Tillman County, OK - Hackberry Cemetery http://files.usgwarchives.net/ok/tillman/cemeteries/hackberr.txt --------------------------------- Copyright © 2000 by Carolyn Tharp patharp@ou.edu - Part I Copyright © 2001 Janay Due triplej@pldi.net - Part II This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. --------------------------------- USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Part I Source: From "Now and Then" by Carolyn Maxwell, The Frederick Press, February 24, 1977 and March 3, 1977, (reprinted in The History of Tillman County©, Volume II, published 1978): Part II Source: Janay Due & Norvell Overton-Slack updated list in 1999 - Cemetery ------------------------------------------------------------------ Hackberry Cemetery ----- PART I Hackberry Cemetery, located two miles east and six miles south of Frederick, served the once-flourishing Hackberry Flat community. Since the first burial (Bina Emenhiser in June 1903), burials have continued there through the years, the most recent being that of Robert E. Stewart, who died March 8, 1977. In 1971, an effort to clean up, fence, and maintain Hackberry Cemetery was begun by Ed Burke, Wichita, Kansas. With financial support from many descendants of early-day area settlers and elbow grease from the younger generation, the cemetery was restored, and a gateway arch built. There are a few instances where new stones have been placed on graves where older stones have deteriorated badly. Unfortunately, like all the other country cemeteries, there are many, many unmarked graves in Hackberry. Three generations of Burkes and Hickersons are buried in this cemetery. These two families were the first to move into the Red River community east of Davidson after the land opening in 1901. Alta Burke French has two marvelous pieces of Tillman County history: a history of Hackberry Cemetery, handwritten by Bert Schneider in 1912, and the constitution and by-laws of the cemetery association, also hand-written by Mr. Schneider. Part of the charm of Mr. Schneider's writing is his spelling sentence construction, which I've tried to duplicate. The account gets a bit tedious halfway through, but don't give up! (Documents are found following tombstone transcription.) The following information is on tombstones in this cemetery: AFFHOLTER, Geneva, January 6, 1920 - January 28, 1937. AGEE, Margaret A., January 23, 1870 - March 2, 1965 AGEE, Irb W., May 8, 1865 - August 26, 1934 ANDERSON, George Robert, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. D., July 10, 1904 - January 8, 1907 ANTHONY, Minnie, daughter of S. P. and F. C., June 8, 1907 - June 19, 1907 BEVERAGE, William J., April 17, 1923 - February 8, 1924 BIRKHEAD, Fannie M., wife of G. F., April 17, 1891 - March 26, 1914 BLACKWOOD, Martha Jane, January 1, 1894 - September 13, 1939 BLANKENSHIP, Dessie Odell, June 7, 1942 - October 2, 1942 BLANKENSHIP, Albert, June 9, 1975 - 69 years, 2 months, 6 days BROWN, Verlin G., son of Mr. and Mrs. W. H., August 31, 1923 - August 5, 1935 BURK, G. A., September 30, 1884 - August 1, 1914 BURK, Emma, 1866 - 1938 BURK, John A., 1862 - 1928 BURK, Betty Jo, 1921 - 1926 BURKE, Lambert, son of J. D. and Emma, March 1, 1902 - July 23, 1913, 11 years. BURKE, Emma A., 1865 - 1941 BURKE, J. D., 1861 - 1938 BURKE, Willie C., wife of P. J., 1894 - 1938 BURKE, Billie Rue, March 16, 1919 - July 6, 1920 BURKE, Percy J., husband of Willie, 1892 - 1961 BURLESON, Aunt Sally, 1857 - 1949 COLLINS, Jesse Jenkins, Kizer's Co., Forrest's Scouts, CSA COLYER, Eliza T., 1886 - 1933 COLYER, Robert L., 1882 - 1935 CUNNINGHAM, sons of G. T. and Lue, August 19, 1903 - August 19, 1903; August 19, 1904 - August 24, 1904 DAVIS, A. L. "Mack", April 