Chapel Cemetery

This cemetery traces its origin to the settlement here in the mid 1850s of the pioneer families of John A. and Rhoda Raibourn Fanning, Mitchell and Eliny Jane Raibourn, and Thomas Raibourn. According to Fanning family tradition the cemetery began with the burial of Eliny Raibourn at this site in 1856 and the subsequent donation of the land for cemetery purposes by her brother-in-law, John Fanning. Afterwards the site became known as the Fanning burying grounds. A one-room school house known as Horse Creek School or Lone Star School, located about a mile south of here, was the sole communal structure in this area until a chapel was built next to the burying ground. In 1893 T.A. and Catherine Sweet transferred ownership of the chapel and surrounding land to the Sweet Chapel Methodist Church, and the burying grounds became known as Sweet Chapel Cemetery. By 1938 the Sweet family had moved to Fort Worth, the chapel had disappeared, and the cemetery was known simply as Chapel Cemetery. Burials continued on an informal basis and for many years the graveyard was cared for by members of the Francisco family. The Cemetery was acquired by the Mount Olivet Cemetery Association in 1985. (1993)

Chapel Cemetery is a historical marker in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, dedicated in 1993. It is one of 358 historical markers documented in Tarrant County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 501 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 32.9866, -97.2975 near Fort Worth. The nearest cataloged historic site is Allen Cemetery (cemetery), about 3.5 miles away. Others within a short drive include Bourland Cemetery, First Baptist Church of Keller, and Keller History Museum.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5439000804. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.