83R18510 JGH-D
By: Fallon H.R. No. 1504
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Members of the Belew Cemetery Association and
citizens of Aubrey are gathering on May 5, 2013, for the dedication
of a Historic Texas Cemetery Marker at Belew Cemetery; and
WHEREAS, In the mid-1850s, Richard Aaron Belew, Mary Jane
Belew, and their five children traveled with 39 other families from
Tennessee to settle on land north of present-day Aubrey in Denton
County; after a log cabin school was opened at the site, the
community came to be known as the Belew Schoolhouse Settlement; and
WHEREAS, Members of the settlement purchased land from Mr.
Belew in 1880 in order to establish a public graveyard, and by the
early years of the 20th century, the Belew Cemetery was the
principal burial ground for the area; the cemetery's earliest
graves were marked with red sandstone; and
WHEREAS, The Ladies Cemetery Society was founded in 1902, and
for the next 85 years, the society held an annual Thanksgiving
dinner to raise money for the upkeep and expansion of the cemetery;
now known as the Belew Cemetery Association, the group continues to
oversee the maintenance of the cemetery, where early settlers are
buried alongside veterans who served in conflicts ranging from the
Civil War to the Gulf War; and
WHEREAS, Those who have found their final rest in these
peaceful grounds have contributed in myriad ways to shaping the
history of this North Texas community, and this historical marker
represents a fitting tribute both to their memory and to all those
who have worked to preserve and care for this important cultural
site; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the dedication of a Historic Texas
Cemetery Marker at Belew Cemetery and extend to all who have helped
to secure this recognition sincere best wishes for a meaningful and
memorable event; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the Belew Cemetery Association as an expression of
high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.