21, 1891 - October 3, 1916 DAVIS, Eliza Celia, 1864 - 1952 DAVIS, Henry Mack, 1866 - 1915 DEFEE, F. M., 1860 - 1924 DEFEE, Infant son of Marion and May, 1918 DEFEE, Baby Gillis, 1915 - 1917 DENNIS, Mary Isabella, daughter of David and Ida May, 1905 - 1907 DILL, Lloyd Eugene, son of W. R. and Sally, 1926 (unmarked) EMENHISER, Earl, 1894 - 1962 EMENHISER, John T., 1857 - 1926 EMENHISER, Lettie E., 1862 - 1911 EMENHISER, Bina M., 1890 - 1903 EMENHISER, Tilden O., 1903 - 1906 EMENHISER, Cecil G., 1887 - 1906 FERGUSON, Stephen H., January 8, 1891 - December 1, 1909 FERGUSON, Lou Ella, April 1, 1865 - October 5, 1910 FERGUSON, Henry Wise, August 16, 1856 - October 20, 1946 FILLMORE, Infant son of Mr. and Mrs. D. L., September 15, 1916 FINE, Joseph C., October 30, 1907 - November 4, 1907 FREEMAN, Charles C., 1883 - 1929 GOLDEN, Willie Mack GUEST, children of R. D. and M., Thaddeous, January 21, 1900 - June 4, 1902 and Lial, December 5, 1902 - January 4, 1903 HAMMONDS, J. M., February 20, 1853 - October 16, 1908 HAMNER, Kitty, August 21, 1894 - March 14, 1904 HARRIS, Maggie, 1862 - 1933 HARRIS, J. F., 1850 - 1929 HARRIS, Richard, October 4, 1896 - December 10, 1918 HAVRON, Mabel Myrtle, daughter of M. H. and Mary E., September 24, 1901 - January 22, 1908 HEFNER, Jessie C., 1878 - 1936 HEFNER, Baby son of Henry and Laura, January 6, 1911 HICKERSON, Floyd M., April 20, 1910 - April 29, 1945 HICKERSON, Mary R., 1872 - 1932 HICKERSON, James M., 1868 - 1956 HICKERSON, Anita C., daughter of R. S. and Zelda, April 18, 1922 - January 5, 1924 HICKERSON, Jim and Charlie, January 25, 1905 - February 17, 1905 HIPP, John Morrison, Okla. Pvt., 358 Inf., 90 Division, World War I, January 20, 1893 - June 20, 1951 HIPP, Julia, March 23, 1862 - February 5, 1942 HIPP, J. P., January 11, 1846 - July 17, 1909 HOLDERREAD, Ora A., son of H. H. and M. B., August 26, 1906 - September 9, 1907 HORNE, Elnora, January 24, 1929 - February 18, 1929 HORTON, Marvin E., September 20, 1894 - July 24, 1914 KIDWELL, Philip Oakley, February 7, 1890 - March 2, 1946 KIDWELL, Dave, March 2, 1881 - November 26, 1950 KIDWELL, Thurman Eugene, October 22, 1927 - March 23, 1929 KIDWELL, J. H., May 14, 1888 - January 21, 1943 KIDWELL, James L., November 13, 1853 - March 21, 1904 KIDWELL, Mary Elizabeth, 1852 - 1939 KIDWELL, Jacob Henry, January 25, 1918 - April 1, 1918 KIDWELL, David Russell, March 4, 1927 - November 25, 1946 KIDWELL, Charlie J., 1882 - 1967 KIDWELL, Ellen Jewell, wife of C. J., 1890 - 1940 LANDFAIR, Artis, son of W. H. and Donia, June 19, 1904 - September 27, 1905 LANFAIR, Everett, Texas Pvt., U. S. Army, November 19, 1936 LEATHERWOOD, Margaret, 1847 - 1916 LEDBETTER, W. T., 1868 - 1921 LITTLE, W. M., February 4, 1851 - February 26, 1912 LITTLE, Martha, 1856 - 1934 LITTLE, Albert (Jack), 1888 - 1943 LONG, Jacob H., 1869 - 1920 LYNCH, Anna H., July 17, 1882 - August 7, 1959 LYNCH, George B., February 23, 1868 - March 17, 1941 LYNCH (Third grave in plot without marker) MADDOX, Elizabeth, March 2, 1880 - September 5, 1944 MADDUX, Illo and Willie, died 1928 MANSELL, Violet, Louis, and Lillie MARSHALL, A. Blanche, May 20, 1870 - August 1, 1947 MARSHALL, Vada G., October 9, 1925 - January 6, 1926 MARSHALL, W. J., 1853 - 1924 MARSHALL, William C. "Bill", April 5, 1902 - blank MARSHALL, Gladys Stewart, May 2, 1909 - December 24, 1928 MATHIS, Infant son of Mr. and Mrs. W. M., May 26, 1926 McCAGER, Martin Garvin, 1856 - 1920 McDANIEL, R. L. October 13, 1877 - March 28, 1906, 28 years, 5 months, 15 days McDANIEL, Maude M., 1887 - 1927 McDANIEL, Lois Welma, daughter of L. K. and E. E., April 21, 1905 - October 4, 1906 MITCHELL, Infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George, April 