Forest Hill Cemetery

Located at 5713 Forest Hill Dr., Fort Worth.

One of the oldest burial grounds in Tarrant County; named for its location and used for many years before record-keeping began. In 1883 landowner J.W. Chapman deeded the property to Forest Hill Cumberland Presbyterian Church. ("Cumberland" was later dropped from the name.) Among the many interments of pioneers were Press and Jane Farmer, who lived at site of Fort Worth before the U.S. Army established the Fort in 1849. The cemetery is full although few headstones are visible, as most graves were unmarked or marked with field stones that have since disappeared. (1974)

Gibbins Cemetery and Homestead Site

Located at 2200 N. Davis Dr., Arlington.

James Gibbins (1817-70) migrated to Texas from Arkansas in 1857. He bought land near present-day Arlington in 1863. Gibbins deeded part of this land to his son Thomas Jefferson Gibbins (1841-91), who enlarged the homestead. This family Cemetery was first used for the burial of Thomas' first wife, Amanda C. Gibbins (1846-77). His second wife, Martha H. Gibbins (1856-1924), maintained the land for three decades after the death of her husband. The Gibbins family has contributed much to this area including the donation of land for a public school and the Rose-Brown-May Park. (1982)

Gibson Cemetery

Located at 7420 Gibson Cemetery Court, Fort Worth.

In 1853 Garrett and James Gibson, along with other family members, came to Tarrant County and established 160-acre homesteads in a settlement that came to be known as the Gibson Community. Each brother donated land at this site for use as a cemetery. The earliest marked grave is that of Garrett Gibson's infant grandson, James Truitt (d. 1866). All but two of the seventy-three marked graves, many of which have only fieldstones, are for relatives of the Gibson family. The cemetery now serves as a reminder of one of Tarrant County's earliest settlements. (1983)

Grapevine Cemetery

Located at the main gate at North Dooley Street and Wildwood Lane, Grapevine.

Samuel D. Coble (1830-1890), joined later by his brother Allen B. Coble (1836-1906), settled here in the 1850s. In 1878 they sold 4.5 acres of land at this site for use as a public cemetery. The oldest known grave is that of Louisa C. Guiry (d. 1860), who died at the age of 22. Many pioneer settlers of the area are buried here, including Barton H. Starr (1850-1912), elected the first Mayor of Grapevine in 1907, and James Tracy Morehead (1809-1897), who served as the second Judge of Tarrant County. Additional land south of the original tract was acquired in 1925. (1980)

Handley Cemetery

Located next to the Handley Power Plant on Rosedale east of Loop 820, Fort Worth.

This burial ground originally served the pioneer settlers of the Handley Community, which developed here soon after the Texas and Pacific Railroad built a line to the area in 1876. The earliest marked grave is that of Jane E. Thomas (1832-1878). A church building, constructed on adjacent land in 1882, was located here for 48 years. Several early residents buried at this site, including Civil War veteran Maj. James M. Handley (d. 1906), for whom the town was named, were later reinterred in the nearby Rose Hill Cemetery. The last burial here was in 1967. (1981)

Harper's Rest Cemetery

Located at 1804 Layton Avenue, Haltom City.

Henry Jackson Harper (1844-1928) brought his family to this area from Tennessee in 1894. This cemetery was begun when the child of a family traveling through the area died and was buried in grove of trees on the Harper Farm. Harper's grandson, Henry Mayton (1896-98) was the first family member interred here. Other family burials include those of Harper children and grandchildren. Harper's wife Mary Jane died in 1922, and he was buried next to her in 1928. His is the last know burial in Harpers Rest Cemetery. (1989)

Harrison Cemetery

Located at 8551 Meadowbrock Rd., Fort Worth.

When first used, this one-acre cemetery belonged to Tarrant County pioneer D.C. Harrison. The earliest known grave is that of Mary E. Harrison (1864-71). Several early settlers used this site, including R.A. Randol (1850-1922), the operator of Randol Mill, who bought this tract in 1895 and deeded it forever as a burial ground. Graves here number about sixty and include those of the Edward Deason Family, Randol's first wife Ronda (Harrison) (1859-82), his brother John C. Randol, who died in an 1894 mill accident, and Nancy Cannon Harrison (1833-83), mother of Ronda Harrison Randol. (1982)

Hitch Cemetery

Located 1/4 mile south of SH 183 and 1/4 mile west of the county line at the dead end of Kings Port Rd., 1/10 mile east of Cambridge Rd., Fort Worth.

