May Hendricks Swayne May 1, 1856 - July 13, 1940 On May 1, 1856, May Hendricks Swayne was born in Sherman, Texas to parents Harrison and Eliza Everts Hendericks. Her father was a pioneer Texas attorney & Judge and they moved to a farm on the northside of Fort Worth early in her childhood. In her teenage years, she was sent to an academy in Kentucky to complete her education. At the age of 18, May married John F. Swayne, Fort Worth's first city secretary. They would have 4 children, but only 2 would live to adulthood. In 1884, The Swaynes would build a stately home at 503 E. First St. which featured a rosewood grand piano. The couple would reside in this home their entire lives. The home is no longer standing. May served as an officer of the Women's Committee for the Spring Palace in 1889. In the same year, May also founded the Women's Wednesday Club in her living room, focusing on promoting arts and literature in the growing City of Fort Worth.¹ In 1923, The Woman's Club of Fort Worth would be organized in her home and she served as President. The Women’s Wednesday Club was one of 11 Charter Clubs that founded The Woman’s Club and is the oldest continuously functioning woman’s club in Fort Worth.² In 1904, May was accepted into the Mary Isham Keith Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). The following year, she would be the third Regent for the chapter. She also served as Vice-Regent for the Texas Society of DAR from 1906-1908 and parliamentarian from 1910-1911.³ May also had a desire to preserve and maintain local cemeteries. She served as the first elected President of the Oakwood Cemetery Association.⁴ She also served as President at Pioneers Rest Cemetery.⁵ On July 1, 1940, May passed away at the age of 84 in her home due to a lengthy illness related to complications from a broken hip.⁶ She is buried in the Hendricks Family plot next to her parents, husband, 2 children and 3 siblings. __________________________ [1] “Woman’s Wednesday Club Scrapbook.” Portal to Texas History, N.D. Pg. 95. Retrieved 15 Aug 2023 ; https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth821691/m1/95/zoom/?q=%22pioneers%20Rest%20cemetery%22&resolution=3.428524634636288&lat=4054.033605097839&lon=3281.431303715895 [2] “Woman’s Wednesday Club.” The Woman’ Club of Fort Worth, 2023. Retrieved 15 Aug 2023 ; https://www.thewomansclubfw.com/clubs [3] “May Hendricks Swayne.” Find a Grave, N.D. Retrieved 15 Aug 2023 ; https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18924406/may-swayne [4] “Woman’s Wednesday Club Scrapbook.” N.D. [5] Granite plaque located at front gates of Pioneers Rest Cemetery. [6] “Woman’s Wednesday Club Scrapbook.” N.D. Block 3, Lot 46 [Explore the Map ]

Support the Preservation of Pioneers Rest Cemetery Preserving history is a community effort, and your contributions help us maintain the legacy of Fort Worth's oldest public cemetery. Together, we can honor the pioneers who shaped our city and ensure their stories live on. Preserve History Today! To donate, please use the following methods: Zelle: 817-332-8515 Venmo: @PioneersRestCemetery Mail a check to: Pioneers Rest Cemetery Association PO Box 100294 Fort Worth, TX 76185 PayPal: Donate with PayPal Why Donate? Your generous donation helps us: Maintain and restore historical gravesites and monuments. Offer educational programs and guided tours to share the rich history of Fort Worth. Host events like Fall Fest and Wreaths Across America to bring the community together. Provide necessary tools and supplies for monthly volunteer clean-ups. How You Can Help We offer several ways to contribute: One-Time Donations – Every dollar makes a difference. Monthly Giving – Become a Cemetery Sustainer and support us year-round. Memorial Gifts – Honor a loved one by preserving history in their name. Where Your Money Goes We are committed to transparency. Your donation will directly support: Grounds maintenance and landscaping. Gravestone restoration and preservation efforts. Public history events and educational programs. Thank You for Supporting Our Legacy Your support ensures the stories of our city's past continue to inspire future generations. Together, we can preserve Pioneers Rest Cemetery for years to come. DONATE NOW!

