Knoles Cemetery Story- Cleveland County, Oklahoma

Submitted by:  Eric Knoles  <crmsndrgn6482@yahoo.com>   01 Mar 2009
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My name is William Eric Knoles. I am originally from Shawnee,Okla. 
but now reside in Edmond Oklahoma. I am interested in having a 
cemetery placed on the list. It is the burial place of my great-great 
grandfather: Martin Van Buren Knoles(1844-1917). He was an 
interpreter for the government between the Indians around the time of 
statehood. He was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention when 
Oklahoma became a state. My uncle,who is deceased now,told me that 
once upon a time the cemetery was much larger than it is now and that 
there were some "squatters" that settled on the land and started 
destroying it, he said he and his family once went there and there 
were headstones stacked in a pile and when they returned they were 
all gone. I first visited the site about 5 years ago and first heard 
of this project about a year ago and wanted to contact you but always 
forgot. I visited the site yesterday(02-15-09) and there are 
headstones missing and knocked over since I was there last. Also when 
I was there 5 years ago there was a Indian burial mound on the west 
end and it is completely gone. This was supposedly and Indian chief 
(possibly Shawnee Chief  Little Axe;he had accompanied him to 
Washington to the Indian Bureau) that Martian had befriended while 
interpreting, and wanted to be buried there. I think it is an 
atrocity to destroy any cemetery and erase history just to be able to 
park your farm equipment there,Which is what is going on there now.

The location of this cemetery is Franklin Rd. & Harrah-Newalla in 
Cleveland county,the north/west corner. As far as I know it was 
always refered to as Knoles Cemetery. There was also in the area a 
Knoles school that my grandfater went to but its location I am not 
sure.My uncle had said that the cemetery at one time went all the way 
to the intersection.

I and my cousin who's uncle I was referring have other information. I 
would appreciate any help and possibly naming this cemetery in the 
list. Please contact me if you have any questions.
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