By Frances James (1922 – 2019) After the railroads came to Dallas in 1872-73, the population rapidly expanded and by 1887, the four separate downtown cemeteries, the Masonic, the Odd Fellows, the Jewish and the City Cemetery, now known as Pioneer Cemetery were running out of space. George Loudermilk, an entrepreneur, along with other citizens…
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Ela Hockaday was born March 12, 1875 to Thomas Hart Benton Hockaday (1835 – 1918) and Maria Elizabeth Kerr Hockaday (1838 – 1881) in Ladonia, Fannin County, Texas. She was the eighth of nine children and the youngest daughter born to the couple. Mr. Hockaday was born in Virginia but grew up in Maury County,…
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Marsha Leach writes: The TENNESSEE/WOLF SPRINGS CEMETERY on Wolff Springs Road may no longer exist, but we do know its former location. Frances James wrote about the cemetery in “Dallas County History – From the Ground Up, Book II”. It is a very interesting story about the mistreatment of this cemetery. Fortunately, Frances included a…
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By Frances James (1922 – 2019) On the east side of the 4600 Block of Dolphin Road is the Orthodox Jewish Cemetery now known as Shearith Israel. The cemetery is a combination of three individual cemeteries, the Tefereth Israel, the Roumanian/Austrian Benevolent Association, and Congregation Shaareth Israel, all started at this site. This location was…
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From the Horse and Buggy Days to Tutoring Defensive Driving Vivian Marie Womack Warner celebrated her 100th birthday on October 18, 2001, and is happy that she is still able to live at home and take care of herself. Vivian was born October 18, 1901 at Blossom, Texas (near Paris) to Henry Marshal and Sarah…
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Transcribed from the Dallas Weekly Herald (Dallas, Texas), September 21, 1882 Death of Judge J. J. Good The melancholy tidings of the death of JUDGE GOOD were received here yesterday forenoon, and whilst none were surprised at the announcement, all were somewhat shocked by the suddenness of the event. He died on the night of the 17th,…
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By Frances James (1922 – 2019) The Historic Bethel Cemetery in Coppell is near the intersection of Christi Lane and Moore Road off of Bethel School Road on the west side of the James Parrish Survey (about three miles northeast of the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport). This site was set aside for a cemetery by…
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By Mike Judd Born in Asheville, North Carolina on February 24, 1852, J.W. Ray spent his youth working as a teamster loading and unloading barges on the docks of the French Broad River. The end of the Civil War and emancipation found him in Maryville, Tennessee where he entered Maryville College and earned a B.A.…
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Monroe County, Kentucky To Dallas, TX It was during the early fall of 1854 when a small group of Kentucky settlers prepared for their overland journey to the Texas frontier. The caravan of eleven covered wagons left Monroe County, Kentucky and traveled first to Memphis where they crossed the mighty Mississippi River and then on…
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John Milton McCoy was a nephew of John C. McCoy. John M. McCoy was an early resident of Dallas, moving to the area in 1870. McCoy served as Dallas’ first city attorney. McCoy also wrote the 1871 charter for the City of Dallas. John M. McCoy (1838-1922) was the son of Lewis C. McCoy (1806…
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