FRETWELL CEMETERY AKA OLD SETTLERS CEMETERY HALTOM CITY, Tarrant Co. Texas
Submitted by jjcockrell jjcockrell@email.msn.com 
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Transcribed by JUDY SANDER COCKRELL & JOYCE HENDRICKS
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FRETWELL CEMETERY AKA OLD SETTLERS CEMETERY HALTOM CITY, Tarrant Co. Texas
Submitted by jjcockrell jjcockrell@email.msn.com 
      

This cemetery is location in Halton City and is beside the Peoples burial 
Ground located at the Northeast Corner of North Beach Street and Northeast
28th Street.            
                    
THE FIRST KNOWN BURIAL IN THIS CEMETERY WAS OF REVEREND GREENE FRETWELL.
WHEN OTHER MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY WERE SOLD TO A NEW OWNER IN NORTH CAROLINA, 
REV. GREENE SWAM THE OHIO RIVER TO FREEDOM, ORIGINALLY SETTLING AT SPEARS GROVE, 
A BLACK COMMUNITY BETWEEN KELLER AND WATAUGA. IN 1883, GREENE FRETWELL 
THEN MOVED HIS FAMILY TO A FARM ON TODAYS PRESENT 28TH STREET.

WHEN REVEREND FRETWELL DIED IN 1886, THERE WAS NO CEMETERY FOR AFRICAN 
AMERICANS IN THIS AREA. HIS WIDOW, FRANCIS, TRAVELED ON HORSEBACK GOING 
TO THE NEIGHBORING FARMS, RANCHES AND TRUSTEES OF TRINITY CHAPEL METHODIST 
CHURCH ASKING FOR ANY DONATION, LARGE OR SMALL, AND PROMISING THESE 
FAMILIES THEY WOULD ALWAYS HAVE A PLACE TO BE BURIED.
SHE COLLECTED $30 DOLLARS AND BOUGHT THE TWO ACRES FOR A CHURCH AND 
THE GRAVEYARD TO BURY HIM IN. THE INITIAL TWO ACRE PURCHASE WAS RECORDED 
ON JUNE 26, 1889.  

HE WAS TAKEN FROM HIS ORIGINAL BURIAL PLOT IN THE WOODS ON THEIR PROPERTY, 
AND LAID TO REST IN THIS SMALL CEMETERY. 
      MANY OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS STILL GATHER TODAY TO GIVE REMEMBERANCES
TO A FAMILY GONE, BUT HARDLY FORGOTTEN. I FOUND A BURIAL AS RECENT AS 
1999 IN THE FRETWELL CEMETERY.
     
I HAD A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH CARL FRETWELL, TRUSTEE OF 
THE CEMETERY, DAYS PRIOR TO SUBMITTING THIS TRANSCRIPTION.  HE WOULD NOT,
HOWEVER, TELL ME WHERE THE REVEREND FRETWELL IS BURIED TODAY. HIS MARKER
WAS DESTROYED BY VANDALS SOME TIME AGO, AND THE FAMILY WOULD LIKE TO 
HAVE THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY BUY A NEW ONE TO REPLACE IT. UNTIL THEN, 
THIS GRAVESITE WILL REMAIN A SECRET UPON WHICH TIME IT CAN BE RESTORED 
AND PROPERLY MARKED. A PROUD MAN, A PROUD FAMILY, PROTECTING EACH OTHER 
FOR EVER AFTER AND BEYOND.