Local’s grandson restores Bee Cave Cemetery

By Hannah Neumann, Lake Travis View

 Don’t call William Grumbles superstitious. Days before Halloween, the 16-year-old Boy Scout and a team of volunteers comprised of family members and fellow Scouts gathered at a cemetery near Bee Cave, Texas, that had been almost lost to time and nature.

 William is the son of Richard & Michelle “Hamlin” Grumbles of Bee Cave and is the grandson of Archie Maxfield and the late Betty Maxfield and the great-grandson of Marie Jones, all of Clarendon. He and his squad weren’t out to bust ghosts; the Troop 441 Boy Scout was set on restoring the Carl Beck Cemetery for his Eagle Scout project that is close to him and connected to Bee Cave’s past.

 The cemetery is so hidden by overgrown shrubs and trees that even those driving right past it on their way to Field of Dreams for their weekly Lake Travis Youth Association practices were unaware of its existence.

 Many Eagle Scouts build swing sets, make storage bins, work in gardens or perform other community service tasks for their Eagle Scout projects, but the Lake Travis High School student chose an activity that would bring back some Bee Cave history.

 “While William and his brother, Justin, used to play Little League baseball at the Field of Dreams, we would all search around in the areas for any history, as our families have always owned land in and around Bee Cave for hundreds of years,” said William’s grandmother, Carolyn Grumbles. “One day while looking around, William and his dad, Richard, came upon a small cemetery covered with grape vines, cockle burrs, weeds and cedars near the soccer fields.”

 William was so intrigued by what he found out was called the Carl Beck Cemetery that he started to search for more information. He decided to make the restoration of it his Eagle Scout project, in the attempt to not only earn a an Eagle Scout award, but to also preserve a large piece of unknown Bee Cave history.

 Ironically, many of the Grumbles’ relatives were buried in this very cemetery.

 William and his group of volunteers began the cemetery clean-up on Saturday morning and worked for more than 12 hours over the weekend, with the knowledge that they would need to come back the following weekend to finish the final touches.

 Despite completing most of the massive undertaking, William must continue to document the project in order to obtain his Eagle Scout honor.

 Although Eagle is the highest achievement one can attain in the Scout program, William said he doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

 “Once you get Eagle, you’re not done with the rank, but you’re one of the highest points in Scouting, and you’re just more of a leader,” said William. “After you officially become an Eagle, you can go higher and get palms and merit badges, while serving as a leader.”

 Although William is unsure about his future plans, he knows that he is going to take with him the knowledge and tools he has learned throughout his 11 years in the Scouting organization, wherever he goes. He believes that the greatest things the Scouts has provided him with are responsibility and leadership.

 “When you say that you’re a Boy Scout, people just automatically assume that you’re more of a leader,” William observed. “Being involved in Scouts really teaches you to be a leader and to be an outstanding citizen.”