These graves used to be located high above the northwest intersection of North Eldridge Parkway and the North I-10 (Katy Fwy) feeder road. They have been moved to this cemetery due to the freeway expansion.
Following info provided to Paul Smith by Chris Culberson:
Description of the excavation done in November 2003 by Prewitt and Associates archeologists at the request of TxDOT:
Oral history indicates that Oscar Abstein and an unnamed child died in 1884 and were buried on land owned by the Gastmann family. They were not related to the Gastmanns, but were "travelers" who became ill and died. This recollection is from interviews by TxDOT personnel in 2001. They interviewed Emilia Browning and Emil Koehn, a brother and sister who are related to the Gastmann family.
The Gastmann family sold part of their property to the Missouri, Kansas, & Texas Railway in 1892, and three graves were located within the railroad right of way. The grave of Oscar Abstein was moved a short distance to a safe location near the edge of the right of way. These records indicate that the two other graves were to be left undisturbed. There is no map, but presumably these graves were along the edge of the right of way and Oscar's grave was moved nearer to these graves.
A 1931 State Highway Department construction map shows 4 graves. There is no other reference to these graves.
A 1954 State Highway Department construction map shows only 2 graves.
A 1965 State Highway Department construction map shows 2 graves and the construction plan for the retaining wall that was to be built around them.
Here is what we know from the investigation:
A headstone of Oscar Abstein at the site confirms his death date as July
10, 1884.
Prewitt and Associates archeologists were at the site from November 17 to
21, 2003, to do the burial excavations and reinterment.
On the surface, the gravestone fragments of Oscar Abstein's headstone had been cemented together and a large white wooden cross was erected. Two other headstone fragments were cemented together and a smaller white wooden cross was erected. The latter turned out to be fragment of the base of Oscar Abstein's headstone, so there was really only one grave marker.
We used a gradall to locate the graves. About 2 feet of artificial fill had been brought in to raise the ground surface inside the concrete retaining wall. We found 2 headstone bases (called plinths) at about 13 and 22 inches below the ground surface. One of these was definitely the base for Oscar's stone, the other had a small broken fragment of a stone still in the slot, but this stone was not found and may have disappeared long ago.
We found three graves.
Grave 1 was an adult, probably a female but too incomplete to determine precise age. Buried in a plain wooden coffin. The buried headstone base (without marker) was associated with this grave..
Grave 2 was an adult, but also too incomplete to determine age and sex.
Buried in a plain wooden casket. No grave marker is associated. It was partially disturbed by the gradall because it was located so close to the edge of the retaining wall and was not marked.
Grave 3 is the very fragmented remains of an adult and a child, buried in a small pit with no evidence of a wooden container. This grave is located very close to the buried headstone base that fits Oscar's headstone, and it is presumed to be the reinterment of Oscar and the unnamed child (sex indeterminate).
We did not find the elusive fourth grave (observed only in 1931), although we scraped everywhere inside and beyond the retaining wall. It is possible that there never was a fourth grave, but that surface evidence led people to think there were four.
Following info provided to Paul Smith by Chris Culberson:
Description of the excavation done in November 2003 by Prewitt and Associates archeologists at the request of TxDOT:
Oral history indicates that Oscar Abstein and an unnamed child died in 1884 and were buried on land owned by the Gastmann family. They were not related to the Gastmanns, but were "travelers" who became ill and died. This recollection is from interviews by TxDOT personnel in 2001. They interviewed Emilia Browning and Emil Koehn, a brother and sister who are related to the Gastmann family.
The Gastmann family sold part of their property to the Missouri, Kansas, & Texas Railway in 1892, and three graves were located within the railroad right of way. The grave of Oscar Abstein was moved a short distance to a safe location near the edge of the right of way. These records indicate that the two other graves were to be left undisturbed. There is no map, but presumably these graves were along the edge of the right of way and Oscar's grave was moved nearer to these graves.
