A Joint Project of the Sam Rayburn House Historic Site and the Fannin County Historical Commission

Celebrating America 250 with Spotlights of Fannin County Citizens Who Participated In or Witnessed Historical Events

Fannin County, Texas -- His tombstone at Willow Wild Cemetery reads: “In memory of Lt. James Marcum Hardaway, who was born in the state of Georgia, 22d Sep 1825. of the Texas Rangers: and was killed in a fight with the Guerillos at Popajia, on the Road from Camargo to Monterey [Mexico] in the month of August 1847. he was Commanding an Escort with the mail. He was one of the many who have laid down their life for their Country. He was the only son of T.E. & Nancy Hardaway.”

The Bonham Daily Favorite ran a story about James’s headstone in Willow Wild Cemetery on March 11, 1916, where they asked if anyone had information about James. His nephew, J.M. Taylor, answered that James was working in a unit with Colonel Robert H. Taylor of Bonham during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). James died in a ravine and stones marked his burial place. Col. Taylor later returned to Mexico and had James’ remains taken and buried at Pace Cemetery in Bonham.

Robert H. Taylor’s wife, Eppsy, was the sister of James Hardaway.

Later, during the construction of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas (also known as the Katy railroad) railroad station, some graves from the Pace Cemetery were removed, and James was finally laid to rest in section C114 at Willow Wild.

He was buried three times.