Early Pioneers Buried
at Oaklawn
First Burial - (2 theories)
Oldest Headstones
Historical Markers
Early Pioneers Buried in Oaklawn Cemetery
The following excerpts came from
Pioneer History of Wise County - by Cliff D. Cates, 1907
Ball, Thomas L. - Postmaster of Decatur in 1908 and was instrumental in having established the
system of rural mail delivery here. (page 240)
Beard, Campbell Burns - came to Decatur in early days of the town's rush and growth;
married Ella Greathouse; left North Carolina for the West in 1873; entered grocery
business in Wise County. (page 329)
Bishop, Absalom - named the "county's best friend and the Father of Decatur";
"Bishop ‘ran things' as these were related to the organization of the county and
the location of the county capital." Came in 1855 to Wise County and settled on
Sweetwater Creek 1804-1883 (page 222)
Brady, H.E. - County Clerk of Wise in 1908; his father, Judge W.W. Brady had held
this office for a longer term than any predecessor held any other office of the County
government. (page 236)
Carpenter, Jesse C., Mr. & Mrs. - he married daughter of Dr. Thomas and Mrs. Stewart, who was a
pioneer physician in Wise County. Mr. Carpenter was one of the foremost citizens of Wise
County and a very active and successful cattleman and business man. He died in 1893 when
struck by lightning while engaged in unloading a train of cattle at Decatur. He came to
Wise in 1863, she and her family in early 1856. (page 260)
Cates, Charles D., Jr. - son of Charles D. Cates, Sr. and Narcissa Cates; father died
before Mrs. Cates and her four children came to Wise County in 1855 from Collin County;
assisted his mother in farming three miles south of Decatur; came to Decatur in 1857 and
entered his brother and brother-in-law's store, Dave Cates and P.P.R. Collom; appointed
War Tax Collector in the Confederate service over ten counties; engaged in mercantile
business with J.C. Carpenter after the war; general mercantile business for eight years
with Cephus W. Woods at Cates & Woods; had business on his own another eight years;
built toll bridge across West Fork river at old Bridgeport; built store and saw and grist
mill with cotton gin attachments at one end of the bridge; laid out town of Bridgeport;
discovered Bridgeport vein of coal while digging a well; married Rowena T. Hale, daughter
of Capt. John W. Hale, in 1868; bought house in Decatur and all his children born here.
(page 308)
Cates, D.C. (Clabe) - son of Charles D. Cates, Jr.; pioneer merchant, farmer and land owner;
married Elizabeth Lindley Portwood, daughter of Eli Lindley and widow of W. H. Portwood.
(page 310)
Collins, R.M. -
came to Texas to Smith County, some time afterwards came to Wise; attended Sand Hill
schools; a merchant at Decatur and Denton after the war; editor and proprietor of the
Decatur "Post" and Denton "Monitor"; traveling correspondent for the
Texas "Live Stock Journal." (page 266)
Embry, J.A., Dr. & J.M., Dr. - came to Wise County in 1871; Dr. John taught numerous schools
in Decatur and from 1879-1882 conducted the large school in the building which stood on
lot where the present Methodist Church (in 1908) is located; John A. Embry was a physician
(page 331)
Fullingim, Jesse P. - youngest of the seventeen children of Henry Fullingim who came to Wise
County from Hopkins County where his father died (page 305)
Gililland, John S. - came to Wise County in 1874; opened blacksmith and woodworking shop in
Decatur (page 336)
Gose, J.C., Dr. - son of Major S.M. Gose; taught school at Gose school-house; doctor in
Krum; known as "Coy". (page 317)
Gose, Joe M., Dr. - physician in Alvord; son of Major Gose; born at Catlett Creek farm in
1867. (page 319)
Gose, John G., Judge - fifth child of Major S.M. Gose; came to Wise County at six months of age;
lawyer; City Attorney in 1894; real estate and loan agent; County Judge two terms;
ex-officio Superintendent of County Instruction (page 317)
Gose, S.M., Major - came to Wise County in 1861 and lived in Decatur; blacksmith; justice
of the Peace for twelve to fourteen years; Major and Mrs. Gose, the "parents of
Methodism in Decatur"; moved four miles north of Decatur and began erection of first
real school-house built north of Decatur "Gose school-house". (page 313)
Gose, W.D. - son of Major S.M. Gose; District Clerk of County 1878-1882, studied law
and admitted to practice in 1882; vice-president of First National Bank. (page 316)
Hale, John W., Capt. - came to Wise County in 1854, settled four miles north of
Decatur; upon organization of the County in 1856 he was elected first sheriff; county's
first surveyor; during War, chief enrolling officer and placed in preliminary charge of
the post and arsenal at Decatur, from which relation he gained the title he bore; acquired
considerable property holdings in Wise and adjoining counties; their daughter Rowena
married Charles D. Cates of Decatur. (page 301)
Halsell, Electious - came to Wise County a year or two preceding the county organization;
1857 when Decatur was established moved to town and opened a tavern, the building occupied
being the first constructed in the town; father of James Thompson Halsell, Harry H.