This cemetery was once part of a large farm owned by Kentucky native William Henry Hitch (1818-1893), who brought his family here from Tennessee in 1855. The oldest grave in the cemetery is that of Haden T. Hitch (1846-1858), son of William H. and Esther Hitch. Besides the graves of Hitch family members, the graveyard also contains the burials of relatives in the Trigg, Liggett, and Martin families, all of whom had moved to Texas at the urging of William H. Hitch. The Hitch Cemetery stands as a visible reminder of those early pioneers. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986.

Hood Cemetery

Located at Coventry Lane at King's Court, Southlake.

This cemetery was established on the farm of Peters colonist Thomas M. Hood (ca. 1823-1859), who came to Texas from Missouri about 1845. The earliest marked grave is that of Urias Martin (1795-1855). Among the unmarked graves are those of Hood and his second wife Maryetta (Hall). Other Peters colonists and several Confederate veterans are buried here. In 1871 Thomas Hood's family formally set aside the one-acre cemetery tract. Handmade native sandstone markers and burial cairns reflect the lifestyles and resourcefulness of early north Texas pioneers. (1982)

Hudson Cemetery

Located 1.5 miles south of Kennedale on Business US 287, then .75 of a mile west on Hudson Cemetery Rd.

When John Dickinson and Winnie (Taylor) Hudson's daughter Ary Mae died in 1878, she was the first person to be buried on the family land. Her twin, Ara Bell, who had been buried in Montague County earlier that year, was later re-interred beside Ary Mae. In 1892 the Hudsons deeded three acres to the trustees of the Hudson Cemetery for use by the surrounding community. Most of the Hudson Cemetery burials date from the early 20th century. From 1954 to 1965 a cemetery fund was organized; it was resurrected in 1974 as the Hudson Cemetery. More than 500 graves were counted in 1996. Hudson Cemetery continues to serve as a record of Tarrant County pioneers. (1998)

I. D. Parker Public Cemetery and Homestead

Located in the 1300 block of Cardinal Drive, Hurst.

Isaac Duke Parker (1821-1902), son of early Texas politician Isaac Parker (1793-1883), settled near this site in 1853 with his family. During the Civil War I.D. Parker served as Tarrant County Commissioner before enlisting in the Confederate army. He assumed ownership and operation of the Parker Homestead and Cemetery about 1867. Shortly before his death, Parker donated this Cemetery property and designated the eastern half, which contains more than 30 graves, as a public burial ground. The cemetery and homestead site symbolize the life of this prominent pioneer family.

Isham Cemetery

Located in the 7100 Block of John T. White Boulevard, Fort Worth.

The Rev. W. Marion Isham (1831-1904) and his family came to Tarrant County from Georgia about 1870. Soon after arriving in the area Isham donated a one-acre plot of land to be used for a community cemetery. The oldest remaining legible grave marker here is that of N.L. Sweet (1824-1870), although earlier burials are documented by plain sandstone markers. Approximately five acres were added to the graveyard in 1941. Still in operation as a community burial ground, the historic graveyard is maintained by the Isham Cemetery Association. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986.

Johnson Station Cemetery

Located in the 1100 block West Mayfield at South Cooper  St., Arlington.

Now part of Arlington, this area was established in the 1840s as a ranger station and trading post known as Johnson Station. This cemetery serves as a reminder of that early settlement. The oldest marked grave in the cemetery is that of Elizabeth Robinson, who died November 15, 1863. A number of unmarked graves may date from an earlier time period. A variety of gravestone styles may be found here, marking the burial sites of pioneer settlers, veterans of the Civil War, and charter members of an early Masonic Lodge. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986.

Lonesome Dove Baptist Church and Cemetery

Located at 2380 Lonesome Dove, Southlake.

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Minter's Chapel Cemetery

Located on DFW Airport property on W. Airfield Dr., .25 mile north of Glade Road, Fort Worth.

