The Honaker & Murchison are old twin cemeteries in Collin County - located about 2 1/2 miles northeast of Farmersville. According to the Collin County (Texas) Cemetery Inscriptions, Volume II*, by Mrs. Alice Pitts, Mrs. Wanda O'Roark, and Mrs. Doris Posey, "The first burial in the Murchison Cemetery was in 1860." There have been no burials there since the mid 1930's in the Honaker and 1902 in the Murchison. The cemeteries are overgrown with underbrush, trees & trash. Some cleanup has been done under the supervision of Lt. Dent, Deputy Sheriff of Collin County, about once a year using prisoners.

From Mike Thompson - About 3 years ago we dug up my GG Grandparents from the Honaker Cemetery and moved them to the Merit Cemetery in Hunt County. . . They were John Gresham, wife Caroline and daughter Hattie . . . The cemeteries were in such bad shape and being vandalized . . . I still have a GG Uncle in the Murchison Cemetery, Albert Thompson . . Any way I can help in restoring these cemeteries . . . Please let me know . . . Thank you for your work. Mike Thompson Red Oak, Texas.

We have been told that this is the worst kept cemetery in Collin County. There are many beautiful stones there and we need to preserve and restore this cemetery of our ancestors! There are nice homes in the area and the people in the area are very concerned and would like for the cemetery to be cleaned up and taken care of. Cooperation from the County has been great and we do appreciate what the Sheriff's Department has been doing in clean-up . . . but that is not enough. We need a long term plan to get the cemeteries in shape and keep them that way. Your help is needed!

Some of the Murchison descendants have been working on this project for about a year. The iron fence around the Murchison plot has been repaired. Undergrowth was cut and poisoned but not nearly enough has been done! Several work days will be scheduled for this year. If you would like to help with this project, please notify Hoyt Berryman, Jr., 3106 Rollingwood Dr, Tyler, TX - phone 903 566-0633 or email - [email protected].

Monetary donations are needed for the project. A bank account for the Association has been opened at First Bank Farmersville. Contributions will be gladly accepted to use in the clean-up and maintenance of the cemetery. They may be mailed to: Hoyt N. Berryman, Jr., 3106 Rollingwood, Tyler, TX 75701.

Pictures of work and the tombstone of Kenneth & Florah Murchison.

Surnames found in these cemeteries are:

HONAKER* - Bale, Bergin, Brannon, Bryant, Butler, Cameron, Carroll, Cox, Clinton, Coker, Crump, Currin, Dickenson, Dorton, Douglas, Gibson, Graham, Gresham, Greever, Hale, Harless, Helton, Howard, James, Johnson, Langham, Lanier, Lee, Martin, Milton, Morton, McDonald, McPrice, Owens, Purcell, Roberts, Russell, Sims, Spain, Sparkes, Stewart, Strickland, Suggs, Thomas, Tucker, Vicars, Watson, Webb, Wells, Wood, Young.

MURCHISON* - Allison, Anderson, Andrews, Basham, Bell, Belt, Bowden, Box, Brooks, Brown, Cole, Collier, Cox, Franklin, Gilmore, Groves, Guttery, Haughton, Head, Howell, Jackson, King, Law, London, Mason, Moore, Murchison, McCandless, Parker, Phillips, Robinson, Roberts, Sellars, Sheppard, Smith, Sowell, Sumrow, Swindell, Temple, Terrell, Thompson, Vance, Willis, Whitman, Young, Wiley, Robinson.

*Collin County (Texas) Cemetery Inscriptions, Volume II, by Mrs. Alice Pitts, Mrs. Wanda O'Roark, and Mrs. Doris Posey is out of print but is scheduled to be republished next year. Information about the first volume and other books on Collin County may be obtained from Minnie Pitts Champ.