Judge Benjamin Franklin Barkley

(1822 - 1882) In 1855 Benjamin F. Barkley, a Kentucky physician, with his wife Malinda Elizabeth Duncan (1827-1917) and their children settled on a farm at Birdville. There he practiced medicine, became a lawyer, and a charter member of Masonic Lodge No. 148 in Fort Worth. In 1856 Dr. Barkley tried unsuccessfully to keep the county seat at Birdville. As a Republican leader, he spoke out against slavery and secession. Barkley was admired for donating land for Birdville's cemetery and participating in Indian campaigns, but his strong will and pro-Union stand stirred anger in the area. He barely escaped death several times. Barkley treated wounded Confederate soldiers and aided their families despite his opposition to the Civil War, and served as local postmaster during the war. During Reconstruction, Barkley headed the county registration board which denied the vote to former Confederate supporters. He was appointed county judge in 1867 and used federal troops to maintain order. With great courage he fought to protect the rights of the ex-slaves. He left office after Democrats won all county offices in 1873, but remained active in law and medicine throughout North Texas for the remainder of his life. (1979)

Judge Benjamin Franklin Barkley is a historical marker in Haltom City, Tarrant County, dedicated in 1979. 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 32.8037, -97.2524 near Haltom City. The nearest cataloged historic site is Archibald Franklin Leonard (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Birdville Cemetery, Pioneer Birdville Schools, and Birdville Baptist Church.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5507020186. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.