Monday, January 31, 2011

Famous File: Max Waldo Schmidt Bishop

Located at Hillcrest Cemetery in Gravette, AR.
This is a cenotaph.
Max
Waldo
Schmidt
Bishop

Oct 30, 1908
Gravette, AR
Nov 18, 1994
Ailey, GA

Buried in
Peterson
Cemetery
Ailey, GA
Bishop

Arkansas
Native Son

Beloved
 Husband
and Father

Blessed are
 the pure in
 heart, for
 they shall
 see God.
Matthew 5:8

Obit from The University of Chicago Magazine December 1995
Max W. Schmidt-Bishop, PhB'32, a former ambassador to Thailand, died November 17, 1994, in Ailey, GA. He was 86. He spent his career with the Department of State, holding diplomatic and military posts throughout Asia. He retired in 1961, having received the Medal of Freedom and a presidential certificate of merit. He is survived by his wife, Jessie; a son; three daughters; and a brother.

You can read more about him at the following link.
Arkansas Gravestones
Sorge

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Union Mission Cemetery

While out looking for cemeteries some friends and I came across a sign on the highway that said "Cemetery". It wasn't on our list of the ones we had planned to visit but we are not the type to pass one up that so gladly volunteers. I am so glad we visited this one.

Union Mission, the first mission in Oklahoma, was organized and established in 1820 among the Osage by the United Foreign Missionary Society (Presbyterian Dutch Reformed). The first school in Oklahoma was opened in 1821 at Union Mission (about 5 miles northeast of Maizie in Wagoner County), with four French-Osage children as the first pupils. (Credits)

This is an overview of the main burial ground.
(1820 - 1835)
Was placed on the
National Registry of
Historic Places
Sept 10, 1971 by the United
States Department of
the Interior.

Union Mission Chapter
National Society
Daughters of the
American Revolution

Union Mission was established in 1820 by the
United Foreign Missionary Society as a
mission to the Osage. It was in existence only 15
years but occupies a unique position in
Oklahoma history. It was the pioneer
institution in bringing Christianity and aspects
of western civilization such as education to
Oklahoma. Here was the site of the first
church, the first school, and the first protestant
wedding. The Union Mission Chapter
National Society Daughters of the American
Revolution feels a pride and obligation to
commemorate the brave spirits who labored
here.

November 7, 1992

Persons listed in the "Union Mission Journal"
as having died at this site between 1822 - 1825
and according to tradition who are buried
in Union Mission Cemetery, baby of Abraham
and Phoebe Beach Redfield - February 8, 1822,
Osage woman - October 17, 1822, Osage infant
October 19, 1822, Infant child of Mr and Mrs.
Fuller - March 9 , 1823, Robert Bake - August 20, 1823,
Charlotte Vaille, Child September 6, 1824,
Jane Redfield, Child - September 9, 1824,
Epaphras Chapman, First Missionary to the Osage -
January 17, 1825.

Inside this structure is the following.
The side panel reads:

Erected
by
Northeastern
Teachers College
1932

This is the top portion.
In
Memory of
Rev. Epaphras Chapman
who died Jan 1825
Aged 32
First Missionary to the
Osages.
Stay amoung the heathers, the Lord reigneth.

I found the following in excerpt in "The Christian spectator, Volume 7".



You can read more about Rev. Chapman and the Mission at the following links.
American missionary register, Volume 6 By United Foreign Missionary Society
The Missionary herald, Volume 17 by American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions


"We honor their
memory, we call
their names, they
live again."
Choutea Family Graves
Originally located southwest of
cemetery. Desecrated by
vandals, markers discarded
by farmers late 1900. Rescued
and moved for permanent
memorialization Dec 2001.
Dedicated Apr 4, 2002. Joint
project of: Jean Pierre Choteau
descendants, Union Mission
Chapter Daughters of the
American Revolution, Alphs
Co. Thunderbird Younth
Academy and Oklahoma
Historical Society.

Contributors
Calvin Coverdell, Bert &
Arlene Nelson, Bill Kemp,
Rainbow Concrete Co and
Witt Monument Co.

