Burke Cemetery
Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas
Marker Inscription
The first known burial in this graveyard was that of Mary (Overton) Burke, widow of Evan H. Burke, who came in 1851 with her children and widowed mother to settle this land previously chosen by her husband. Her death on Dec. 30, 1867, was followed two days later by that of her mother, Rachel (Cameron) Overton. On Mar. 12, 1900, this one-half acre of land was deeded as a family burial ground. Relatives of the Burkes include members of the Magers, Overton, and Edwards families. More than 100 marked and several unmarked graves have been recorded here. (1984)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
The first known burial in this graveyard was Mary Overton Burke, who came in 1851 with her children and widowed mother to settle land her late husband had chosen. She died in December 1867, and her mother followed just two days later. In 1900 the half-acre was formally deeded as a family burial ground, and more than a hundred graves of the Burkes and allied families have since been recorded here.
Why it matters
Pioneer family cemeteries like the Burkes' quietly document the earliest settlement of what would become the Fort Worth area.
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Related people
- · Mary Overton Burke
- · Evan H. Burke
- · Rachel Cameron Overton
Themes & tags
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