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McFaddin Cemetery - TF Smith Homestead

1952 Article Beaumont Enterprise; "Early Burials Found on Neches"; "One of Area Private Cemeteries Uncovered on DuPont Tract"


Owner of originalSherry Sharp
File name1952-article.jpg
File Size197.81k
Dimensions837 x 555
Linked toMcFaddin, TF Smith Homestead, Forest Lawn Cem, Beaumont, Jefferson Co, Texas; McFaddin Cem, Beaumont, Jefferson Co, Texas; Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas, USA; Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Beaumont, Jefferson Co, Texas; Edna Bordeman (Other-Begin); James* Madison Court (Other-Begin); (infant) Estie Courts (Other-Begin); Donald Courts (Other-Begin); Elias Madison "Matt" Courts (Other-Begin); Fannie Irene Courts (Other-Begin); Homer Courts (Other-Begin); James Bradley "Brad" Courts (Other-Begin); James Franklin Courts (Other-Begin); Lillian Sarah "Lillie" Courts (Other-Begin); Mary Ellen Courts (Other-Begin); Viola "Vee" Courts (Other-Begin); Phillip Howard Crawford (Other-Begin); Geneva Frugia (Other-Begin); Claude* "Claudie" Gentz (Other-Begin); Sally Gibson (Other-Begin); Martha Caroline Smith (Other-Begin); Thomas F Smith (Other-Begin); Ada Lura Sparks (Other-Begin); James Christian (Coleman) Sparks, Sr (Other-Begin); James Edwin Sparks (Other-Begin); John L Sparks, Sr. (Other-Begin); Julia* Ann Sparks (Other-Begin); William E. Sparks (Other-Begin)

McFaddin, TF Smith Homestead Cemetery at Forest Lawn Memorial, Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas, USA

Notes: McFaddin Cemetery was located on property south of Beaumont, in Port Neches, Central Gardens at a location within the grounds of where DuPont is now. The cemetery was discovered in the Fifties, and due to the impending construction of the plant. (See attached newspaper coverage). There were about 30 people buried there whose remains were subsequently placed in four separate concrete boxes and relocated to Forest Lawn Cemetery where they were laid once again to rest in the Garden of Peace section. The headstones for the four graves are all identical, reading simply "TF Smith Homstead Tract Cemetery." The detailed list of occupants only exist on an index card in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park records (see copy attached). All of these people were either residents or descendants of the Sparks Settlement, also called Aurora, (what later became Port Arthur. The families were predominantly the Sparks, Courts and Gentz families and other family names who married into these families. Sparks Settlement was abandoned in late 1800s due to storms and disease; even the houses were moved. Most of them started another community in the Port Neches, Central Gardens area where they started a new cemetery - i.e. what was called the McFaddin Cemetery. Sparks Cemetery was also abandoned. The occupants of that cemetery, those who died while the community was active, were never moved; only recognized by a historical marker placed in a boulevard on DeQueen at Lakeshore (see photo). There is some false information on the Internet that the remains in Sparks Cemetery were removed to Forest Lawn. But what I have been able to discover is that is not the case. It is the later cemetery, McFaddin Cemetery, that was removed. There is also some belief that the cemetery was used even into the 1920s for burial needs; but that also seems to be mistaken information. The were fine and strong and brave pioneers who I am so proud to call my ancestors. They helped build our community here, and somehow, I hope to bring to mind the signifcance of those four plain little headstones marked simply "TF Smith Homestead Tract Cemetery."


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