WINCHESTER, TOWN & CEMETERY, aka CHATHAM

Hot Springs County, Wyoming

N   43  52.335    W   108 10.244

Preface

The postoffice at Winchester was named for  R. S. Winchester, a rancher and postmaster.  When the railroad came through, Winchester objected to having his name on the boxcar that served as a station.  So, the railroad officials named the railroad station Chatham.  There are still homes around the Winchester area, but no businesses or post office.

Travel South from Worland on US Hyw 20 about 16 miles, until you reach the Winchester Oil Tank Farm.  On the right, or west there is a single tank, and just past that you leave the highway pavement and go through a fence.  Please close the gate behind you.  Follow a dirt road up the hills until you come to a fork in the road.  Bear right on a dirt trail, observing the fenced cemetery in front of you.  It is .9 miles from the highway to the cemetery, which is on a gravel knoll, and there is a metal gate with the name WINCHESTER above it.  The cemetery is about 100’ by 75’ in size and there is plenty of room for more people.  It is a beautiful place and if you are there at sundown, you will see the golden sky of sunset against the mountains on one side and the moonrise against the spectacular blue and white hues of the Big Horn Mountains on the other side.  The moon will appear to be so large it will take your breath away.

This was supposed to be a Winchester family cemetery.  Their family are mostly on the front row.  They allowed others to be buried there.  At one time they requested that the cemetery remain with sagebrush and grasses so it would always look like the country did when they first came.  Other than the fence, put up by Roy Purvis, it has been left alone.

Tschigg (Headstone)

Joseph 1884-1935     Lena  1882-1939

Perll Vanderhoef (Headstone)

Aug 28, 1909   Jan 4, 1919

Greminos(Headstone and Metal Marker)

Nellie M.  1900-1977   John S.  1886-1958

Daughter Mercie B. Haman(Headstone) (dau of Winchesters)

1911-1954

Ethel M. Winchester(Headstone) (Mary)

Oct 2, 1887    Nov 10, 1917

Milton J. Winchester(Metal Marker with Tin Insert)

Jan 26 1941  64 yrs 10 mos 22 days   (Mortimer Mortuary)

WW(Flat Welded Plate on a Concrete Base)

Donald Winchester(Flat Stone)

James M. Winchester(Headstone)

Oct 16, 1909   Nov 25, 1940

(also metal Veile Funeral Home Marker from Worland, WY)

Lloyd E. Wright (Flat Stone)

July 29, 1891   Dec 12, 1962

Buded on Earth to Bloom in Heaven  Our Loving Daughter Kubiak(Headstone)  May 28, 1952

Nettie Winchester(Flat Metal on Concrete)

1897-1918

Ruby Winchester(Flat Metal on Concrete)

1876-1922

Elmer Fix(Flat Metal on Concrete)

1920-1924

Marian S. Smith

1877-1964

(Headstone, DAR Medallion and Metal Marker--Mortimer Funeral Home)

Ruth Winchester(Flat Metal on Concrete)

1923-1925

Roy Purvis(Metal Marker on Headstone-- Mortimer Funeral Home)

1889-1965

Viola L.(Headstone)

wife of R. C. Purvis

June 25, 1868   Feb 1, 1901

Russell Winchester    Co. D   III PA. INF. (Headstone)

Worland Grit 4 May 1933 Russell A. Winchester Obituary Available...buried at Winchester, WY

Mother   Mercie A. Winchester(Headstone)

1848-1935

There are a number of metal markers from the Mortimore Funeral Home, but the information on the original tin inserts is missing.

Worland Grit 29 Oct 1931