OLDEST Marked Grave in Oakland Cemetery - Canton, TX
N 32° 34.049 W 095° 45.602
15S E 240875 N 3606700
A 1999 Texas Historical Marker across the highway from Oakland Cemetery notes that the oldest marked grave there belongs to Oscar Lee, who was born and died in 1882.
Waymark Code: WMY4DT
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 04/18/2018
Views: 0
Little Oscar is buried in a Lee plot -- one of several -- with his parents. While fairly weathered, his marble headstone is still legible, with a lamb at the top, and the inscription is:
Born
Nov. 12, 1882,
Died
Nov. 12, 1882.
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Asleep in Jesus.
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Oakland is a small, rural community of maybe 25 people, about seven miles northeast of Canton on FM 1255. The historical marker provides some background:
The oldest marked grave in Oakland Cemetery is that of Oscar Lee who was born and died on the same November day in 1882. The earliest recorded school building at Oakland was erected in 1885. It served as a non-denominational church on Sundays and was located just north of the cemetery. During a brush arbor revival, the preacher's infant child became ill and died. This is believed to be the first unmarked grave in Oakland Cemetery. In 1887, M.M. Burks deeded one acre for a cemetery; by 1896 the site held about forty graves among cedar trees.
Early settler Lizzie Currey McMahon deeded two acres of land for a Methodist church in 1894. The Methodist congregation was organized in 1901; a Baptist church organized in 1904. In the early 20th century the Oakland community included the cemetery, school and churches, and a cotton gin owned by Lizzie's father John T. Currey. A prominent citizen, Currey served in the Texas House of Representatives four times. The Oakland School District was established in 1905. By 1913 there were 42 students from the earliest level to the 7th grade. The school was consolidated with Grand Saline schools about 1938.
Other early settlers buried on this site include Joseph and Sabrina Reid and members of their family. Sabrina is believed to have been of American Indian descent. The Adkins, Boyer, Burks, Carpenter, Chambless, Downs, Fincher, Gillespie, Kennedy, King, Lee, McMahon, Stephens, Skinner and Wheeler families are represented, as well. Additional acreage was deeded to the cemetery in 1954 by the Metzger and Morgan families. The Oakland Cemetery continues to serve as a chronicle of the past.
FIRST - Classification Variable: Person or Group
Date of FIRST: 11/12/1882
More Information - Web URL: [Web Link]
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