28, 1917 MONTGOMERY, Martin Nathan, son of E. D. and Katie, March 18, 1903 - October 29, 1907 MONTGOMERY, Vonie V., son of C. M. and V., February 14, 1908 - March 6, 1911 MONTGOMERY, William O., son of C. M. and V., August 24, 1895 - March 1, 1911 MONTGOMERY, Ira B., son of G. M. and M. A., November 10, 1912 - November 23, 1912 MONTGOMERY, Elsie E., daughter of G. M. and M. A., September 30, 1908 - March 25, 1909 MONTGOMERY, James A., son of J. E. and E. L., July 3, 1906 - January 14, 1908 MONTGOMERY, George M., 1876 - 1952 MONTGOMERY, Anna, wife of George M., 1886 - 1928 MORRIS, Baby daughter of Allen and Carrie, April 1, 1910 - April 6, 1910 MORRISON, Son, Vivian Glenn, April 24, 1917 - February 5, 1920 MORRISON, Beloved Wife Annie Mae, June 26, 1895 - February 11, 1920 MURPHY, Pearl O., wife of W. H., November 14, 1873 - March 19, 1904 NEAL, Claudie L., April 3, 1924 - May 8, 1924 NEAL, Jewel Mae, August 31, 1929 - August 31, 1929 NEAL, James Overton, June 18, 1918 - December 24, 1936 OVERTON, Daisy Lee, 1930 - 1932 POLK, James Ellis, March 13, 1873 - March 22, 1934 POLK, Liller E., November 16, 1876 - March 21, 1964 PRESCOTT, Della H., November 12, 1882 - October 22, 1976 PRESCOTT, James G., March 28, 1886 - September 29, 1935 PRESCOTT, Leon C., July 3, 1911 - January 15, 1918 PRESCOTT, Cora L., 1886 - 1967 PRESCOTT, John H., 1881 - 1948 PRESCOTT, Minola, July 10, 1916 - July 10, 1916 PRESCOTT, Virgil Lee, son of J. H. and C. L., March 9, 1910 - February 11, 1924 REID, Eliza E., wife of G. W., April 17, 1839 - December 12, 1908 ROBSON, Nora B., November 20, 1887 - November 24, 1914 SCOTT, Willis F., 1850 - 1908 SCOTT, Infant son of Mr. and Mrs. E. K., 1908 - 1912 SIGGINS, William A., 1852 - 1929 SIGGINS, Marry T., wife of Wm. A., July 27, 1867 - February 17, 1924 SIMPSON, Thomas W., February 9, 1867 - April 15, 1910 SPLAWN, John N., March 17, 1912 - July 30, 1913 STEWART, Infant son of Robert and Clara, August 7, 1951 STEWART, Clara O., June 16, 1908 - August 7, 1951 STEWART, Robert E., December 14, 1901 - March 8, 1977 TATE, son of J. P., October 30, 1918 - November 3, 1918 THOMPSON, Lula S., June 30, 1881 - October 14, 1960 THOMPSON, Sidney C., May 21, 1874 - March 6, 1952 WAGES, R. M., 1848 - 1917 WAGNER, Joan, October 8, 1932, 1 month old WAGNER, (first name undecipherable), October 9, 1926, 1 day old WAGNER, Margie, November 16, 1932 - 3 years, 4 months, 24 days WAGNER, (two more small metal markers, names undecipherable) WALLS, Susie E., 1880 - 1956 WALLS, K. W., 1878 - 1933 WEIMER, J. G., February 16, 1876 - August 4, 1914 WEIMER, J. E., June 11, 1878 - January 24, 1917 WEIMER, Joseph B., June 8, 1846 - March 4, 1925 WICKOFF, Mary A., 1870 - 1947 WILLIAMS, E. Delma, 1906 - 1938 WINFREY, Oscar, July 13, 1920 - May 19, 1936 WOLFE, James, son of J. H. and M. C., August 24, 1911 - September 1, 1911 WOOD, Dorothy P., daughter of D. B. and Mamie, February 13, 1908 - June 12, 1908 WOODALL, Amon, 1865 - 1921 WOODALL, G. W., 1839 - 1918 WOODALL, Susan C., 1840 - 1926 WRAY, Infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Van, April 14, 1960 (Not positive of Wray. Marker difficult to read.) YOUNG, Rochester, son of T. M. and Addie, March 7, 1914 - June 23, 1917 YORK, Wesley, October 7, 1910 - October 7, 1910 YORK, T. B., October 6, 1912 - March 4, 1913 YORK, Frank, September 24, 1915 - August 25, 1916 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Norvell Overton-Slack and I updated our list in 1999: ------ PART II ADDITIONS & Corrections: Agee, Brice W., Sept. 6, 1903-October 30, 1978 Atkins, Arthur Bill, TMV3-U.S. Navy-WWII, Jan 31, 1921-May 5, 1989 Atkins, Hazel Mae, October 19, 1922-May 8, 1989 Bagwell, Susie Mabel, Daughter of Mr & Mrs. A.M. Bagwell, March 15, 1907-Feb. 5, 1908 Blankenship, Nancy Ellen Perkins, June 20, 1903-November 11, 1984 Brown, William Verling Brown ?? No dates Burke, Billie Rue (daughter of Mr. & Mrs. P. J. Burke) March 16, 1919-July 6, 1920 (You did not have the Daughter part, if you want to add it) Childers, Mary Loree, 1899-1993 Davis, A. L. "Mack", April 21, 1891-October 3, 1916 (I had added the fact that it was a Woodsmen of the World tombstone) Defee, Betty Jo, 1921-1926 Defee, Betty P., 1972-1960 Emenhiser, Earl, 1894-1961 (You have 1962) Fillmore, Infant son of Edd & Fannie, Feb 14, 1903-Nov. 30, 1906 Fillmore, Jimmie Dee, infant son of Otis & Orva Fillmore, June 13, 1938-June 14, 1938 Guest, children of R. D. and M., Thaddeous, Jan. 21, 1900-June 4, 1902: Lial, Dec. 5, 1902-June 4, 1903 (NOte: On the last one, Lial, I originally had copied Dec. 5, 1902-Jan. 4, 1903, but the last time I sent, I CHANGED it to read JUNE 4, 1903 BUT, I will recheck this date to make sure.) Harrison, Eva Clayton and infant daughter, 1901-1929 Hefner, Columbus B. 1902; Laura A. 1911; Oda D., 1900; Josie L., 1911 (All of these are engraved on one large stone.) Hefner, Jessie C. , 1878-Feb. 18, 1936 (You only have 1936.) Hipp, J. P. Jan. 11, 1846-July 17, 1909 (I added that it had a Masonic emblem) Horne, George F. Jr. 1935-1943 Jewell, Erby, son of Mr. & Mrs. J. Jewell, Feb. 5, 1896-Jan. 4, 1914 Kidwell, Philip Oakley, Feb 7, 1890-Mar. 2, 1947 (You have 1946) Kidwell, Elizabeth, wife of Joshua Kidwell, Versailles, MO, Feb. 15, 1869-Nov. 29, 1907 Kidwell, Ollie Mae, April 10, 1898-April 11, 1978 Laird, Elbern, March 1919 Laird, G. A., October 1912 Maddox, Oscar Winfry, July 13, 1920-May 9, 1936 ( I added "Beautiful handmade metal work including lettering.) Maddox, Lester J., Feb. 4, 1908-August 6, 1993 (large matal work star in center of this family plot) Marshall, William C. "Bill", April 5, 1902-August 1, 1998 (You had blank.) Mathis, Clifford, son of Mr. & Mrs. W. N., July 11, 1903-April 24, 1905 (Note: the Mathis Infant you have listed, I do also that died May 26, 1926, and I am wondering if this is the same couple. I will check to see if it is W. N. AND W.M. or just one of them.) Montgomery, Martin Nathan, son of E. D. & Katie, March 18, 1903-Oct. 4, 1907 (You have October 29, 1907) Navas Hermanos, Ricardo, 1941-1970, Cando, 1943-1979, Lorenze, 1961-1979 (Navas bothers. I understand these were all killed in a car accident.) Olmstead, Anita, July 26, 1908-July 27, 1908 Rayburn, Gladys Maddox, 1917-1997 (I have a ? after this one, so I needed to recheck it for the date may have been 1999 because it was a funeral marker and maybe they will have a stone up there now. I will check it.) Robison, Noria B., Nov. 20, 1887-Nov. 24, 1914 (This one is correct for I had incorrectly recorded it the first time and made the correction in 1999.) Rodgers, V. Paul, August 8, 1935 Scott, Infants of Everett & Sarah Kidwell Scott: Baby, Dec. 3, 1908; Clyde, July 15, 1916-Mar. 30, 1917; L. Kenneth, Jan 24, 1918-Feb 1, 1918 Siggins, Mary T., wife of Wm. A., July 27, 1867-Feb. 17, 1924 (You have Marry T. Siggins. Stewart, Gilbert Wayne, April 30, 1932-November 30, 1992 Weimer, James B., June 8, 1846-Mar. 4, 1925 (I will check this one also because I first wrote it as Joseph and then in 1999, I changed it to James. So I need to check this one.) Wickoff, James H. 1852-1930 Williams, E. Delma, 1906-1938 Williams, Virginia Maxola, March 14, 1921-Dec. 15, 1922 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PART I - AGAIN The history of Hackberry Cemetery was written in 1912 by Bert Schneider and is reproduced here as faithfully as possible: Our organization first came into existence in