History & Genealogy For the Active Researcher IF YOU LIKE, PLEASE NOMINATE US FOR TEXAS COUNTY OF THE MONTH NOMINATIONS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. PLEASE CHECK BACK SOON AND OFTEN
GENEALOGY FRIENDS OF PLANO [TEXAS] LIBRARIES, INC.
|
BUCKNER CEMETERY - McKINNEY US 380 Cemeteries of Collin County, Texas, by Joy Gough Buckner was the first town in Collin County. It was named by John McGarrah for his home town of Buckner, Arkansas. When Collin County was formed in 1846 by the state of Texas, the residents were told to pick a county seat within 3 miles of the geographic center of the county and name it "Buckner." The residents picked the existing town of Buckner because it was the only town in the county. However, it was 7 miles from the center of the county. The exact center of the county is on the East Fork flood plain. Two sites were picked for the county seat. Eleven residents voted on the location of the county seat with 10 picking the present-day McKinney square location. They tried to name the county seat Buckner as instructed, but the post office said the name "Buckner" was already in use. The residents named the county seat "McKinney" after the man who was in the state legislature from this area, Collin McKinney. The stores in Buckner were literally dragged to the square in McKinney and the town of Buckner disappeared. There was a Kiowa Indian tribe that lived near Buckner. It was led by a chief named Spotted Tail. As long as the Kiowas lived there, no other Indians attacked the area. Chief Spotted Tail helped bury people who died in a smallpox epidemic in 1873. He died from smallpox himself and was buried at the Buckner cemetery. He was given a white man's burial. BUCKNER CEMETERY The ancient
McGarrah-O’Brien Cemetery is slightly Northeast of the site of Old Ft. Buckner,
the first County Seat of Collin County, and is a part of John McGarrah’s
headright. According to the Peters Colony book, “John McGarrah, a family man,
came to Peters Colony in 1842 and claimed his headright of 640 acres. His patent
was number 981.” He built a little store or trading post, primarily to trade
with the Indians who brought in furs to trade for goods he sold in the little
store. He is listed in the 1850 census of Collin County as a family man, age 45
and came to the area from Fayetteville, Arkansas, where the family migrated in
1821. Edna Fallis,
wife of B. J. O’Brien, 1816 - 1897 Then, too, the
old Indian who lived with his small tribe near Buckner and is credited with
saving the settlement from invasion of Comanche tribes is buried in an unmarked
Christian grave at his own request [ Kiowa chief, Spotted Tail].When small pox
struck [in 1873] he volunteered to help bury the dead and died of the disease
himself. BUCKNER CEMETERY Historical marker application. BUCKNER CEMETERY ...There was a
stone for L. J. Graves, 1818 - 1886. Not just a name. He came with a party of 82
souls by wagon train from Missouri, arriving in November 1857. This yong man,
busy though he was in helping clear and put in crops, managed to keep a Journal
entering each night things of interest that had happened. He said “Pa” bought
the little book from a peddler, so he just kept writing about daily events. For
instance, “July 9, 19871, went to McKinney to Church after rescuing Pa’s prize
bull. Stopped at Tuck Hill’s and enjoyed a few glasses of cold sugar and
cinnamon in clear good spring water. Dave O’Brien came by with his load of
lumber he hauled from Jefferson and brought Pa a barrel of sugar he ordered.”
“October 4. Plowed new ground all morning, then to town to hear Governor
Throckmorton speak. On this day 9 years ago I was in a fight at Corinth,
Mississippi and fell into the hands of the foe. Now I am 31 and never dreamed
I’d be so long single. Time, how fast thou flieth.” Recommended citation: |
Send mail to
GenFriends@comcast.net with
questions or comments about this web site.
|