Benbrook Cemetery
Once known as Merinda Seminary Graveyard

Benbrook, Texas

 Photos by Rob Yoder who is related to the WARDs buried here.

 

Silvia M. wife of Wm. Ward
[nee Sylvia Marie Johnson]

Born Dec. 17, 1830
Died April 2, 1887

W. M. Ward
[William Michael Ward - son of
Jeremiah L. Ward and Nancy P. Freeman]

Born 1826 - Died 1915

 

Children of R.L. & E.P. Ward

The two photographs below are of other sides of this monument.

 

M. Luther Ward

Born Oct. 25 1897
Aged 11 mos 18 days

Infant Son

Born & Died June 10 1895

 

Robert L. [Leroy] Ward

[12 Mar 1868 - 19 Dec 1927]
[son of William Michael & Sylvia Marie Ward]

 

Olin Ward, July 2, 1891 - Nov. 7, 1950

Emma Ward, Dec. 5, 1874 - June 22, 1960
[wife of Robert L. Ward, nee Emma P. Brown]

  

______ Robinson

Born Mar. 21, 1858
Died Oct. 7, 1882

Infant Son of John & R.V. Philips

Born May 6, 1892
Died May 11, 1892

 

W. U. Ward

[William Uriah Ward, son of William Michael and Sylvia Marie Ward]
28 Dec 1853 - 9 May 1909

  

View of WARD plots from east

View of WARD plots from west with Price Arnold family plot (fenced) in background

 

J. M. Benbrook monument with Price Arnold family plot in background.

James M. Benbrook

In 1876 Indiana native James M. Benbrook brought his family to this settlement, then known as Marinda. A veteran of the Union Army during the Civil War, he became a prominent area farmer and landowner. In 1880, when rail lines were completed here and a depot was constructed, the community was renamed Benbrook in his honor by the Texas and Pacific Railroad Company. Twice married, Benbrook was the father of six children.
                    Recorded - 1982.

 

  

 

John F. & Eliza A. Brown

S. Gunn

 

Ebb Ward

Dec. 8, 1906
Mar. 20, 1951

George Ward

Nov. 14, 1903
Sept. 16, 1965

 

Elizabeth Sharp

Daughter of J.W. & A.A. Sharp
Mar. 2 1869 - Mar. 27 1886

 

J.B. Winn and Family

From Oct. 27, 1832
To Nov. 23, 1917

Winn Family headstones

after vandals make their way through  Benbrook Cemetery.

  

Maudine Sutton - Mother

June 7, 1884
Apr. 6, 1871

Many graves in Benbrook Cemetery have only this simple headstone.

 

A few of the monuments moved here from Hunter Cemetery in 1949.

From: Elise Reed
Email: elise_rd@yahoo.com

Regarding the above photo:

The farthest tall marble stone reads:

W. M. Myers
Born
Oct.31,1872
Died
Aug.14,1883

Though lost to sight,
To memory dear.

This was William “Mosey”, age 9. The matching closer stone was his older brother, Frederick, age 11, who preceded him in death too. That stone reads:

F. W. Myers
Born
Aug.24,1870
Died
Feb.17,1881

Remember friend as you pass by,
As you are now so once was I.
As I am now so you must be,
Prepare for death and follow me.

On the right side of the stone, as you are facing it, near the base, is the maker’s mark:

Jno. A. Bergin & Son
Ft. Worth

I have not been able to find a maker’s mark on the other stones, although this one is very clear and easy to find.

Fred and Mosey’s father was Samuel Houston Myers (Sr.), one of the pioneer founding fathers of Johnson County, Tx – our neighbor to the south. The large stone between them is their mother’s – her maiden name was Hunter. Myers was her first husband, but she was his third wife. After Myers death she remarried, only to be shot and killed a few weeks later. Her stone reads:

Mary A.
wife of
John A. Hester
Born
Jan.10,1843
Assassinated
Feb.21,1877

“Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord,
From henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit that
they may rest from their labors: and their
works do follow them.”

There is a great deal more to the story of the murder of Mary Ann (Hunter) Myers, and the innocent youth that was hung in Johnson County for the crime… but you will have to wait until I finish writing the book if you have not already heard some version of the story. If you have heard the tales, or know someone in that area (Alvarado) at that time, I would like to compare notes and see if their paths crossed.

BTW, Samuel H. Myers (Sr.) was my great-great-grandfather. I am descended from one of his daughters, Naomi Amanda Myers (married Elijah Teague Cahill), by his second wife, Cynthia Ann Bales. Between his three wives he had at least 21 children – good thing he did well and could afford them!

All the markings have faded from the (gray) granite stone, but it belongs to J. Harve Hunter. I do not know what relation he was to Mary.

Not visible in this photo is another marker, in front of John Hester’s, that of John B. Hunter, a Civil War Veteran who served in Co.D of the 31st TX Cavalry.

I have a number of digital photos of these stones and others of this era. If anyone is interested, I will be happy to share. I am the third generation to work on our genealogy and have about a dozen years invested so far. Cemeteries are some of my favorite things… a trait I inherited from my paternal grandmother, Mary Sue (McDonald) Pattie. She was a charter member of the Fort Worth Genealogy Society and an active member of DAR, DAC, DRT, Daughters of 1812 and Colonial Dames – major shoes to fill! Anyway, I hope this info helps others in their search.

Sincerely,
Elise Reed

   

 

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