Garvin Cemetery Endangered

The Garvin Memorial Cemetery located on Northwest Highway between Midway and Lemmon, in Dallas, Texas is the burial ground of several prominent Dallas pioneer residents. The original benefactor, James G. Garvin, donated the land to the public in April, 1897 for a "respectful burying ground". In 1868, the cemetery was founded by a Methodist minister, the Rev. W.H. Hughes. Swor ancestors' buried here are: Colonel Pleasant G. Swor and his wife, Martha E. (Winn) Swor and their daughter, Jessie Swor and William Robert Swor and his grandson, John Wesley Swor.

Please note that a metal sign beside the historial marker reads:

Garvin Memorial Cemetery Established 1868

Rededicated in 1897 Cemetery restored in 1977 by Jesse & Ruth Swor in memory of William T. Swor, Sr., buried 1888 and John Wesley Swor, buried 1912.

This sign is misleading, because William Thompson Swor, Sr. is not buried here. It is his father, William Robert Swor that shares a headstone with his grandson, John Wesley Swor. This grandson was also a twin brother to Jesse Franklin Swor.

While he was living, Jesse Franklin Swor fought greedy land developers for many years to save these precious family graves and he also worked to keep it maintained! Because it is in need of upkeep the land is endanger of hostile takeover.

This Garvin Cemetery is being threaten by local developers who have NO loved ones buried there. They just want to relocate the graves and turn this "respectful burying ground" into a park or worse sell the land for profit. A park sounds good, but to turn it into a park the graves must be removed. They are trying to takeover the resting place of our Swor forefathers and other early Dallas settlers.

Please help us stop the violation of these early Dallas settlers and our Swor loved ones resting place, by contacting Frances James. Frances James, who is lovingly called the "Cemetery Lady" of Dallas, TX is trying to help us save the Garvin Memorial Cemetery. To contact her just write me, Laura N. Masten at my email address or at my regular mailing address provided on John Swor and His Descendants Home Page listed below.

John Swor and His Descendants Home Page

Garvin Memorial Cemetery at: Find A Grave

'Forever' resting place may become a memory

Descendants see grave stakes in land battle

Link to surveyed Garvin Cemetery

Swor Family Quarterly

Swor Families Reunions

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