Jefferson Co., OK - Benton Cemetery Submitted by: Loretta Corley Lcorley@wavelinx.net ================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. =================================================================== Benton Cemetery Between Ryan and Terral OK Jefferson County, Oklahoma Transcriptions by: Loretta Corley and Paula Smith Directions: From Ryan, Ok, travel 6 miles south on US Hwy 81. Turn east onto dirt road(referred to locally as Shady Springs Road). Drive approximately 1/4 to 1/2 mile east, but be looking towards the south and you will be able to catch a glimpse of the old cemetery in a grass pasture about 1/4 mile off the road. It is not easy to see, so look carefully! You can leave your vehicle on the side of the road without causing any problem as it is not heavily traveled (except in dry weather please avoid parking your vehicle over dried grasses or weeds as grass fires can be set by a vehicle's catalytic converter). You will have to negotiate or crawl under a barbed wire fence at the road's edge but then it is a clear walk (mostly uphill) across a pasture. The cemetery is enclosed by a barbed wire fence, which at times has not been successful in keeping cattle out. One corner of the cemetery is rapidly being overtaken by a wild plum thicket. Although the cemetery is not in particularly good shape, it seems like a nice place to be buried, out in the open, out among the bluestem and the cattle. We have listed all the graves in this cemetery with legible markers on 13MAR2001. There were approximately 35 other graves that had either a headstone or footstone of native rock, but no legible markings. There was also evidence of approximately 20 additional sites within the cemetery that are probably graves, but since there are no markers of any kind we could not say for sure. The Old Benton Cemetery is mentioned in an interview (WPA Writer's Project - 1930's - reference article not available but can be obtained). In the interview it was stated that occasionally people who were "passing through" and needed some place to bury family members were allowed to bury their loved ones in the Benton cemetery. If you would like a digital photo taken of any of the identifiable headstones, we will be happy to do so and e-mail it to you. Happy hunting. BENTON CEMETERY 13 Mar 2001 Osa Benton 1898-1929 Love Life Truth Native stone footstone - no marks Amanda Benton 8-7-1899 8/6/1916 Love Life Truth Footstone "A.B." Julia Benton 4/16/1867 2/1/1919 Love Life Truth R. F. Benton 2-18-1861 4-1-1930 Love Life Truth Footstone: RFB Cas Gray Murdered 1887 Husband of Julia Johnson Father of Effie.Minnie.Willie. Cas Lewis name sake. Martha Sturm Mar. 28 1835 Mar. 9 1925 Cleo English Son of G. W. and M. A. English Born Oct. 28,1908 Died Dec. 9, 1908 Weep not papa and mama for I am waiting in heaven for you. Cora Benton 5.12.1891 8.21.1892 Footstone "C.B." Baby Benton Born & Died 1896 Footstone "B.B." Annie Dau. Of Mr. & Mrs. F. L. Lewis June 27, 1901 Sep. 20, 1920 Marie Dabbs 1912-1932 Mother Emma Bammer Dewbre April 9, 1886 March 11, 1934 Until we meet again R.N. Camma (headstone broken and in wild plum thicket) Born Oct 1 1892 Died Feb 5 1893 Footstone "RNC" Florene Lilley 1925 - 1950 (concrete covered grave) Jane Bentley 1843 - 1929 (concrete covered grave) Children of Mr. & Mrs. R. E. Benton Gone But Not Forgotten Fay 1918 - 1919 Opal 1912 - 1919 Henry D. Lynch Nov. 26, 1911 July 6, 1943 Billie D. Lynch Apr. 15, 1878 Aug. 30, 1941 Flora E. (Lynch) Wife & infant child of W. D. Lynch Feb. 14, 1881 Sep. 6, 1917 A Tender Mother and a Faithful Friend Footstone "FEL" Samuel J. Bussey Born Feb. 5, 1890 Died Oct. 28, 1916 (Headstone is broken) Footstone "S.J.B." Dempsey Bussey Born Sep. 27, 1844 Died Jan. 20, 1920 Dying is But Going Home Father & Mother Footstone "D.B." Sudie Wife of Dempsey Bussey Born Dec. 2, 1855 "A wife devoted, as a mother affectionate, as a friend ever kind & (rest is buried) Jewel Bussey (poured concrete marker - nothing readable other than name)