Plano Mutual Cemetery

Plano,

Photos by Gary Webb

Historical Marker:
Plano Mutual Cemetery
Among the earliest graveyards in Collin County, this cemetery traces its
beginnings to 1852 when Dr. Lillie was buried on land belonging to his uncle
William Forman, a Kentucky native. Forman came to Texas about 1850 and bought
640 acres in 1851 from Sanford Beck. Lillie's death prompted a meeting of
pioneer settlers to decide the location of a graveyard. The owners of four
sections of land that converged together promised equal portions for the
cemetery. However, most of the earliest graves are located on Forman land. By
the 1870s the Forman Family Cemetery was combined with cemetery tracts
purchased by the local Masonic and Odd Fellow's Lodges. A group of local
women organized the Ladies Mutual Cemetery Association in the 1890s to
maintain the site. They beautified the grounds, provided a pavilion and
doubled the size of the cemetery during their nearly 40 years tenure. By
1907, adjoining tracts of land were bought by the Mutual Cemetery
Association, Woodmen of the World and Knights of Pythias orgainizations. The
Plano Mutual Cemetery association was formed in 1928 and continues service to
the site. Buried here are many early pioneers and their descendants, war
veterans, and elected officials. (1996)