December 1902 when Bro. M. LaDue, superintendant of Hackberry Sunday School, called our attention to the fact that we were likely to need a Cemetary some day and suggested that we begin to look after this matter. After discussion Mr.s Searle Eminhiser, Lewis LaDue and Schneider were appointed to secure an acre of land and raise funds to pay for same if necessary. A donation of 1 acre in the south west corner of Sec 15 T#S, R 17 W was secured from Fred Leonard by Mr. Eminhiser. Location secured nothing else was done until June 16, 1903 when it became necessary to prepare a grave for Bina Eminhiser. Mr. Alexander who lived near the proposed site objected. Mr. Leonard's consent to move to the north west corner of 1/4 section was secured where we again met with objections from Mr. Mathison who lived near that place. After a heated discussion a compromise was secured in the present site to which Mr. Leonard agreed. On Nov. 14, 1904 a general call for volunteers was responded to by 16 men who worked all day surveying and staking according to a plan submitted by Mr. Lewis. $1.65 worth of bodark blocks and poasts were donated by six men for stakes. A deed was secured, made to the directors of cemetery association and $7.00 was raised pryor to Mch 18 1905 at which time we tried to call a mass meeting to consider fencing there were only three persons came to this meeting. We were informed by Rolla Guess that our association was unlawfull not having the right to own and a charter. As we had not the funds to either build a fence or incorporate under the laws of Oklahoma, we decided to have Mr. Eminhiser secure a new deed made to school district no 165, have the same recorded and await a more oppertune time for fencing. The deed was secured at once and placed upon record, as Mr. Leonard was trying to sell his farm, but we have since found that while the school district actually ownes this property according to the tearms of the deed and there is no law to prevent us from using it for a cemetery and no law to prevent school district from making deed to individual lot owners and no way for any one to disposess either school district or lot owners, yet a deed given by school district is invalid as school districts have no more right to own a cemetery than any other unincorporated organization. One way to clear our title is to have school district incorporate. Another way is to incorporate the cemetery association and acquire title by condemnation proceedings. There may be other ways but we would have been compeled to have employed an attorney to find them. How ever we have successfully worked the rule or ruin game, for while we failed to get this like we wanted, no one else can get it either and should we se fit to bring condemnation proceedings we believe the school district would ask less damage than the man who is likely to own this farm by that time. Had we have known we could have had the deed made to some secret order such as the Masons or Wodmen as their grand lodges are incorporated, and their subordinates do business under this same charter, and they could have deeded it to us any time we saw fit to incorporated if they did not go defunct. But 1-1/2 years after we attempted to call this meeting, we attempted to call another notifying 43 persons, heads of families, either by postal or in person to attend besides announcements at churchs and in local papers there were only three at this meeting. Mr. Eminhiser made the statement if we would agree he would call on every one who had relatives buried here, and demand $2.00 from them that he would take this and the $7.00 we had in tresure and put a 3 barbed wire fence around cemetery. We consented. Nothing was done for