Kress Cemetery
Kress, Swisher County, Texas
Marker Inscription
This cemetery has served the community of Kress since 1907, shortly after residents of the town of Wright moved to this area when a railway was built here. F.T. Skipworth, a president of Farmers State Bank, deeded the land for cemetery use. The oldest known grave in the cemetery, that of Mary F. McMillam, dates to 1910. Since that time, many community leaders and residents of Kress, including bankers, real estate agents, ranchers and farmers, have been buried here. The Kress Cemetery Association, incorporated in 1945, maintains the cemetery, which continues to serve Kress and is a reminder of the pioneering men and women of this community. Historic Texas Cemetery - 2006
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Kress Cemetery has served the High Plains community of Kress since 1907, when residents of the nearby town of Wright relocated after a railway was built through the area. Banker F.T. Skipworth deeded the land, and the oldest known grave, that of Mary F. McMillam, dates to 1910. Bankers, ranchers, farmers, and community leaders have been laid to rest here under the care of an association incorporated in 1945.
Why it matters
The cemetery preserves the memory of the pioneering families who settled the Texas Panhandle as the railroads opened the plains to farming and ranching.
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Related people
- ยท F.T. Skipworth
Themes & tags
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