Windham Cemetery
Brownwood, Brown County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Named for early settler and cattle rancher S. R. Windham, this cemetery dates to 1879. The earliest documented grave is that of J. M. McPeeters, who died on July 18, 1879. Also buried here in that year was Martin Shelby Byrd, who operated a store and post office and for whom the Byrds community was named. Others interred in the Windham Cemetery include victims of the early 20th-century influenza epidemic and veterans of the Civil War, World War I, and World War II. In existence for over a century, the cemetery continues to serve area citizens. (1990)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Named for early settler and cattle rancher S. R. Windham, this Brown County cemetery dates to 1879, its earliest grave marking a death that July. Among those buried here is Martin Shelby Byrd, a storekeeper and postmaster for whom the Byrds community was named, along with victims of the early-20th-century influenza epidemic and veterans of the Civil War and both World Wars. In use for well over a century, it still serves the surrounding community.
Why it matters
A ranching-era cemetery preserves the names of the settlers, storekeepers, and soldiers who shaped rural Brown County, along with the mark of the 1918 flu pandemic on Texas life.
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Related people
- ¡ S. R. Windham
- ¡ J. M. McPeeters
- ¡ Martin Shelby Byrd
Related events
- ¡ 1918 influenza epidemic
Themes & tags
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