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Hawley Cemetery

Hawley Cemetery, first known as Deming’s Bridge Cemetery, was established in 1854. It is located on Tres Palacios River, two miles east of Blessing, in the Thomas Jamison League of Matagorda County, Texas. The name Deming’s Bridge originated from the cemetery’s proximity to Deming’s Bridge and was in the churchyard of Tres Palacios Baptist Church. The original two acres were donated by Emelius and Norman Savage to Tres Palacios Baptist Church which was founded in 1852. An additional 1 ½ acres were donated by Jonathan Edwards Pierce in 1893. The cemetery association purchased an additional 3 ½ acres along the south side of the cemetery and the south fence was moved to enclose the new acreage. The names of the community and post office were changed from Deming’s Bridge to Hawley by Jonathan Edwards Pierce in 1899. In 1913, Jonathan Pierce and his two daughters, Pearl Pierce Smith and Grace Pierce Heffelfinger deeded an additional 13 acres to the Hawley Cemetery. The earliest recorded burial was Sarah Tone October 30, 1857. The upkeep for Hawley in the early days was the responsibility of church and family members. During the 1930s, during a cleanup effort, a brush fire got out of control and burned the existing wooden markers. 80 oblong concrete markers were placed on the graves where the wooden markers were burned and most of the names of those marked with the concrete markers are still unknown. The Hawley Cemetery Association was formed in 1939. A map of the cemetery with all graves was made in 1940. The current Hawley Cemetery Association keeps the cemetery grounds and records in excellent condition. There are six sections in the cemetery, A-H. Burials at Hawley include brothers, Abel Head “Shanghai” Pierce and Jonathan Edwards Pierce and their extended families which includes William Walter “Pudge” Heffelfinger, All-American guard on a Yale University football team in the 1800s . In 2010 there are 1729 known burials and an undetermined number of unknowns.  Included in the 1729 burials are seven war casualties 375 veterans and seven Gold Star Mothers.
 

Box Supper At Blessing Community House; Proceeds For Hawley Cemetery

If it’s a lot of good clean fun you are looking for go to the Box Supper at the Blessing Community House, Friday night, June 6.

If you can’t buy the Ole Lady’s box or the best girl friend’s prize offering, you can certainly make someone else pay for the privilege of having a lot of fun. And you can have plenty of fun at an old-fashioned box supper.

Proceeds of the box supper will go to buying a power mower to care for the beautiful Hawley Cemetery. It is a worthy and worthwhile cause and our neighboring city deserves our support.

Blessing has wholeheartedly supported every civic and community enterprise Palacios has endeavored to promote and we have a lot of fun in returning them the favors they have shown this community.

Ladies take a box and the gents take a few extra shekels and go up to Blessing Friday night and enjoy the fun.

Pies, sandwiches and drinks will be available.

Palacios Beacon, June 5, 1947
 

Jonathan Edwards Pierce
Picture courtesy of Lee Hall & Ona Lea Pierce

Copyright 2005 - Present by Hawley Cemetery Association
All rights reserved

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