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before
after
The Garvin Cemetery is
where it all started and was NTCP first project. No cemetery
association exists to care for this cemetery. So, if we do not care
for it, no one else will. Above is the before picture and below is
the after. Photos provided by Dan Fauver.
A Texas Historical Marker has been placed at
this cemetery. It reads:
"This burial ground served the pioneer families
who settled in the area. Graves here date from the 1870’s. The land
for the cemetery, was donated to the community by James G. Garvin
(1830-1897). A former Dallas Merchant, his wife Eliza, and brothers
Col. William L. Crawford (18329-1920) and Judge M. L. Crawford
(1841-1910), prominent attorneys of the county, several veterans of
the civil war are interred here. Including Col. Pleasant G. Swors
(1834-1878), who led an assault against
union forces at the Battle of Corinth."
After Dan Fauver contacted Frances James for
information about the Garvin Cemetery, The North Texas Cemetery Preservation, a 501c3 charity
organization, was formed and has been taking care of this cemetery
since 2001 with limited donations. The work included clearing brush,
and mowing the sometimes five foot weeds. To celebrate Texas
Independence Day 2007, volunteers from the North Texas Cemetery
Preservation purchased a bronze plaque with the names of all known
person interred at the Garvin Cemetery. This plaque was mounted on a
granite stone, and then placed in a cement slab for descendants and
genealogists to reference. The names listed are from past
inventories. This monument is significant because many of the
headstones from these past inventories no longer exist. North Texas
Cemetery Preservation and their volunteers have insured that these
pioneers will not be forgotten.
The plaque reads: " Garvin Cemetery First Burial
in 1875 Family members of the Cox, Davis, Derr, Halbert, Harvey,
Lively, S.M. Mayes, Morgan, C.L.Morris, Quillen, Sams, and Smith are
buried here. No dates are available as the grave markers have been
destroyed. The following names and dates come from the few remaining
headstones or inventories that have been made through the last 122
years: Elizabeth Feree 1880-1883, Alexander M. Gaines 1848-1892,
Nannie G. Gaines 1887-1888, Willie D. Gaines 1875-1883, Richard S.
Garr 1861-1881, Ann Eliza Haines Garvin (M.1883), Catherine Tompkins
Garvin 1832-1875 (M.1850), James G. Garvin 1830-1897, Jessie A.
Garvin 1876-1876, Joseph S. Garvin 1869-1912 (Crypt), Louisa Garvin
1858-1870, Lula Smith Garvin, 1882 (M.1879), Mrs. Joseph Garvin,
Florence Mackay 1888, Lewis Mackay 1905, Martha Mathis 1802-1876,
Wm. H. Mathis 1812-1876, Eliza Mayes 1866-1891. z,uty;r z,pttod
1881-1904, Mattie Marie Mowat 1921, Robert Mowat 1921, David Hogan
Smith, B 1811, Mrs. Hogan Smith, Clint (Floyd) Sparkman 1885-1890,
Jessie Swors 1876 (infant), John W. Swor 1912-1912, Marth Winn Swors
1846-1888 (mother), Pinkie Swors 1891 (daughter), Pleasant G. Swors
1834-1878 (father), Wm. R. Swors 1823-1888, Daniel Travis 1830-1916,
Jane Travis 1829-1903, Theo Belle Ferree West 1859-1888."
 
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