three months until Mr. Eminhiser called upon Chas Cuningham and Jim Hamner for $2.00 each. the $2.00 did very well but the cheap barb wire they claimed an outrage and a disgrace to the community and said if we would call upon the citizens we would find every one willing to donate money for a good fence even though they had neglected to attend our meetings which we later found to be true. It was here agreed by Mr.s Eminhiser Cuningham and Hamner that they would give $5.00 each toward a good fence, and promised to call on every one living south or east of school house for donations saying if they failed to secure the cash we need not try, within 30 days we had $94.30 in treasure which was later raised to $98.05. There were 46 men who contributed to this fund, 11 of which gave $5.00 each several $2.00 each, there was one man who has no one buried here gave $5.00 however most of us only gave $1.00 each. On February 27, 1907 we again attempted to call a meeting notifying 48 persons, heads of families to attend, there was only one person other than the three directors present and director Eminhiser brought him. We decided upon the kind of fence ourselves and purchased material. On Mch 29 1907 a call for volunteers to set poasts were responded to by 17 men who said they would be satisfied with any kind of fence we saw fit to buy. On May 30 1907 we met at cemetery to assist Mr. Banta stretch wire, puled up a corner poast, and hired Mr. Beatty to reset and anchor corner and gate poasts for 10.00. On June 13 we met and assisted Mr. Banta stretch wire and hang gates. The fence cost $84.41 including the 10.00 paid for anchoring corner poasts, recording deed $1.00 minute book 35 cents postcards used in attempting to call meetns 40 cents, a tot of $86.16 from $98.05 the total amount donated leaves a balance cash on hand of $11.89 in Treasure. This acre of land was ploted into 100 lots besides 6 potters field lots. There are at present 82 persons buried in 80 graves on 63 lots besides one buried in the drive way and 2 in potters field. There are 37 lots not buried upon but if the one in the drive way should be placed upon a lot we would only have 36 lots a fraction over 1/3 left, the first grave was placed here in June 1903, 9 years ago. Funerals were not very frequent during the first 4 years as many farms were vacant and others were tenanted by a long bachelor gave us a small population and many were sent back to their old home for burial, but about this time our population doubled. The pasture was thrown open to settlement and before they secured cemeteries down there a great many came here. 24 of the 63 lots buried upon received their first grave during the years of 1907 and 1908. Since then there has been established cemeteries at the Brethern Church and near Holister, Lovland, Qunah* and Grandfield which has reduced the frequency of Funerals here. However, the city of Frederick has recently adopted the pay as you enter plan which may disgust some who live around here and would have buried at Frederick as some of our neighbors have in the past, a few of which doubtless would be willing to donate more than a lot cost, and many who are not able to pay $15 or $25 for a lot in addition to a large doctor and undertaker's bill. It is a safe calculation that within 4 years not many lots will remain. Should we have some kind of epidemic they may not last that long, and again should we use all these 36 lots before we enlarge, some one may wish a lot near some one who is buried here, or some ones lot may be filled and they would be compeled to choose a lot at a distence when they would much rather have one near by. *Old-timers say there never was a cemetery near Quanah.