Bear Creek Cemetery Association Officers:

President: Susan Ann Egerton
Trustees:  Morris Taylor, Leon Wambsganss, and Alan Egerton

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Summary of information from recent BCCA Newsletters written by Susan Ann Egerton:

Thanks to the generous contributions of members and friends of BCCA, many significant improvements have been made to the cemetery grounds during the past few years. These include installation of an irrigation system, enlargement of the parking area, a new storage shed, a fenced and covered storage area, and additional improvements to the road and drainage system. Steps have been taken to improve the general appearance of the south end of the cemetery, as well as the parking lots. A bridge, donated by the Y.T.L. Landscape Company of Grapevine, crosses the creek and connects to "Baby Land," an area set aside for infant burials.

For several years we made plans and saved toward having a country style fence and gates installed across the front of the cemetery. We contracted Williams Welding of Southlake, Texas, to build a wrought iron fence similar to those that existed in Texas in the middle of the 19th century. Thanks to a crew of dedicated volunteers and maintenance workers, installation has been completed. We're sure you will agree that the fence enhances the cemetery grounds, in addition to increasing security. Construction of a wooden fence on the north side of the cemetery completed fencing projects planned for the interior of the cemetery.

Lights have been installed in the parking area and, thanks to the generosity of our good friends at DFW Airport, the cemetery now has underground electric lines. After completion of this project, the utility poles on the cemetery grounds were removed.

The cemetery now features three new cremation areas: The Rose Garden, The Cedar Garden, and The Rock Garden. These gardens are designed to use space that is unsuitable for full burials.

The City of Euless began construction of a new entry way off Highway 360. Concrete curbing has been installed and they will "black top" the road in the near future.

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Walking through the Bear Creek Cemetery gate is like opening a window of history. The cemetery is the final resting place for many early Tarrant County pioneers. Many of them were Peters Colonists, as were Isham Crowley and his sons, Benjamin and Richard. The Crowleys obtained patents to adjoining properties and the area became known as the "Crowley Prairie." In 1853, as Major Ripley Arnold was vacating the camp known as Fort Worth, a small group of Baptists formed a church located near Bear Creek, the present location of the cemetery. Isham Crowley donated some of his land for this church and cemetery.

George Crowley transcribed the Bear Creek Missionary Baptist Church minutes from 1853-1875. He also compiled a database which includes over 400 names of members and other persons who had a connection to the church. Copies of this manuscript were given to the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, the Fort Worth Public Library Genealogy Department and the Heritage Room of Tarrant County College Northeast. The database is now available online and excerpt from the minutes will soon be added. Please click here to access the information.

Evelyn D'Arcy Cushman's book Cemeteries of Northeast Tarrant County Texas, contains a record of all known grave sites in Bear Creek Cemetery from 1853-1981. This is an invaluable resource for individuals seeking information about their ancestors buried in Bear Creek Cemetery.

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The following documents are online for your perusal:

History of Bear Creek Cemetery Association

Transcription of the Bear Creek Cemetery Texas Historical Marker

Transcription of the Bear Creek Cemetery THM Dedication Ceremony

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For further information regarding Bear Creek Cemetery, please write to:

Bear Creek Cemetery Association
P. O. Box 414
Euless TX 76039-0414

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