A 1931 State Highway Department construction map shows 4 graves. There is no other reference to these graves.
A 1954 State Highway Department construction map shows only 2 graves.
A 1965 State Highway Department construction map shows 2 graves and the construction plan for the retaining wall that was to be built around them.
Here is what we know from the investigation:
A headstone of Oscar Abstein at the site confirms his death date as July
10, 1884.
Prewitt and Associates archeologists were at the site from November 17 to
21, 2003, to do the burial excavations and reinterment.
On the surface, the gravestone fragments of Oscar Abstein's headstone had been cemented together and a large white wooden cross was erected. Two other headstone fragments were cemented together and a smaller white wooden cross was erected. The latter turned out to be fragment of the base of Oscar Abstein's headstone, so there was really only one grave marker.
We used a gradall to locate the graves. About 2 feet of artificial fill had been brought in to raise the ground surface inside the concrete retaining wall. We found 2 headstone bases (called plinths) at about 13 and 22 inches below the ground surface. One of these was definitely the base for Oscar's stone, the other had a small broken fragment of a stone still in the slot, but this stone was not found and may have disappeared long ago.
We found three graves.
Grave 1 was an adult, probably a female but too incomplete to determine precise age. Buried in a plain wooden coffin. The buried headstone base (without marker) was associated with this grave..
Grave 2 was an adult, but also too incomplete to determine age and sex.
Buried in a plain wooden casket. No grave marker is associated. It was partially disturbed by the gradall because it was located so close to the edge of the retaining wall and was not marked.
Grave 3 is the very fragmented remains of an adult and a child, buried in a small pit with no evidence of a wooden container. This grave is located very close to the buried headstone base that fits Oscar's headstone, and it is presumed to be the reinterment of Oscar and the unnamed child (sex indeterminate).
We did not find the elusive fourth grave (observed only in 1931), although we scraped everywhere inside and beyond the retaining wall. It is possible that there never was a fourth grave, but that surface evidence led people to think there were four.
These graves used to be located high above the northwest intersection of North Eldridge Parkway and the North I-10 (Katy Fwy) feeder road. They have been moved to this cemetery due to the freeway expansion.
Following info provided to Paul Smith by Chris Culberson:
Description of the excavation done in November 2003 by Prewitt and Associates archeologists at the request of TxDOT:
Oral history indicates that Oscar Abstein and an unnamed child died in 1884 and were buried on land owned by the Gastmann family. They were not related to the Gastmanns, but were "travelers" who became ill and died. This recollection is from interviews by TxDOT personnel in 2001. They interviewed Emilia Browning and Emil Koehn, a brother and sister who are related to the Gastmann family.
The Gastmann family sold part of their property to the Missouri, Kansas, & Texas Railway in 1892, and three graves were located within the railroad right of way. The grave of Oscar Abstein was moved a short distance to a safe location near the edge of the right of way. These records indicate that the two other graves were to be left undisturbed. There is no map, but presumably these graves were along the edge of the right of way and Oscar's grave was moved nearer to these graves.
A 1931 State Highway Department construction map shows 4 graves. There is no other reference to these graves.
A 1954 State Highway Department construction map shows only 2 graves.
A 1965 State Highway Department construction map shows 2 graves and the construction plan for the retaining wall that was to be built around them.
Here is what we know from the investigation:
A headstone of Oscar Abstein at the site confirms his death date as July
10, 1884.
Prewitt and Associates archeologists were at the site from November 17 to
21, 2003, to do the burial excavations and reinterment.
On the surface, the gravestone fragments of Oscar Abstein's headstone had been cemented together and a large white wooden cross was erected. Two other headstone fragments were cemented together and a smaller white wooden cross was erected. The latter turned out to be fragment of the base of Oscar Abstein's headstone, so there was really only one grave marker.
