Even now, the stillness, the quietness, the peacefulness with the smell of trees, weeds and newly cut woods stir the soul. What drew the people to this area when their loved ones had passed from this life to life on the other side of death? The place is named Indian Creek Cemetery, after a mostly dry Indian Creek which passes near this burial place.

Weathered and broken tombstones mark 52 graves but only sandstones mark 119 other graves. Numerous graves of infants and children are distinguished by the size of the graves, for life was precarious for the very young. Here lie the men and women, many of the ancestors of both Wise and Tarrant Counties.

They came on horseback, in wagons, in buggies and often walking to a new land and a new life. Why they left their homes for the unknown is hard to understand by those who enjoy the fruit of their labor.

The Indian Creek Cemetery is located on the Hirman M. Thompson 175-acre survey, issued by the State of Texas on November 21, 1857. The land was purchased from the Thompson heirs by Joseph Ray on July 271858, who then sold it to Robert Fore on Feb. 17, 1862. Subsequently the land became part of a large ranch owned by R. L. McDonald, and was part of a land purchased of William Fleming transacted on December 18, 1939. During and after World War II the Eagle Mountain National Guard Base, an air field, operated on part of the land immediately west of Indian Creek Cemetery. The land including the (undeeded) cemetery is now owned by Howard Walsh of Fort Worth.

The cemetery is located in the Newark community, which began as "Odessa", a post office established on September 8, 1855. The community was established by a group of farmers, many from Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, and other states. The cemetery at Indian Creek stands in memorial to many broken dreams of the families living in this area. Many grave markers show the unfinished tasks but others recall long life lived.

The oldest marked grave in the Indian Creek Cemetery is that of John Hudson (September 15, 1856 - September 19, 1856), newborn son of J.J. and N.A. Hudson. James J. Hudson was born November 4, 1824 in Kentucky, and became a "49er", participating in the California gold rush and accumulating a comfortable fortune, which enabled him to become a prosperous North Texas rancher. He arrived at Birdville, then county seat of Tarrant County, in the early to mid-1850's (exact date not known), where he married Nancy Bennett (December 29, 1839 - February 18, 1911). Probably in the early spring of 1854, Hudson moved to Odessa (Newark), establishing his Two Cross (2+) Ranch about one-half mile inside Wise County. The Two Cross Ranch eventually grew to 10,080 acres, making james Hudson the largest real estate taxpayer in Wise County for a time.

James J. Hudson and his wife are buried side by side in the Indian Creek Cemetery. Also buried in this family plot are some of their other children, a daughter, Mollie F. Hudson (August 2, 1860 - December 11, 1879) and their son, William Hudson (May 30, 1858 - January 31, 1873). Their daughter, Josephine L. Hudson was buried at the Aurora Cemetery, located in Rhome, Texas, but a marker was placed at the Indian Creek Cemetery in her memory.

W.D. Hudson (February 23, 1832 - August 17, 1875) and his wife, Mary Frances Hudson (January 3, 1835 - February 6, 1909) are also buried in this family plot along with five of their very young children. On March 6, 1860, an infant was born and died. On September 7, 1862, their four year, 9 month and 6 days old son, John B. Hudson, died. Following closely on September 21, 1862, a 3 year, 7 months old daughter, Frances E. Hudson, died. Only little over two short months later, on December 9, 1862, a 1 year, 8 months, 24 days old daughter, Nancy E. Hudson died. Then nine years later on December 18, 1871, an 8 month, 16 days old son, Columbus Hudson died. A person can only imagine the grief this family endured and wonder how the people could continue to carry on. But carry on they did, as is evident by the ancestors that live to carry on their proud names.

Eula Roberts (1900 - 1978) was the last person to be buried at the Indian Creek Cemetery. Eula was an adopted daughter of B.D. Henley (August 11, 1848 - April 20, 1908) and M.J. (McLain Henley) Washburn (November 13, 1852 - April 17, 1927), both buried in the Indian Creek Cemetery. For many years Eula lived at the Tarrant County Farm and when it was closed, she moved into the Salvation Army Home. She was living there when she died. Eula was called "Baby Doll" by many of those who knew her as she always had a doll with her.

