, January 9, 1942 (twin)

SWEATT, Tildon F., November 1, 1876, September 2, 1968
SWEATT, George W., July 8, 1874, June 19, 1948

SWEATT, Toone G. , 1887, 1972; Eva Sutphen 1890, 1983; Married 10/23/1907

SWEATT, William Green, November 27, 1853, February 12, 1934
SWEATT, Mary Cindy, January 25, 1856, March 18, 1941

SWEATT, Roy E., January 29, 1919, December 10, 1991
SWEATT, Dora N., August 11, 1926, January 18, 1992; Married 9/8/1945

TAYLOR, Frances, No Dates
TAYLOR, Jimmie S., March 19, 1936, March 22, 1937
TAYLOR , Richard, No Dates
UNKNOWN, No Dates

UNKNOWN, No Dates