Honoring Those Who Died

On Sunday, October 19, 1862, the final nineteen victims of the Gainesville Hanging were hanged.

So last month, on Sunday, October 19th, several of us who are descendants visited the Georgia Davis Bass Park, the location of the Great Hanging at Gainesville, Texas 1862. Sunday, October 19th was chosen because that is when our ancestor and 18 other men were hanged. We don't know the exact location on Pecan Creek where their bodies were buried, so we left flowers and flags at the historical marker in the park.

The burial place for most of these men was along the banks of Pecan Creek. No headstones were ever placed on any of the graves of the men who were buried there along the creek. There could be over thirty (30+) men who are buried there. Even though there are no headstones to mark the exact grave sites, that area along Pecan creek is considered a cemetery or sacred ground by all of us who are descendants of one of the victims of the Gainesville Hanging.

There are only five known grave sites for the victims of the Gainesville Hanging. An earlier post (http://gainesvilletx1862.blogspot.com/2008/08/where-are-they-buried.html) listed the known and suggested burial places.

This last picture is on the opposite side of the historical marker and is looking toward the bridge.