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. Fallon ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1504 was adopted by the House on April 24, 2013, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House