Minerva
Wife of
JA Cheawteaw
Born April 14, 1825
Died
Feb 1, 1856

Musadora
Daughter of
James & Minerva
Chouteau
was born
??? 20, 1819
died
??????

Note: Minerva Rogers  married James Augustus Chouteau, son of Auguste Chorteau and Rosalie Lambert. 
James and Henry Chouteau were names listed on the Osage Treaty  of June 2, 1825.

The following were all field stone markers with name plaques placed in front of them.

Charlotte Osage 1823 - 1824 Adopted orphan of George Requa
Osage Infant Died 1822
Osage Woman Died 1822
Moses Osage 1823 - 1824 Baby of Rev. Chapman

Harriett Wooley Montgomery Died 1834

Note: Rev. Montgomery died of either fever or cholera. Harriet, his third wife, died Aug. 27, 1834 at Union Mission also of fever.

Sarah Requa Died 1825 Wife of George Requa
Requa Baby 1825 - 1825 Baby of Sarah and George Requa
Requa Baby 1833 - 1833 Child of Susan and William Requa
Susan Comstock Requa Died 1833

Note: Sarah Clapp was George Requa first wife.
Note: Susan was the first wife of Rev. William Comb Requa


Redfield Child 1827 - 1834 Child of Phoebe and Abraham Redfield
Redfield Child 1831 - 1834 Child of Phoebe and Abraham Redfield
Redfield Child 1829 - 1834 Child of Phoebe and Abraham Redfield
Redfield Child 1833 - 1834 Child of Phoebe and Abraham Redfield
Redfield Child 1822 - 1822 Child of Phoebe and; Abraham Redfield
Redfield Baby 1825 - 1826 Child of Phoebe and Abraham Redfield
Jane Redfield 1823 - 1824 Child of Phoebe and Abraham Redfield


Robert Bake Died 1823
Richard Howard Died 1826 Hired Laborer
Unknown

Fuller Baby 1823 - 1823 Child of Mr. and Mrs. Fuller
Freed Infant Slave
Charles McCoy 1829 - 1831 Child of Isaac McCoy

Vaill Child 2 1/2 years old
Charlotte Vaill 1823 - 1824

Across the road from this Union Mission Cemetery stands this marker.
On these Premises...
Union Mission
The first mission in Oklahoma
was founded in 1820
by Rev Eraphras Chapman

The First Press
was established and the fist
book printed in 1835
by

Erected by
Oklahoma Library Association 1935

More information on Rev. Samuel Worcester can be found at the following links.
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
The life and Labors of Rev. Samuel Worcester, D. D.: former pastor ..., Volume 1
Creating Cherokee Print: Samuel Austin Worcester’s Impact on the Syllabary
Find A Grave

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Famous File: Thomas Montague Gunter

Located at Evergreen Cemetery in Fayetteville, AR.
Thomas Montague Gunter
Born Warren Tenn
1824 - 1904
---
Col. C.S.A.
Member of the U.S. Congress
1872 - 1882

You Can read more about him at the following links.

Marcella J
Wife of
T.M. Gunter
Born
Mar 17, 1830
Died
Dec 17, 1858

Note: Thomas married Marcella Jackson in Louisiana, Mo., December 4, 1854. Originally buried at Mount Comfort Cemetery but was moved to Evergreen.

Infant Dau of
T.M. & M.J.
Gunter

Friday, January 28, 2011

You Never Know What You Will Find

One never knows what they will find when photographing a cemetery.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

One Of My Favorite Monuments

Located at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia, PA.
Frederick G. Wolbert, Sr.
 died October 15, 1844.
 
Julia Moliere
 wife of Frederick G. Wolbert, Sr.
died May 2, 1866

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

My Famous File: Archibald Yell

Located at Evergreen Cemetery in Fayettville, AR.
Born in North Carolina, Aug.
1797. A Volunteer in the
battle of New Orleans.
District Judge of Ark.
Territory, 1832. First member
of Congress from the
State Government, 1840.
Elected to Congress again, '44/
Resigned and accepted
Colonelcy of Ark Vols.
During the Mexican War 1846.
Killed at Buena Vista Feb.
22, 1847. A gallant soldier,
an upright judge, fearless
champion of poplar
rights, a sincere friend
and an honest man. 

