EARLIEST Marked Grave in Frankford Cemetery - Addison, TX
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member QuarrellaDeVil
N 32° 59.299 W 096° 49.362
14S E 703441 N 3652097
A 1981 Texas Historical Marker at Frankford Cemetery notes that the grave of Colonel John T. Coit is the earliest marked grave in the cemetery, dating to 1872.
Waymark Code: WMT51Z
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 09/27/2016
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member Zork V
Views: 0

The grave of Colonel Coit is marked by a white, marble obelisk which is sculpted with a funeral shroud at the top. The family name, "Coit", is on the plinth, and on the main face is this inscription:

At Rest

John T. Coit,

Born In
Cheraw S.C.
July 6, 1829

Died
Mar. 2, 1872

---

Catherine M.
Wife Of

J.T. Coit
Born In
Lumberton N.C.
Dec. 20, 1837

Died
June 19, 1883

---

On the back are inscriptions for two of their young children:

Florence
Catherine
Coit

Born
Apr 4 1891
Died
Oct 18, 1893

Mary
Helen
Coit

Mar 5, 1896
Apr 26 1908

Colonel Coit also has a United States Government-issued headstone, noting his military service:

John T Coit
Col 25 Texas Cav
Confederate States Army
1829 + 1872

One face of the monument is blank, while the fourth face notes burials of two Coit children, one of whom didn't live past infancy, as well as the second child's wife:

George E.
Son Of
J.T. & C.M. Coit

Born In
Dallas Co. Tex.
Oct. 6, 1869

Died
In Dallas Tex.
June 25, 1870

--

Florrie Routh
Wife of H.W. Coit

Nov 16 1868
July 2, 1921

She was the light and Joy of our home

Henry W. Coit
1862-1930

Florence Routh Coit was herself a child of a prominent family of area settlers, while Coit Road is named for Henry W. Coit. At one time, it ran from downtown Dallas up into the suburbs, but when Central Expressway was built, it followed much of Coit Road until Coit went off northwest at Forest Lane, which is still the current configuration.

The historical marker provides some background:

In the early days of settlement, this area served as a stop for cattle drives and for travelers on the Preston Road. Later the community of Frankford, the site of a post office until the early 1900s, was located nearby.

This community cemetery was used as early as 1862, when area pioneer Eliga M. Yaeger was interred here. The earliest marked grave is that of John T. Coit (1829-1872), a lawyer who moved here from South Carolina. During the Civil War he raised a regiment in the Dallas area and served as a colonel. Originally buried on a bluff of the Trinity River, he was later reinterred at this site. Another early burial was that of Margaret McKamy (1786-1873), who came to Texas with her son William C. McKamy, later a prominent area landowner. Also buried here are Sidney Noell, founder of the early town of Noell Junction, now Addison (1 Mi. SW), and Addison Robertson, for whom it was later named.

Since the 1870s the cemetery has been associated with the White Rock Masonic Lodge No. 234, started at Walnut Grove in 1858. A lodge hall, built here in 1872, also served as a church and school. Lodge members serve on the cemetery association board.

--

The Frankford Cemetery Association notes that there may be earlier burials than 1862, some of them possibly of Native Americans.

FIRST - Classification Variable: Person or Group

Date of FIRST: 03/05/1872

More Information - Web URL: [Web Link]

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