Oakley Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church Cemetery - near Tebbitts, MO
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 38° 37.859 W 091° 57.825
15S E 590196 N 4276336
Called Oakley Chapel Cemetery now and on web sites.
Waymark Code: WMWW1H
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 10/20/2017
Views: 0
County of cemetery: Callaway County
Location of cemetery: CR-485 & CR-486, 1 mile N. of Tebbetts
Created: 1878
Number of graves: 130
"Worship at Oakley Chapel
Organized in 1878 by Rev. Ben McCollough, the Oakley African Methodist Episcopal Church was the heart of the local African-American community. In the 1920s, there were around 30 African-American families in the area. The chapel was remodeled in 1954 by Rev. Marjorie L. Casson, the first female pastor. Oakley Chapel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008." ~ Misssouri Department of Natural Resources
"The Oakley Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church and its associated dining hall and
cemetery are located at the crest of a hill overlooking neighboring agricultural and pasture land.
County Road 485 curves around the south and west sides of the one acre lot and County Road
486 tees at the southwest corner. The lot itself is slightly mounded with the highest point near
the middle of the cemetery. The rest of the lot slopes down slightly in all directions. The church
and dining hall are located in the eastern portion of the lot with the cemetery to the west. There
are scattered large trees on the property and there are some plantings, such as yucca bushes,
typical of rural cemeteries. A row of trees marks the north and east boundaries and County Road
485 marks the south and west edges.
"Cemetery, c. 1878, contributing site:
The eastern portion of the site consists of an open cemetery. Graves face east and are arranged
in rough rows running north and south. Grave markers are generally low cement or stone slabs
with square or segmentally arched tops. There are a scatting of short obelisks with decorative
finals. Some graves are also marked by plantings typical of rural cemeteries, notably yucca
bushes. There are approximately 80 known burials in the cemetery, roughly 70 of which are
marked by stones or other types of markers." ~ NRHP Nomination Form