We used a gradall to locate the graves. About 2 feet of artificial fill had been brought in to raise the ground surface inside the concrete retaining wall. We found 2 headstone bases (called plinths) at about 13 and 22 inches below the ground surface. One of these was definitely the base for Oscar's stone, the other had a small broken fragment of a stone still in the slot, but this stone was not found and may have disappeared long ago.
We found three graves.
Grave 1 was an adult, probably a female but too incomplete to determine precise age. Buried in a plain wooden coffin. The buried headstone base (without marker) was associated with this grave..
Grave 2 was an adult, but also too incomplete to determine age and sex.
Buried in a plain wooden casket. No grave marker is associated. It was partially disturbed by the gradall because it was located so close to the edge of the retaining wall and was not marked.
Grave 3 is the very fragmented remains of an adult and a child, buried in a small pit with no evidence of a wooden container. This grave is located very close to the buried headstone base that fits Oscar's headstone, and it is presumed to be the reinterment of Oscar and the unnamed child (sex indeterminate).
We did not find the elusive fourth grave (observed only in 1931), although we scraped everywhere inside and beyond the retaining wall. It is possible that there never was a fourth grave, but that surface evidence led people to think there were four.
Following info provided to Paul Smith by Chris Culberson:
Description of the excavation done in November 2003 by Prewitt and Associates archeologists at the request of TxDOT:
Oral history indicates that Oscar Abstein and an unnamed child died in 1884 and were buried on land owned by the Gastmann family. They were not related to the Gastmanns, but were "travelers" who became ill and died. This recollection is from interviews by TxDOT personnel in 2001. They interviewed Emilia Browning and Emil Koehn, a brother and sister who are related to the Gastmann family.
The Gastmann family sold part of their property to the Missouri, Kansas, & Texas Railway in 1892, and three graves were located within the railroad right of way. The grave of Oscar Abstein was moved a short distance to a safe location near the edge of the right of way. These records indicate that the two other graves were to be left undisturbed. There is no map, but presumably these graves were along the edge of the right of way and Oscar's grave was moved nearer to these graves.
A 1931 State Highway Department construction map shows 4 graves. There is no other reference to these graves.
A 1954 State Highway Department construction map shows only 2 graves.
A 1965 State Highway Department construction map shows 2 graves and the construction plan for the retaining wall that was to be built around them.
Here is what we know from the investigation:
A headstone of Oscar Abstein at the site confirms his death date as July
10, 1884.
Prewitt and Associates archeologists were at the site from November 17 to
21, 2003, to do the burial excavations and reinterment.
On the surface, the gravestone fragments of Oscar Abstein's headstone had been cemented together and a large white wooden cross was erected. Two other headstone fragments were cemented together and a smaller white wooden cross was erected. The latter turned out to be fragment of the base of Oscar Abstein's headstone, so there was really only one grave marker.
We used a gradall to locate the graves. About 2 feet of artificial fill had been brought in to raise the ground surface inside the concrete retaining wall. We found 2 headstone bases (called plinths) at about 13 and 22 inches below the ground surface. One of these was definitely the base for Oscar's stone, the other had a small broken fragment of a stone still in the slot, but this stone was not found and may have disappeared long ago.
We found three graves.
Grave 1 was an adult, probably a female but too incomplete to determine precise age. Buried in a plain wooden coffin. The buried headstone base (without marker) was associated with this grave..
Grave 2 was an adult, but also too incomplete to determine age and sex.
Buried in a plain wooden casket. No grave marker is associated. It was partially disturbed by the gradall because it was located so close to the edge of the retaining wall and was not marked.
Grave 3 is the very fragmented remains of an adult and a child, buried in a small pit with no evidence of a wooden container. This grave is located very close to the buried headstone base that fits Oscar's headstone, and it is presumed to be the reinterment of Oscar and the unnamed child (sex indeterminate).
We did not find the elusive fourth grave (observed only in 1931), although we scraped everywhere inside and beyond the retaining wall. It is possible that there never was a fourth grave, but that surface evidence led people to think there were four.
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