Eula Roberts' burial marked the first burial in thirty years. Iva Ann (McLain) Harvey (1880 - 1948) was buried in Indian Creek Cemetery just twenty years after her mother's death. There were several burials at the cemetery in the early 1920's with the burial of Caroline Copeland McLain (February 10, 1848 - March 27, 1928) being the last burial that is recorded by a tombstone. So in the past fifty years, there have been only two burials in the cemetery.

When Iva Ann Harvey was buried, many of the women did not get out of their cars because the weeds and brush were so grown up and so high that they were afraid of snakes that might be in the weeds. There was not a road leading to the cemetery so that vehicles had to drive through high weeds and grass to get there.

It is reported that Wiley McLain (February 14, 1843 - February 16, 1921) was buried and then some weeks later a memorial service was held for him. There had been a lot of rain so that the Trinity River was over its banks and high water stood in the usually dry Indian Creek. His coffin was placed on a wagon and the wagon was forged across the Trinity River and Indian Creek. When the trinity River went down so that the family could attend, a memorial service was held at the Newark Church of Christ building for him.

Wiley McLain was the son of David McLain (December 25, 1814 - August 21, 1885) and Manerva Wiggenton McLain (December 11, 1816 - October 14, 1875), both of whom are buried in Indian Creek Cemetery. David McLain, a native of Scotland, brought his family to Southern Wise County from Illinois in 1866. Wiley, the fifth of eleven children, experienced the frontier days of Indian disturbances, serving in Co. B, 1st Frontier Protection Guard, Wise County Company.

Five small children of Charles R. and Armonda Huff, another local family, died and were buried at the Indian Creek Cemetery. Their small graves were marked with sandstones and over the years the graves have been lost. Perhaps the stones have been moved; no one knows for sure where the graves are today. The Huffs later had four sons and two daughters to carry on the name of Huff.

An infant son was born and died on November 21, 1893 to C.D. and A.M. Henderson and then five days later the mother, A.M. Henderson (March 30, 1876 - November 26, 1893) died. So little is known about this family but still so much, for they represented the high mortality rate of infants and mothers in that era. A.M. Henderson was just 17 and 1/2 years old when she departed this life. She probably did so much living but still had so little time here on this earth.

While the short lives are sad to recall, many long and fruitful lives cannot be overlooked, such as James J. Hudson who lived 90 years; and W.D. Hudson and his wife, Mary Frances (Thurmond) Hudson, who were the parents of fifteen children. Their descend- ants still attend their graves in loving memory of their great- grand parents.

Joseph W. DeWees (September 11, 1839 - December 23, 1924) and his wife, Sarah E. (Huff) DeWees (February 17, 1848 - February 24, 1890) were the parents of eleven children. Thomas E. DeWees (April 17, 1870 - October 21, 1871) and Margaret J. DeWees (February 11, 1879 - February 24, 1880) being the only ones of the eleven who did not live to be adults. While Sarah lived only 43 years, Mr. J.W. DeWees lived to a ripe old age of 85 years. Mr. DeWees lived a full and productive life, having been a cowboy, teamster, Confederate cavalryman, Indian fighter, and farmer. Many of his descendants are active in the caring of the Indian Creek Cemetery to this day.

Many interesting stories could be told about the people buried at this cemetery. These people and their descendants possessed an amazing capacity to survive as is evident by many that are active in the restoring and maintaining of the Indian Creek Cemetery.

In 1981, Edward Leo Harvey Sr., the son of Iva Ann Harvey (1880 - 1948), the grandson of Caroline Copeland McLain (February 10, 1848 - March 27, 1928) and the great grandson of David McLain (December 25, 1814 - August 21, 1883) and Manerva McLain (December 11, 1816 - October 14, 1875) and his wife, Thelma May (Dixon) Harvey set to work to clean and restore the Indian Creek Cemetery. They were told by Mr. Gene Johnston, a great-grandson of David and Manerva McLain and who is well into his nineties, that the cemetery had not been cleaned for over sixty years. Many graves marked with sandstones and several with grave markers had been lost because of the tall and very thick underbrush. After the underbrush had been cleared and each grave marked with sandstones had been marked with a metal marker, a new fence was installed around the cemetery.

Plans are in the making to continue to maintain and share for this cemetery that will show honor and respect to those that have paved the way for this generation of today.