Gooseneck Cemetery
Graham, Young County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Named for a bend in the Brazos River, this cemetery first served pioneers of the Gooseneck community. Land for the burial ground was donated by Kentucky native George Washington Fore (1823-1903) and his son, John Silas Fore (1851-1931), who became a cattleman and sheriff in Wichita County. The property was earlier part of the Brazos River Indian Preserve. The Fore's also conveyed land for a community school and church. The school remained in operation until 1947, when it merged with the Graham District. The church, originally known as Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, later became Bunger Baptist Church. Burials in Gooseneck Cemetery date from shortly after the Civil War. The earliest marked graves are those of F. M. McLaren and Anna Davidson who died in 1876. Others interred here include the site's donor, George Washington Fore, and James James (1764-1878). A native of Virginia and a veteran of the War of 1812, James was 114 years old at the time of his death. Today Gooseneck Cemetery is an important reminder of a pioneer community. Many descendants of its early settlers continue to maintain the site as a tribute to the area's rich heritage.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Named for a bend in the Brazos River, Gooseneck Cemetery grew from land donated by Kentucky native George Washington Fore and his son John Silas Fore, on ground that had once been part of the Brazos River Indian Preserve. The Fores also gave land for a school and a church that became Bunger Baptist. Burials date from just after the Civil War, and those interred include a Virginia-born War of 1812 veteran, James James, said to have died at age 114.
Why it matters
The cemetery preserves the memory of a pioneer community on land only recently opened to settlement, binding together threads of Native displacement, frontier faith, and the long lives of America's early veterans.
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Related people
- · George Washington Fore
- · John Silas Fore
- · James James
Themes & tags
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