George West, Live Oak County
The George West Cemetery was originally part of the George West Ranch. The ranch dates to the 1880s, when George Washington West (1851-1926) and his wife, Kitty Searcy West (1858-1939), purchased 140,000 acres in Live Oak County. On March 4, 1916, George set aside six acres of his vast ranch for use as a community and Live Oak County Cemetery. Management remained with George West and family until his death in 1926. The estate gifted the cemetery to the citizens of the county as a free burial ground. It was administered through a committee appointed by the Live Oak County Commissioners Court. Acreage added by West heirs and W. Hale Canfield expanded the cemetery to more than 20 acres. The first legible headstone is for Espetasion Garza (1900-1916) and is inscribed in Spanish. Many early headstones are illegible. Notable burials include civic leader William Hale Canfield (1907-1991) and his wife, Mable Frances (Lamm) Canfield (1913-2004). Judge William “Bill” Scott Kendall (1913-1990) was a World War II veteran. Ramiro Garcia (1912-2000) was a lifelong George West citizen and owner of the successful T&T Café, along with his wife, Lena (Chapa) Garcia (1912-2004). Burials also include veterans, medical personnel, ranchers, business owners, educators, laborers and others from the area. All helped shape the landscape of George West and Live Oak County. Improvements to the cemetery were made over the years, including a water well, electricity, caliche roads, and a stone gate. Since 1926, the George West Cemetery Association has maintained the cemetery, preserving this chronicle of early George West and Live Oak County heritage. Historic Texas Cemetery – 2018