County of Cemetery: Franklin County
Location of marker: MO 47 & E. 5th St., Krog Park, Washington
Number of graves still here: 85
Date marker erected: 1998
Marker erected by: Washington Historical Society
This city park is also a cemetery. Happens a lot in Missouri, people forgot and the marker decayed and they make a green place a park - only to find a lot of bodies when they try to build something.
William Owens:
William G. Owens was still clerk of both courts when on Nov. 16, 1834, he was shot in the back and killed.
Gert Goebel and the old 1888 history of the county give the story.
His sudden death legally tangled his estate and the young town of Washington. Some enterprising men then tried to start another town nearby. They succeeded and the rival of Washington, called “Bassora,” soon outgrew the old town.
The sale of William G. Owens’ personal property was held at his farm just outside Washington in 1835" ~ The Missourian,
"Within this block, known since 1959 as Krog Park, lie the bodies of many early settlers of Washington. The town of Bassora was founded October 8, 1836 and this block was set aside for the city's cemetery in 1847. This cemetery received the remains of bodies disinterred from an early Washington cemetery located near the present city hall. Eventually Bassora was annexed by a rapidly growing Washington. Burial of dead human beings within the city limits of Washington was prohibited by an ordinance passed in 1880. Bassora Cemetery was officially closed in 1883. In 1926, the city agreed with directors of the new hospital that the cemetery had become derelict and should be eliminated. The majority of the remains were not moved and remain buried here. Grave markers still visible in 1959 when the cemetery was dedicated as Krog Park were buried at that time. Washington Historical Society in 1997 began a drive to obtain monies for the monument for those who remain buried here. Of special note, the founders of Washington, William and Lucinda Owens are buried here. The list of names on this monument is the result of extensive research by the Washington Historic Society. It is unknown exactly how many persons may still lie buried here. Therefore we dedicate this monument to the memory of those known and unknown early settlers of our community who lie bured beneath the sod of this beautiful park. Their determination and foresight was the foundation for the enterprising spirit which continues in our city today.
A list of names buried here, please see gallery: they are readable in the photos
More details can be learned here: History of Washington, Graves found in park - eMissourian
"The plat of the town of Bassora was made October 8, 1836, and the town was laid out by George Morton, William Walker, Baldwin King and Andrew King, Jr., on the Missouri River, and on Survey No. 2044, in fractional Section 23, Township 44, Range 1 west of the fifth principal meridian...The streets of this town running parallel with the Missouri River were Missouri Street, 100 feet wide, and First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth each 60 feet wide. Those running right angles to the above were Penn, Henry and Fulton, each 60 feet wide, Washington and Jefferson Avenues, each 80 feet wide and Franklin, Hancock and Boone, each 60 feet wide. By these streets the town was divided into 33 blocks, one of which was reserved for a market square, and two of which were reserved for public squares, one of the latter, Block 23, being now a cemetery...This cemetery has been abandoned and a public cemetery established in 1883"... ~ History of Franklin Co., pp. 301, 302