Introduction To Lone Oak/Stayton Cemetery Records & Genealogical Notes: Marion County, Oregon ********************************************************************************* USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE: ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/or/orfiles.htm ********************************************************************************* Donated to the USGenWeb Archives by Daraleen Phillips Wade, Copywrite 1988. ************************************************************************ F O R E W O R D Volume Two of the Marion County Oregon Cemetery Records is a continuation of the burials in the cemeteries of eastern Marion County. While Volume One was a compilation of a number of smaller cemeteries and private burials, this volume is for only one cemetery - LONE OAK, the large cemetery at Stayton. This cemetery includes burials of not only Stayton residents but families from a broad area, in both Marion and Linn Counties. As in Volume One, I have written brief sketches on the earlier interments and attempted to point out known relationships of those in the same lot and, in some cases, to those in other lots or other cemeteries. It was felt information on the later burials is more readily available and can be located by anyone interested in doing so. What started out to be a recording of the tombstones, and correlation of the sexton records, turned into a major reconstruction of the burials in the cemetery. Unfortunately, very poor records have been kept through the years and most of what is available, has been reconstructed at some point. Probably the most complete record is the maps upon which names have been written - some indicating burials, while others only indicate that person, or family, owns the lot. In many instances, you can't distinguish one from the other and, because of this, it is possible I have included names of some not interred here. In the 1930s, existing records of lot purchases, some dating back to 1889, were transcribed into a ledger, but, in most cases, no information was recorded as to who was buried in the lot, or, for that matter, if anyone was. Most of the writing in this ledger was done by the same person. By 1954 Lone Oak Cemetery had become very overgrown, with many of the tombstones completely covered with brambles. Mae Neitling, a long time Staytonite with an intense interest in the history and people of the area, undertook to do something about the condition of the cemetery. She, with Bill Fair and others, recorded what information they found on then existing markers, asked the old timers about the burials, and attempted to contact descendants of those families to obtain funds to set up perpetual care. And, I might add, Mae's notes made during that time have been very helpful in the compilation of this material. All of the above records, as well as the partially reconstructed sexton card file, have been used while compiling this material. A piece from one record often fit with something from another record to provide enough of a clue for further research into the problem. In some cases I have projected burials and have attempted to explain why I think that person/s could be there. If anyone can give us more complete information, clarification, verification or correction of the material, please contact me or the cemetery sexton. My brief sketches were compiled from various records, most of which are indicated in the sketch. The obituaries located were mostly in The Stayton Mail, those newspapers, prior to 1934, being available only on microfilm from the University of Oregon Library, in Eugene. After 1934 the papers are also available at The Stayton Mail office in Stayton. The Oregon Statesman was consulted for the earliest burials (The Stayton Mail not being established that early, or the issues are missing) or for obituaries not located in The Stayton Mail. In a few instances, newspapers for other towns were used, these also being, on microfilm, at the U. of 0. library. Any work, such as this, couldn't be done, without the help of others along the way and I want to particularly acknowledge those who have assisted me: RALPH & CONNIE HAROLD who so willingly made the sexton records available to me and have put up with me all of the months of my researching; CLARA MARIE (Harold) FOSTER who proofread my material with the tombstones; BERNITA (Jones) SHARP who proofread the narrative portions of the material, helped with the indexing and encouraged me along the way; KATHY WEDDLE who checked WEDDLE FUNERAL HOME records for information we were missing, and, I might add, found about two thirds of those requested; the STAFF at The STAYTON MAIL who found space for me to work, sometimes hours at a time; and last, but not least, LEO SUSBAUER and TOM DAUGHERTY who put up with me in the cemetery while they were trying to mow, trim, water and otherwise keep the cemetery in shape. To all of the above, I offer my sincere thanks and deep gratitude. Daraleen Phillips Wade, October 1988 