Keeping History Alive: 2025 Volunteer Workdays & Events Join Us to Preserve Pioneers Rest! We invite you to join our monthly cleanup events at Pioneers Rest Cemetery, where volunteers help keep this historic resting place beautiful and well-maintained. Each month, we tackle tasks like weeding, mulching, picking up trash, trimming trees, managing overgrown vegetation, and cleaning headstones. We also treat fire ant beds to ensure a safer environment for all visitors. 📍 Location: 620 Samuels Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76102 📅 Upcoming Workdays & Events (In case of inclement weather, events may be canceled or rescheduled. Check Facebook, your email, or call 817-332-8515 for updates.) Saturday, August 16 – Volunteer Workday (7:00 AM – 11:00 AM) Saturday, September 20 – Volunteer Workday (7:00 AM – 11:00 AM) Saturday, October 18 - Volunteer Workday (9:00 AM - 12:00 PM) Saturday, November 15 – Volunteer Workday (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM) Saturday, December 13 – Wreaths Across America (11:00 AM) 🔨 What to Bring & How to Help Please bring work gloves, scoop shovels, rakes, spades, and, if desired, equipment for tree and shrub trimming. Volunteers are needed to rake leaves, trim trees and shrubs, transplant irises, pick up trash and fallen limbs, and help with general cemetery upkeep. Complimentary granola bars and water will be provided, but we encourage you to bring your own tools, sunscreen, and insect repellent. ☎️ Want to help at our next event? or have Questions? Contact Melanie at 682-225-6921. ⚠️ Important Notice: Each individual who enters the grounds of Pioneers Rest Cemetery does so at his or her own risk. The cemetery association is not responsible for injury or accidents. Your time and effort help keep this historic cemetery beautiful and well-maintained. Thank you for being part of our preservation efforts!

Mary May Morgan McGuire August 15, 1881 - April 4, 1946 Mary May Morgan was born at 820 Samuels Ave in Fort Worth on August 15, 1881 (home no longer standing). The home stood just two blocks from the Pioneers Rest Cemetery. Her parents were Conrad B. and Hannah Morgan, and they came to Fort worth in a covered wagon after the close of the civil war.¹ Her father served in the Union Army for the 49th Ohio Infantry.² Their home on Samuels Ave was the first two story home built on the prominent thoroughfare and was constructed with timber brought by ox cart from East Texas. On April 5, 1901, May married Milton Francis McGuire at the home of Rev. James Meyers.³ Milton worked as an Engineer for the Frisco Railroad. After their marriage, they continued to live in her childhood home along with many of her siblings. On August 15, 1911, Milton passed away at the age of 40 in the home on Samuels Ave.⁴ May and Milton had no children, and she found herself a young widow at the age of 30. Following the death of her husband, May decided (in 1912) to enter All Saints Hospital School of Nursing in Fort Worth. After graduation, she became a nurse for the American Red Cross. By 1917, the United States entered World War I and May decided to answer the call for women to enlist in the U.S. Army as nurses. She was the first WWI nurse to enlist from Fort Worth. She was assigned to Selfridge Field, Michigan where she was a specialist in the laboratories preparing serum used to treat the influenza outbreak known as the Spanish Flu. After her discharge, she returned to Fort Worth and later became the Commander of the Worth Post of the American Legion. She was also a member of the Trinity Episcopal Church. In the later years of her life, May became an invalid and lived at the Veterans Hospital in Bay Pines, Florida. In 1945, doctors gave her the prognosis that she did not have long to live, and her wish was to come home to Texas. On April 4, 1946, May died in her childhood home among family, in the very bedroom where she was born. Above her deathbed, U.S. and Texas flags hung, of which she spoke fondly of even at the hour of her death.⁵ __________________________ [1] “City’s First WWI Nurse Dies,” Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fri, Apr 05, 1946 ·Page 2, Col 1. [2] "C. B. Morgan G. A. R. Leader Dies at 76." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, City Edition ed., vol. XXXV, no. 16, 7 Feb. 1915, p. Page Seven. NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current ,: accessed 29 Sept 2024. [3] "Weddings McGuire-Morgan," Fort Worth Morning Register, vol. V, no. 147, 5 Apr. 1901, p. 2. NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current ,: accessed 29 Sept 2024. [4] "McGuire," Fort Worth Star-Telegram, City Edition ed., vol. XXIX, no. 211, 17 Aug. 1911, p. Page Eleven. NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current , accessed 29 Sept 2024. [5] City’s, 1946. Block 2, Lot 23 [Explore the Map ]