Note: First he was buried near the battlefield at Saltillo in a tin coffin encasing the wood, remained there only five months then he was disinterred and brought back to Arkansas where he was buried in the family cemetery at Waxhaws. but that was not his final resting place. The Masonic Lodge disinterred all the bodies from this cemetery and reentered in the Evergreen Cemetery in Fayetteville in 1881.
In Honor of Service
In the War of 1812
Archibald Yell

You can read more about Archibald yell at the following links.
The Governors of Arkansas: Essays in Political Biography By Timothy Paul Donovan

The Life of Archibald Yell By MELINDA MEEK


Sacred
 to the memory of
Ann Yell
who departed this life
Oct 7th 1835
aged 32 years.

Note: Ann Jordan Moore was Archibald's second wife. They had three daughters—Artemesia, Jane, and Elizabeth—and a son, DeWitt Clinton.

D.W.C. Yell
Born Oct 15, 1831
Died May 15, 1861

Mary C. Daughter of
D.W.C. & C.M. Yell
Born Jan 1, 1859
Died Aug 1, 1864

Note: DeWitt Clinton Yell, son of Archibald, became a Fayetteville lawyer but died just before the Civil War.

Dedicated
to the memory of
Maria Yell
who departed this life
Oct 14th 1838
aged 33 years

Note: Archibald's third wife,  Maria (McIlvaine) Ficklin, but they had no children. Mary Ficklin was the widow of  Judge Thomas Ficklin who had been an early political leader from Lawrence County.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

An Unsolved Accident?

Located at Elm Springs Cemetery in Elm Springs, AR.
This is the family plot marker.

Walter
1880 - 1919

Benton County Record

Bentonville, AR
December 26, 1919

SHERMAN, Walter - Walter Sherman, prominent farmer living near Elm Springs, died at his home early Christmas morning from a fractured skull. What caused the blow which resulted in this death has been left a mystery, with no clue. Mr. Sherman and his wife and daughter had just driven home from the Christmas exercises at the church and after putting his car away, and the family having gone into the house, he went into the barn to turn out his horses and mules. As he did not return to the house immediately his daughter stepped out and called him. Hearing his gasping and attempting to speak, she went to him with her mother and the two helped him into the house. He was bleeding freely from a small wound in the side of his head and a physician pronounced the skull broken. He lived only a few hours. Supposing that one of the mules must have kicked him Mrs. Sherman asked him but he replied in a negative, but could say nothing more as to how he received the wound. Burial took place Saturday at the Elm Springs cemetery. Among the relatives present were his brothers, Rev. Will Sherman of Jonesboro and Rev. Jefferson Sherman of Earle, Ark. and former pastor here in Bentonville.

His wife rests next to him.
Lida
1881 - 1961

Monday, January 24, 2011

An Unusual Garden Plot

My friend Theresa took me to this specific cemetery just to show me this interesting plot.  The pics don't do it justice it's very large and pretty.  It comes complete with a walking path and art work.

Located at Stuckey Cemetery in Johnson, AR.
Twilla Jean Womochil Tyson
Nov 13, 1931 - May 31, 2006
Beloved Mother

Note: Daughter of Howard & Vera Westover Womochil
Wife of Don Tyson who was the CEO and son of the founder of Tyson Foods, John Tyson.

Twila Jean Womochil Tyson, 74, Springdale, Ark., died Wednesday, May 31, 2006; born Nov. 13, 1931, in Elmo, the daughter of Howard and Vera (Westover) Womochil; married Don Tyson in August 1952; survivors include her husband, Don Tyson of Springdale; one son, John Howard Tyson of Springdale; two daughters, Cheryl Jean Tyson of Springdale and Carla Ann Tyson of Fayetteville, Ark.; five brothers, Lyle Womo-chil and Garold Womochil, both of Denver, Larry Womochil of Detroit and Tracy Womochil and Glen Womochil, both of Abilene; and two grandchildren; preceded in death by one sister, Trevia Schneider; private memorial service was held in Springdale (abstract Abilene Reflector Chronicle)

You can see the walking path in this photo.  It completely circles the plot. This section sits in front of the headstone.
This bench sits behind the marker.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

How long have they been there? - Graveyard Rabbit Carnival Submission

Here are a few of the oldest headstones I have photographed. I had a hard time deciding which ones to share so I just picked a few and shared them. Hope you enjoy them.

