Friends of Fairmount Cemetery Celebrate San Angelo's History

Walking along the sidewalks of Fairmount Cemetery, one would have no idea that many of the city’s namesakes, historians, and war heroes were buried underneath the earth there.

Friends of Fairmount, a society dedicated to preserving the legacy of San Angelo’s pioneers and the cemetery itself, held their “walk through history” on Saturday evening. Volunteers dressed in antebellum style dresses and authentic Confederate uniforms stood post at their designated grave site while families strolled through the cemetery, stopping to listen to their stories.

Charles Westbrook, leader of the local chapter of Sons of the Confederacy, stood with two other volunteers at the gravesite dedicated to fallen war heroes of the Confederate States Army. His uniform, completely authentic sans his cotton pants, made him look as if he had just walked out of the battle of Bull Run. Westbrook, a self-proclaimed “history buff,” discussed the difficulty in learning about the Civil War and Antebellum time period because “the victors write the history,” and so much of the war between the States has been depicted as a war between the evil and emancipation. Westbrook noted that there is new scholarship that suggests that the total number of American citizens who died as a result of the Civil War tops an astounding 750,000. In order to for history to justify the incredible loss of life, Westbrook believes some of the circumstances surrounding the Rebellion have been whitewashed.

“Many West Point graduates went on to fight for the South during the Civil War,” he noted. “They had been taught that it was the right of the states to secede, so when Mr. Lincoln had a problem with that, they fought for the South because they had been taught that secession was a states’ right guaranteed under the Constitution.”

Westbrook also shared that the number of Americans killed during the Civil War is inaccurate because the current toll fails to account for citizens who died as a result of the blockade. Many families did not receive the vital necessities, like medication, because of the blockade, and thus perished as a result. The Civil War’s death toll is astronomically higher than any other war this country has ever fought.

Just down the path, Karen Bowen sat in a wooden chair next to the grave of famed historian, Mamie Yeary. Yeary is best known for her book, “Reminiscences of the Boys in Gray,” a historical account of the Civil War taken from the words of the soldiers themselves. David McMahon, another member of the Sons of the Confederacy, said that Yeary is revered in Civil War history circles, and until recently, they had no idea she was buried in San Angelo.

One member showed up to a meeting and said, “You’ll never guess where Mamie Yeary is buried…right here at Fairmount!”

That revelation caused some stir among the group, and to honor her, the Sons of the Confederacy raised the funds to erect a new headstone memorial that sits behind the original.

Another woman sat in a rocking chair down the path next to one of the oldest headstones in the cemetery. Kay Smith, donned in her Scarlett O’Hara like gown, shared the story of her husband’s late great-great uncle. Smith’s mother-in-law had an affinity for genealogy and conducted a great deal of research while she was alive. When she passed, her findings were passed down to her son and his wife, where it sat in storage for years. However, one day Smith’s husband decided that he wanted to revitalize the search for his ancestors, and asked his wife to continue where his mother left off. After several trips across Texas, the pair discovered that one of his ancestors had been buried in San Angelo this entire time. The headstone was too worn to be read; however, on a second trip to the cemetery, Smith brought some sidewalk chalk to rub over the stone, lo and behold, it read the name of her husband’s great-great-uncle.

“You never know where you’re going to find your family,” Smith said, “You may move to a town where you think that no one has ever been, and then after a little research, you might realize that the world isn’t so big after all.”

She also encouraged young people to take interest in genealogy.

“If this generation doesn’t begin to preserve its history, then one day it will all be gone.”

If there is a street or building in San Angelo named after one of its pioneers, one can almost be certain that he or she is buried at Fairmount Cemetery. Friends of Fairmount is continuing their efforts to ensure that these stories continue to be told and that the legacies those who helped make San Angelo into the city it is today remain in tact.

If you’re interested in learning more about Sons of the Confederacy, the organization meets Thursdays at 7 p.m. at Fort Concho. You do not need to have a Confederate relative to join; however, a love of learning and history is appreciated. The Friends of Fairmount organization is also constructing a new Columbarium for the cemetery and needs help to make the project a reality. Contact [email protected] to learn more.