Erath County

Bowman Ridge Cemetery

Historical Marker Text

The namesake of Keith's Branch Community, A. B. Keith, deeded one acre of land to the Primitive Baptist Church around this site for use as a burial ground in February 1885. The earliest known grave in the cemetery is that of Wilson H. Benson, who was born in January 1886 and died that November. Confederate veteran J. N. Hamrick was interred here in 1895. In time, the area became known as Bowman Ridge for pioneer Benjamin Bowman who gave land for a schoolhouse. The graves of children buried before the 20th century are a testament to the often harsh conditions of pioneer life. In the year 2000, there were about 60 graves in the old cemetery and an additional 11 with illegible tombstones. The cemetery continues as a chronicle of Erath County.

2000

location: 6 miles south of Stephenville on FM 914, then 1.2 miles southwest on CR 275, then 1.1 mile south on CR 273