A descendant’s thanks
To the members of the Abandoned Cemetery Association of Parker County, Texas:
Ladies and gentlemen, The Legal Genealogist doffs her hat to you.
And offers you a family’s thanks in general — and this descendant’s thanks in particular.
Yesterday, as the wrap-up event of a trip to Texas to speak to the Dallas Genealogical Society, I managed to con … er, convince … a good friend, professional genealogist Kelvin Meyers, to take a quick research trip to Weatherford, county seat of Parker County, Texas.
I got to touch the record of my great grandparents’ 1874 marriage.
And examine the record copies of deeds by my second great grandparents.
And lament with the clerk the loss of the country’s pre-1874 records in a fire — and the loss of the late 19th and early 20th century brands and marks books to who-knows-what-cause.
And, on the way back to Dallas, Kelvin graciously agreed to stop by the Baker Cemetery, a small no-longer-active cemetery near the Baker Baptist Church in an area called Baker Community.
After my ancestors and their children.
My third great grandparents Martin Baker and his wife Elizabeth (Buchanan) Baker were among the first to settle in that area of Parker County. They brought with them their daughter — Martha Louisa Baker, who was called Louisa and married George W. Cottrell — they are my second great grandparents. And the Bakers also brought with them their son, Josiah A. Baker, his wife Nancy “Kate” (Fore) Baker and their children.
We’re not entirely clear whether Josiah’s family included his mother-in-law Nancy Fore from the beginning, or whether she joined them later, but the older Nancy was very much part of the Baker Community — and her contribution to the family wasn’t limited to Kate Baker.
Nancy had another daughter, Mary “Polly” Fore, who married Mathew Johnson. At some point after the Civil War, Polly bundled up her family and moved them to Parker County as well, including a bright young daughter named Martha, called “Mattie.” In time this Fore granddaughter met a Baker grandson — Martin Gilbert Cottrell — and that pair became my great grandparents.
Which makes Nancy Fore my third great grandmother as well.
The land on which the Baker Cemetery stands was donated by the Baker family. Elizabeth’s is the first known burial in that cemetery. Her stone records her death in July of 1854. Martin followed in November of 1868 and is buried next to Elizabeth. A row or so back is the stone marking the grave of Nancy Fore in October 1882. And Nancy Kate Baker is nearby, her stone dated October of 1895.
Three great grandparents and a second great grand-aunt, all buried in that cemetery, with a variety of other cousins both known and unknown.
The last time I was at that cemetery was a round dozen years ago. The grass had been cut, the weeds trimmed, and some effort to maintain the stones.
Yesterday though … Yesterday blew me away.
The grass had still been cut. The weeds still trimmed. But the cemetery maintenance had obviously been stepped up big time.
The stones had been cleaned. Some of them repaired, or even reset.
And one thing that bothered me enormously in 2007 had been fixed by yesterday.
In 2007, Martin’s stone faced away from the fence, and Elizabeth’s faced towards it. It was jarring to see these two side-by-side gravestones facing in different directions. Both had obviously been broken, and when they were fixed and reset, they were done differently.
By yesterday, they were both facing the same direction.
Fixed.
Together.
Forever.
Thanks to the people now maintaining that cemetery. According to a sign on the fence around the cemetery, that’s the Abandoned Cemetery Association of Parker County.
Who are now getting a donation from me as soon as I get home and find my checkbook.
Thank you, ACAPC.
You have this descendant’s thanks for being on the scene where I am not and fixing what I can’t.
Thank you.
Cite/link to this post: Judy G. Russell, “An open letter,” The Legal Genealogist (https://www.legalgenealogist.com/blog : posted 8 Aug 2019).
Thanks for bringing up how these caretakers have cleaned up this history of our family, repaired stones, thank you ACAPC. Do not have much, but these folks are going to get a couple bucks for their hard work. Been a few years since I have been there but time for another trip
So special to read about these kinds of stories and the people who make them happen. Thanks for sharing!
what sort of words can one say to convince locals to take up the cause of old cemetery maintenance??? I need help with this. I live too far to be present when they do decide to clean it up. It is in Washington county Pennsylvania, the old German Lutheran Cemetery. the church says the old people are dying off, who used to take care, and the young ones are not interested.
I think you can only lead, not push, when it comes to this sory of thing.
I have ancestors from Parker County and was excited to see your mention of the Abandoned Cemetery Association of Parker County. My grandparents and great grandparents as well as other relatives were from there. My great grandparents William M Bullard and Eliza Jane Vernon Bullard are buried in the Poolville Cemetery. When I was growing up, we used to go every year with my grandmother Millie Bullard Spears to the Poolville reunion, and I remember playing in the cemetery. My grandparents Millie Bullard and John Spears were from Azle. I looked up the Abandoned Cemetery site but couldn’t find my ancestors listed. I enjoy your blog and look forward to reading each one. I learn so much.
You can find them listed on the USGenWeb site: http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/parker/cemeteries/pool1.txt
Judy & Millijon, are ancestors were neighbors! I have 120 known relatives, mostly deceased, in Parker Co. They lived near Poolville in the Erwin Community and many buried in the Erwin Cemetery which have been nicely maintained over the many years I’ve visited it; last time early this year. My 3G grandfather rode in there to the headwaters of the Trinity River in 1855 which then was a “territory.” Parker County was organized in later in the decade. While most records were burned, apparently there is a “treasurer’s book” which list some folk (including 2GGF Erwin) involved in building the first Court House. There’s also a nice book, History of Parker County and the Double Log Cabin first published in 1937. My own Erwin were typical Scots-Irish who embellished stories of associations with George Washington and descent from Robert the Bruce. There are deadend in colonial America, but Big Y jumps over these gaps with a most recent SNP (R-FGC34569) that is only found in the Border Regions in Clan Irvine. My other direct lines in Parker Co are Green and Stinnett. All proud Texans, which sentiment was passed doen to me by my grandmother who was born in Veal Station (near Poolville and the Erwin community).
I’ve seen all but that treasurer’s book (at least if I’m remembering right)… now to find a copy (and it’s on the Parker County Library website! Cool!)!