Friends of Pecan Grove Cemetery - McKinney, Texas

11/11/2025

Honoring our 903 Veterans buried at Pecan Grove Cemetery.

10/29/2025

All plot information has been added to memorials in the cemetery. If none is shown it is probably because there is no headstone.

05/26/2025

04/03/2025

THE STORY TELLERS

We are the chosen. In each family there is one who seems called to find the ancestors – to put flesh on their bones and make them live again, to tell the family story and to feel that somehow they know and approve.

To me, doing genealogy is not a cold gathering of facts but, instead, breathing life into all who have gone before.

We are the story tellers of the tribe. All tribes have one.

We have been called by our genes. Those who have gone before cry out to us: tell our story. So we do. In finding them, we somehow find ourselves. How many graves have I stood before now and cried? I have lost count. How many times have I told the ancestors you have a wonderful family you would be proud of us? How many times have I walked up to a grave and felt somehow there was love there for me?

I cannot say.

It goes beyond just documenting facts. It goes to who am I and why do I do the things I do. It goes to seeing a cemetery about to be lost forever to weeds and indifference and saying I can’t let this happen. The bones here are bones of my bone and flesh of my flesh. It goes to doing something about it. It goes to pride in what our ancestors were able to accomplish. How they contributed to what we are today. It goes to respecting their hardships and losses, their never giving in or giving up, their resoluteness to go on and build a life for their family. It goes to deep pride that they fought to make and keep us a Nation.

It goes to a deep and immense understanding that they were doing it for us. That we might be born who we are. That we might remember them. So we do. With love and caring and scribing each fact of their existence, because we are them and they are us. So, as a scribe is called, I tell the story of my family. It is up to that one called in the next generation to answer the call and take their place in the long line of family storytellers.

That is why I do genealogy, and that is what calls those young and old to step up and put flesh on the bones.

Author: Della M. Cummings Wright

03/06/2025

PECAN GROVE COULD USE YOUR HELP!

There are a lot of trees down, small branches, benches blown over and grave flowers everywhere. Yesterday they cleared the trees off of the cemetery roads and started cutting up the trees.

If anyone has some time to just help with picking up the small branches and placing them at the side of the cemetery roads would be a big help!

01/17/2025

One Hundred twelve years ago on January 23, 2025 McKinney was shocked by the greatest tragedy...The Collapse of the Odd Fellows Building.

Mr. Presley died when the Odd Fellows three story brick building on the McKinney Square collapsed on Thursday, January 23, 1913. Fifty to sixty people were buried beneath the debris.
The body of R.N. Presley, aged 35 years, who died from results of burns received while pinned under the debris of the collapsed building, is now at his home in the southwest part of McKinney. The funeral service will be conducted by Rev. C.C. Young, pastor of the First Methodist Church. Mr. Presley having been a member of the M.E. Church for several years. The burial will not take place until tomorrow and probably not until Sunday, as the family is awaiting the arrival of relatives. Mr. Presley was born in Alabama. He is a son of Mr. and Mrs. R. F. Presley of Bowie, who arrived here this morning. He is also survived by three brothers and three sisters. Mr. Presley had resided in McKinney for the past twelve or fifteen years. Seven years ago he was married to Miss Sophia Moore of this city. His wife and a little thirteen-month-old daughter, Emma Lou, survive. He was a member of the K. of P. of this city.

R. NORMAN PRESLEY
[victim of the McKinney building collapse]
The funeral of R. N. Presley was held at the home at 4 o'clock Saturday evening, Rev. C. C. Young, pastor of the First Methodist Church of this city, officiating. A large crowd was present to pay respects to the last one of the victims to be laid to rest in beautiful Pecan Grove cemetery.
Norman Presley was one of McKinney's most popular dry goods clerks. Everyone loved to trade with him. He was a quiet, unassuming Christian gentleman, with a kindly word and a pleasant greeting for everyone. It is said that while he lay mortally wounded, facing death, he told them where to look for Mr. Bush on whom he was waiting when the crash came. Brave, kindly Norman Presley. He died like a hero, thinking of others' welfare. The pallbearers were Vernie Graves, W. B. Benge, Si Lucas, S. G. Surratt, P. L. White, J. F. Cole, J. H. White, J. H. Ferguson, and J. K. P. Shrader. The other surviving employees of Cheeves Bros. attended the active list of pall bearers named above as a special mark of the love and esteem in which the deceased was held. After the religious services were over at the home the members of Defiance Lodge No. 28, K or P., took charge of the remains of their beloved brother and preceded the long funeral procession to the grave where a large crowd had remained over from attending the other funerals hours before.
Besides his wife and year old baby the immediate relatives of the deceased were all present. Their names and residences are as follows: The aged father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Presley of Bowie, Texas, his brothers, John Presley of Wichita Falls; Will Presley, El Paso, Walter Presley, Bowie, His sisters: Mrs. Forest Chandler, Oklahoma City, Misses Anna and Crawford Presley of Bowie, Texas. The grave was banked with rare and beautiful floral offerings, the sweet tokens of love and esteem. [The McKinney Examiner, McKinney, Texas, January 30, 1913.]

12/23/2024

There were 907 wreaths placed at Pecan Grove Cemetery for “Wreaths Across America”.

12/23/2024

Veterans section of cemetery.