Soon after lay Minister Green W. Minter (1803-1887) moved here about 1854, he helped organize Minter's Chapel Methodist Church. His son-in-law James Cate set aside 4.1 acres here for a church and burial ground. The earliest marked grave is that of A.M. Newton in 1857. Many tiny graves indicate a high child mortality rate. The early log meetinghouse was replaced in 1882 by a frame structure. In 1967 the Dallas-Fort Worth Regional Airport acquired the land, except for this 1.5-acre cemetery, and the church was relocated. (1979)

Mitchell Cemetery

Located 1/2 block southwest of NE 28th & Decatur Ave., Fort Worth.

Although nearly every trace of this pioneer cemetery has been erased, about twelve burials have been identified through written records. First used in the summer of 1848 for the burial of the 18-month-old son of Peters Colonist John B. York, the cemetery was named for a later owner of the property, Eli Mitchell. Among the Tarrant County pioneers buried here are John York, who became a County Sheriff, and Seaborne Gilmore, a Mexican War veteran who was Tarrant County's first elected County Judge. The historic cemetery is a significant part of the area's heritage. Sponsored by the North Fort Worth Historical Society. 1984

Morgan Hood Survey Pioneer Cemetery

From Grapevine take SH 26 about 2 miles northeast. Marker is on SH 26 right-of-way (south side) about .25 mile south of Bethel Road intersection.

Originally part of the Morgan Hood Survey, this small cemetery (75 ft. SE) has been abandoned for over a century. Its one visible grave is marked with portions of a sandstone burial cairn, a common method of marking graves in this area in the 1850s-1870s. The subject of speculation since no written records remain, the graves may be those of members of the Peters Colony, early pioneers who entered the Grapevine area in 1844. Although nearly all traces of the cemetery are gone, it serves as a reminder of Tarrant County's early days of settlement. (1983)

Mount Gilead Cemetery

Located on the north side of Bancroft Road at J.T. Ottinger Rd, Keller.

This burial ground originally served a pioneer settlement of related families who migrated to the area from Missouri in 1847 as members of the Peters Colony. They were headed by a widow, Permelia Allen (d. 1866), who is buried here in an unmarked grave. This tract, adjacent to the Mount Gilead Baptist Church and School, was first owned by her sons-in-law Daniel Barcroft (1812-81) and Iraneous Neace (1816-79). The earliest marked gravesite is that of William Joyce (1836-54). Homemade grave markers here reflect the pioneer lifestyle the early settlers. (1981)

Mount Olivet Cemetery

Located at 2205 N. Sylvania, Fort Worth.

Encompassing almost 130 acres, the Mount Olivet Cemetery was founded in 1907 by Flavious G. McPeak (1858-1933) and his wife, Johnnie Clara Lester McPeak (1858-1936), who arrived in Fort Worth in 1894 from Tennessee. The land on which the cemetery is located was purchased by Mrs. McPeak in 1895, and the family built a two-story home in 1896. The parents of ten children, the McPeaks moved to a home on Lake Street when they founded this cemetery. Flavious McPeak, a respected Fort Worth businessman, had visited the Mount Olivet Cemetery in Nashville, Tennessee, and was so impressed with its design that many of its features were incorporated here. A mausoleum was completed in 1909, but only served as a temporary receiving vault. It was torn down when a new mausoleum was built in 1983. A variety of free-standing and relief sculpture can be seen throughout the grounds. Containing over 47,000 burials, this was the first perpetual care cemetery in the county. The oldest marked grave is that of Zenas Ewin Kerr, buried April 11, 1907. Also interred here are 594 victims of the flu epidemic of 1918, the McPeaks and members of their family, and many Tarrant County pioneers. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986.

New Trinity Cemetery

Located at 4001 NE 28th St., Haltom City.

When the Rev. Greene Fretwell, a former slave, died in 1886, there was no black cemetery in this part of Tarrant County. With donations collected by his widow, Frances, the trustees of Trinity Chapel Methodist Church bought two acres in 1889 for a church and burial ground. Worship services were held under a brush arbor until a frame church was built here. By the 1920s, burials began on adjacent land, known as New Trinity Cemetery. Additional property was designated in 1931 as People's Burial Park. Today the three sites are commonly called New Trinity Cemetery.