BRIEF HISTORY OF LANE OAK CEMETERY Lone Oak Cemetery was started in 1888 when George Duncan encouraged the local Oddfellow and Masonic lodges to undertake the project. Previous to this time the cemetery used for the local burials was what is known as Grier, Campbell, Stayton Pioneer, and more recently, as Lone Oak #2 and is the little cemetery on Boedigheimer Rd., northeast of Stayton a short distance. See Plat Map on page preceding the index. Probably the biggest problem with continued use of that cemetery was the swampy conditions which existed between there and town and often entailed quite an effort to get there, let alone taking a body there. Ironically, George Duncan became the first person interred in Lone Oak, although it is thought he was buried somewhere else first and reinterred here after the cemetery was established. This seems quite possibly to be true inasmuch as he died about two months after the property was purchased. The original plat map for Lone Oak Cemetery was recorded at the Marion County Courthouse in 1890, and Mr. Duncan was probably moved here at that time. In Marion County Deeds, Vol. 37 page 30, is recorded the indenture between William J. & Etta Hollister of Linn County and George W. & Maud Hollister of Marion County, who sold, for the sum of $300.00, six acres of land in T9S R1W (the full description is given) to Albert L. Downing, worshipful master, W. W. Elder, senior warden and George L. Hunt, Junior warden of Santiam Lodge No. 25 A. F. and A. M. of Stayton, Oregon and their successor in office and Alexander Downing, John H. Porter and Henry B. Condit, Trustees of Stayton Lodge No. 64. I. 0. O. F. of Oregon and their successors in office. The cemetery is still operated by a board made up of members of these two organizations. Interestingly, only three of the organizing officers are interred here: Alexander Downing, John H. Porter and Henry B. Condit - all members of the I. O. 0. F. lodge. Lone Oak Cemetery has also been referred to as the Masonic Cemetery and/or the Oddfellows Cemetery, neither name being official. The original plat was filed with the Lone Oak Cemetery name and names that today. While one might expect to find sections devoted to the Oddfellows and Masons, this wasn't the case - members of both lodges being interred randomly across sections 1, 2 and 3. Nor were the earliest burials located in a small area - they are also scattered across the six acres. The original plat map varies little from the way the cemetery is today, with the exception that there were only two sections - the east and west sides. These sections were divided by what is still the center driveway. In later years three other driveways were put through, two of them taking up half lots in lots 121 through 139 on each side. This created four sections which were numbered 1 through 4, running from west to east. The third driveway along the east boundary went through the Potter's Field area and separated Lone Oak and the old part of St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery. See the sheet preceding the index for a simplified plat map. The lots were originally separated by walkways on all four sides. These areas, on the north and south sides of the lots in Sections 1, 2 & 3, are being used now for burials, often accommodating 4 burials in the space between two lots. This, in effect, has eliminated the strict division between the lots and has created what appear to be rows rather than true lots, although the sexton records still give identification to the lot. The lot system has been used in this publication, too, for sections 1, 2 & 3. Section 4 had few burials prior to the 1970s, with the early burials being mostly in what was "Potter's Field". Unfortunately, we found little about the earliest burials in that section and in several spaces we have no idea who was interred there. Another thing that sets Section 4 apart today, is a change in the numbering system. Ratter than using the lot system, each burial space has been assigned a number, starting with #1 at the south end and working to the north in rows lettered from A thru I. Again, refer to the map on the sheet preceding the index. Abbreviations used: DLC = donation land claim FH = funeral home FHM = funeral home marker MR = marriage record ODI = Oregon Death Index SML = Stayton Mail WFH = Weddle Funeral Home WFHM = Weddle Funeral Home marker other symbols used: underlined word = printed as written (COULD NOT BE USED BY USGENWEB formatting) underlined date = date differs from tombstone (COULD NOT BE USED) [full name in brackets] = no marker or illegible [surname in brackets] = not on marker, as such information in {brackets} = from sexton records information in [brackets] = from other sources (*****NOTE: In some cases these underlined word could not be formatted for the internet. Also in scanning it is possible to have brackets appear differently. i.e., [ ], or { }. Please refer to the book for complete accuracy.****) See Plat Map on page preceding the index.