Located at Newberry Cemetery in Alma, AR.
Death Date 1783
This is a cenotaph.

Vinet Fine
1755 - 1783 
Born in Virginia 1755, son of Phillip
Peter Fine. Both fought along with 4
of Vinet's brothers in the American
Revolution 1776-1781. Descendants of
Dutch Settlers New York (New Netherland
at the time 1609- 1664) Vinet and
 brothers moved to Newport, Tenn. 1781
where Vinet was killed by Indians 1783.
His body was placed under ice in what
is now Fines Creek North Carolina. His
body was not recovered and he never
had a proper burial. This monument was
 erected in his memory. He is ancestor
to all Fines and all Fine relatives in this cemetery.
**************
Located at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia, PA.
Death Date 1817
McKean Family Vault
Beneath
This Marble
Are
The Remains of
Thomas McKean
One of the Signers
Of the
Declaration of Independence
President of Congress in 1781
Chief Justice
and
Governor
of the
State of Pennsylvania
Born March 19 1734
Died June 24 1817
And the descendant of his
Family

Note: I am not sure if this is the original stone.  I know this particular cemetery is very good at keeping the stones in good repair. This gentleman was Continental Congressman 1774 - 1776, Signer of the Declaration of Independence 1776, President of the Continental Congress 1778 - 1781, Governor of Pennsylvania 1799 - 1808, Namesake for McKean County, PA.
**************
Located at Mount Holly Cemetery in Little Rock, AR.
Death Date 1825
Lieut Col William Lewis
1767 - 1825
Who at the age of 12 years
Joined the Revolutionary Army
In Virginia and is buried
on these grounds.

Erected by
Little Rock Chapter N.S.D.A.R.
1934

To honor the memory of William Lewis and
all other gallant soldiers who fought
for American Independence this marker,
which formerly stood in the old burying
ground at Fifth and Gaines streets, is
placed by the General William Lewis
Chapter, N S D A R and By the Mt. Holly
Cemetery Board in this Bicentennial year
of 1976.
*******************
Located at Leeper Cemetery in Fayetteville, AR.
Death Date 1835
Sacred
to the memory of
 Margaret Leeper
who died on the
14th of September 1835
Aged 68 years

Death Date 1842
 James Leeper
PVT Provisional Army
 Revolutionary War
Sept 1, 1761
Jan 7, 1842

Note These two are in a small cemetery all by themselves. He also has a cenotaph marker at the National Cemetery in Fayettville, AR. (Section 17 Site 122)
**************
Located at Mount Holly Little Rock, AR.
Death Date 1839
 
Sarah Caroline
Daughter of
James Owens
And Wife of
Elijah A. More
who departed this life
one the 24th day of
January 1839
in the 25th year
of her age.
*****************
Located at Mount Holly Cemetery in Little Rock, AR.
Death Date 1840
In
Memory
of
John Cooper
A Native of Scotland
Kinross Shire Who
Depart this life
August 29th, 1840
Aged 28 years
__
Er'd by his friends
Jas McVicar, Sam McMorrin,
& Robt Brownlee

Note:Originally buried at the former cemetery at 5th and Gaines in Little Rock, his body was moved to Mt. Holly Cemetery after it opened in 1843.
***********
Located at Can Hill Cemetery in Cane Hill, AR
Death Date 1845 and 1848
Elizabeth
Died Oct 27 1845
aged 6m
Daughter of JAL & Mary Dyer McColloch

Jesse
Died June 5 1848
age 12m
Son of JAL & Mary Dyer McColloch
************
Located at Goad Springs Cemetery in Lowell, AR.
Death Date 1851
Martha C. Banks
Born Sept 3, 1810
Died Dec 24, 1851
*******
Located at Academy Cemetery in Evansville, AR.
Death Date 1851
In the memory of
Mrs. Jane Latta
Wife of John Latta
Born Sept. 17, 1793
Died July 29th 1851
Age 61 years 10 months and 3 days