Tarrant County, TXGenWeb

Fretwell Cemetery

aka Old Settlers Cemetery
Haltom City, Texas

Northeast corner of North Beach Street and Northeast 28th Street.
Cemetery transcribed by Judy Sander Cockrell & Joyce Hendricks.
Submitted 12 April 2000

 

The first known burial in this cemetery was of Reverend Greene Fretwell.

When other members of his family were sold to a new owner in North Carolina, Rev. Greene swam the Ohio River to freedom.

Originally settling at Spears Grove, a black community between Keller and Watauga, Greene Fretwell, in 1883, then moved his family to a farm on todays present 28th Street.

When Reverend Fretwell died in 1886, there was no cemetery for African Americans in this area. His widow, Francis, traveled on horseback going to the neighboring farms, ranches and trustees of Trinity Chapel Methodist Church asking for any donation, large or small, and promising these families they would always have a place to be buried.

She collected $30 dollars and bought the two acres at 28th and Beach Street for a church and the graveyard to bury him in. The initial two-acre purchase was recorded on June 26, 1889. He was taken from his original burial plot in the woods on their property, and laid to rest in this small cemetery.

Many of the family members still gather today to give rememberances to a family gone, but hardly forgotten. I found a burial as recent as 1999 in the Fretwell Cemetery.

I had a wonderful opportunity to speak with Carl Fretwell, trustee of the cemetery, days prior to submitting this transcription. he would not, however, tell me where the Reverend Fretwell is buried today. His marker was destroyed by vandals some time ago and the family would like to have the Historical Society buy a new one to replace it. Until then, this gravesite will remain a secret upon which time it can be restored and properly marked.

A proud man, a proud family, protecting each other for ever after and beyond.

                      Judy

Name
Age

Birth

Death

Inscription

M.F. Fennell   Mar. 9,1879 Sep 12,1909  
George Budeim   1858 May 16,1893  
  This stone against fence facing Beach Street. Hand written.
Lola E. 30 Nov 9, 1883 Jul 29,1915  
  This tombstone is lying upside down against fence.
Lindsey L. Thompson   Nov 24,1916 Jan 9,1958  
Charles G. Lee Sr.   1901 1969  
Len Thompson   1881 1952 In Memory of - Husband - At Rest
Fred Reed   Dec 12,1913 Nov 30,1977 U.S Army WWII
Frank T. Hooper   Nov 22,1921 Jan 28,1981 TEC 5 U.S. Army WWII
Aunt Sudie Hooper Whytus   1893 1988  
Ralph Hooper   Aug 24, 1924 Mar 23, 1979 PFC U.S. Army WWII
John Lee Thompson   Mar 3, 1926 Aug 14, 1961 California PFC-4126 Base Unit A.A.F. WWII
John H. Thompson     Feb 15, 1942 Texas PVT 816 Pioneer INE
Douglass Mathis   Jun 20, 1895 Dec 5, 1905  
Delia Hooper     Dec 25,1957 At Rest
J.C. Hooper   Aug 18, 1900 Feb 3, 1925 Tho Lost To Sight To Memory Dear - American Woodman
Fred G. Hooper   Jan 28, 1920 Dec 16, 1956 Texas PVT. 851 Port Co TC WWII
Juanita Hooper   Sep 12, 1885 Feb 26, 1961  
  Date of death was Feb 12 and was changed.
Will Fullbright 38   Jul 26,1915  
Claude Tell   Apr 17, 1886 Feb 17, 1951 Texas WWI Pvt 65 Pioneer Infantry
Damon McKee   Aug 1, 1895 Apr 8, 1950 Texas WWI Cpl 801 Pioneer Infantry
Myrtle Gery   Jan 29, 1898 Sep 28,1916  
Gladis Gery   Jul 8, 1914 Feb 20, 1924  
Lottie Guery   Aug 30, 1853 Aug 18,1934  
  Inscription is hand carved.
Burton Guery   Dec 25, 1841 Aug 25, 1935  
  Inscription is hand carved.
Henry Smith 56   Apr 25, 1914 Age 56 Yrs - Prepare To Meet Me In Heaven
Lee McMillian
Addie McMillian
  1891 1947  
  1886 1958  
Ernest Stewart   1900 1969  
Bernice Gray   Sep 20,1932 Aug 12, 1967  
Eliauro Budanauro   1914 1985 In Loving Memory
  U.S Coast Guard symbol
J. Moore Wheeler   1899 1971 In Loving Memory
Susie Moore   1900 1979 Mother
Sylvia L. Barnwell   Mar 12, 1921 (blank) In Loving Memory - Mother
Maudie Mae Thompson
Courtwright Thompson
  Jan 9, 1892 Oct 22, 1985  
  Nov 5, 1888 Aug 22, 1973  
Luda Howard   Apr 3, 1902 Feb 12, 1987  
Sam Howard   1899 1987 Beloved Father
Sally E. (Sallie?) Howard     1910  
  This stone is hand made with the name painted on.
Scherrell Ann Fretwell   Mar 6, 1944 Aug 10, 1990 I.L.M.
Nun Q Fretwell   Feb 2, 1960 Apr 14 1986 I've Been Changed The Angel In Heaven Don Signed My Name
Derrick Demond Sadberry   Aug 6, 1972 Aug 7, 1972  
Dewitt Gardner Fretwell   Jan 18, 1947 Jun 3, 1947  
Rachel Howard
Julius Howard
  Apr 3, 1923 Mar 26, 1976 Forever In Our Hearts
  Sep 9, 1894 Mar 3, 1958 Son
Julius Anthony
Julius Jr.
  Aug 29, 1973 (blank)  
  Mar 27, 1952 Jun 11,1978  
Delores Jane Howard   Dec 1, 1953 Nov 29, 1978 To Live In Hears We Leave Behind Is Not To Die
U.O. (Fred) Fretwell
Alice J. Fretwell
  May 16, 1884 Sep 26 1945 Father
  Mar 16, 1878 Oct 24, 1969 Mother
Robert Washington   Nov 10, 1906 Dec 23, 1974 CK3 U.S. Navy
Samual A. Hill
Geneva F. Hill
  1912 1987 Married Oct 24, 1936
  1913 (blank)  
Fretwell Jink O.   Oct 2, 1916 Jul 15,1999  
Edith M. Sanders
James M. Sanders
  Aug 2, 1904 May 1, 1979  
  Sep 4, 1902 Jun 22, 1978  
Chamberlin Sanders Jr.   Dec 2, 1953 Mar 14, 1991 Beloved Father and Brother
Chaney Sanders   Jul 7, 1929 Nov 24, 1995 Sgt. U.S. Army Korea
Ida Mae Miller   Feb 19, 1925 Jul 18, 1971 In Loving Memory
Harold Clement   Mar 10-1927 Jun 3 1973 Texas PFC Army W.W.II
Nora Cooper   Dec 14, 1866 Dec 8, 1934 Wife - At Rest
  Fallen stone - face up.

 


This page was last modified 13 Feb 2002.

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