16/08/2023
July 22, 2023, Belton, Texas
Bell County is rich in history and in folklore. We will research the history of the facts and of the folklore to combine with the research in the paranormal. Bell County, Texas… who would have ever thought of the towns within would be so intriguing from the past to the modern day to include Fort Hood, now Fort Cavazos. Some of the locations we will visit will have repeated visits based upon our findings and the interactions. The research is never ending.
Two of our team members went to South Belton Cemetery. It’s listed as the oldest cemetery in Belton, with the oldest death date of May 21, 1851. Some of those buried served in various conflicts that have shaped the history of the county, state and the country. Also, sad is to see that some of the graves are ill kept, some deteriorating from time of the elements and some of vandal. There is a paupers grave and there is also a common grave of nine. It’s a beautiful and peaceful cemetery. We hope that is remains beautiful in time to come and some preservation.
Many of the photos taken and videos recorded, we did not find anything except one which could easily be chalked up to pareidolia. A black cat that we noticed was on his prowl chasing insects. We did get an interesting EVP that will be shared in the next post, since Facebook is odd with photos and videos with pages.
We got names that came through of Rob and Fred. There is about six Roberts and one Fred that is buried there.
Buried in the common grave, is from May 25, 1874. Nine male inmates were executed by a mob that they originally thought was there to rescue them. Eight of those men were horse/cattle thieves and one for murdering his wife. It is not clear based on different sources that the men were dragged outside to the front of the jail dead and as they were dying or to the ear of the jail. They were originally buried in a mass grave but later exhumed, given a proper burial in separate graves not individually marked. Their grave is marked by one single headstone. Three were listed by only their surnames Bickel, Cowen, and Crow. Some documents have a name listed as Wingfield did Cowen use an alias?
John Alexander (aka John Daily), Bicknel (some documents have the spelling as Beckneal), Loyd Coleman (accused of murdering his wife), Cowen (possible first name of William and other spelling of last name Cowan), Crow, William Henry Grumbles, J.S. McDonald, Marion McDonald and William S. Smith