Emanuel Hebrew Rest Cemetery
Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Fort Worth civic leader John Peter Smith donated land at this site in 1879 for use as a cemetery to serve the early Jewish residents of the City. Maintenance of the grounds was first provided by the Emanuel Hebrew Association, which was started by local families. The earliest marked grave is that of a child, Leah Kaiser, who died in 1879. Under the control of Congregation Beth-el since 1962, Emanuel Hebrew Rest Cemetery is the burial site of many prominent business, professional, and civic leaders of Fort Worth's Jewish community. (1981) Historic Texas Cemetery medallion (added 2018)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In 1879 Fort Worth civic leader John Peter Smith donated this land for a cemetery to serve the city's early Jewish residents, its grounds first tended by the Emanuel Hebrew Association formed by local families. The earliest marked grave belongs to a child, Leah Kaiser, who died that same year. Now under the care of Congregation Beth-El, the cemetery holds many of the business, professional, and civic leaders of Fort Worth's Jewish community.
Why it matters
A community's oldest cemetery is a record of its founding families, and Emanuel Hebrew Rest testifies to the Jewish immigrants who helped build Fort Worth from a frontier outpost into a city.
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Related people
- · John Peter Smith
- · Leah Kaiser
Themes & tags
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