Halsell, Oscar and Forrest Halsell, Mrs. Gus Whitehead, Mrs. D.C. Walcott, CicilyAnn
Waggoner (Mrs. Daniel Waggoner), John Glenn Halsell, George W. Halsell (killed by Indians
in spring of 1866, he is buried in the cemetery but Johnny King, former caretaker, said he
was buried somewhere else and later moved here), W.E. Halsell, Ida Embry (wife of Dr. Jim
Embry of Bowie), R.K. Halsell, and Ella Waggoner (wife of W. T. Waggoner), and Edward
Halsell. Last three children were born in Wise County. (page 291)
Halsell, J.G. - son of Electious Halsell; successful cattleman; president of First
National Bank of Decatur (page 293)
Hogg, John W. - son of General Joseph L. Hogg, brother of Governor of Texas, James S.
Hogg; came to Wise County in 1871; served term Assessor of the county; elected sheriff;
County Clerk one term; married Eva Renshaw, daughter of Dr. Wm. Renshaw; postmaster of
Decatur for two terms. (page 286)
Lindly, Rufus - came in 1861 with his step-father B.W. Millholland; he was nephew of
Eli Lindley; settled on Carlo Ball place one and one-half miles north of Decatur; keeper
of the City Hotel in Decatur in 1908 (page 324)
Pickett, George B., Col. - County Judge two terms and five terms as representative in the
legislature; author of the bill which authorized the organization of the ranger forces
which tended in great part to subdue the Indians after their years of ravages. He first
came to Wise County in 1854. (page 242)
Renshaw, William, Dr. - came to Wise County in 1859 to Catlett Creek bottom east of
Decatur, practiced his profession, moved to Decatur in 1870 and ultimately was interested
in a drug store business. (page 262)
Rucker, James C. - came to Wise County in 1855; Mexican War veteran; Confederate soldier
six months, then transferred to the frontier protection guard. (page 324)
Shoemaker, A.H., Capt. - numbered among the strongest and most original of early Wise
County citizens; came very early to Wise County (page 189)
Shoemaker, M.W. - came to Wise County in 1859 (page 336)
Terrell, Samuel L. - came in 1854 to Wise County near Denton Creek; was selected as one of
the first County Commissioners upon organization of the county in 1856 and also elected
Justice of the Peace for his precinct. Moved to Decatur and conducted a merchandise
establishment and erected the first stone building in Decatur. (page 244)
Vesey, Randolph "Ran" "Old
Ran" "Uncle Ran" - were his better
known names; best known colored citizen of the time; popular fiddler; came to Wise County
after the War; captured by Indians. (page 353)
Waggoner, Daniel - married Nancy Moore in Hopkins County and had one son, W.T. Waggoner;
at age 21 (born in 1828) he came to Wise County, then in its wildest and most unsettled
state; after his first wife's death he married Sicily Halsell, daughter of Electious
Halsell; located two miles from Decatur, but then bought a ranch and 200 head of cattle in
western Wise County in the vicinity of Cactus Hill. This small first purchase was
gradually enlarged until finally the Waggoner brand became the most numerous in this
section of Texas. (page 295)
Waggoner, John T. - came to Wise County in 1854 settling two miles northwest of Decatur.
(page 327)
Wasson, John A. - came to Wise County in 1859; was a peace officer in Decatur as well as
involved in farming and cattle driving. (page 265)
White, J.D. - came to wise County in 1856; taught school at Sand Hill; in 1858
elected Assessor and Collector of taxes for Wise County for two terms; County School
Superintendent for a year after the war; County Commissioner for six years; he saw the
beginning of Indian troubles as well as the end having fought in the memorable last fight
which the Indians waged against the county (Huff family massacre). His wife, Mary Perrin,
came with her family to Wise in 1854 and she was a pupil in the first county school. (page
175)
First Burial - Two
Theories
(On historical Marker)
The first person
buried in the cemetery
was Eli Lindley although several others with earlier death dates may have been moved here
from Sand Hill Cemetery which was the first cemetery in Wise County. Eli Lindley owned
48,000 acres in Jack, Hopkins and Wise Counties. His land one and a half miles north of
Decatur was known as the Carlo Ball place, and his sister, Mrs. B.W. Millholland, lived on
the land and took care of it for him. When he came to Decatur in April of 1867 he caught
pneumonia and died at his sister’s house. They walked and carried his casket from her
house to the grave location in the cemetery (Block 3, Lot 42).
(New Research by Alton Cook)
While
researching the genealogy of his Cook and Millhollon ancestors at the Wise
County Historical Museum, Alton Cook, now of New Orleans, found some old
newspaper articles and other evidence showing that Mrs. Bat Millhollon was the
first person buried in the cemetery. She was allegedly poisoned by her slaves
and was buried on the east side of the cemetery in 1855. (unmarked grave - Block
4, Lot 21) Click here to read his paper, complete with footnotes, supporting
newspaper articles and an aerial map of the cemetery.
The Following Table Lists
the Oldest Headstones in the Cemetery
Last Name |
First Name |
Birth |
Death |
Block |
Lot |
| More |
G.E.,
Son of Chas & S.A. |
|
1861 |
3 |
42 |
| Halsell |
George
W. |
1848 |
1866 |
3 |
39 |
| Halsell |
Electious |
1816 |
1867 |
3 |
39 |
| Lindley |
Eli |
1811 |
1867 |
3 |
42 |
| Perrin |
Samuel |
1803 |
1867 |
3 |
22 |
| Wyatt |
Nancy
Jane, Wife of T.J. |
1839 |
1867 |
3 |
25 |
| Halsell |
Elizabeth |
1818 |
1870 |
3 |
39 |
| Shoemaker |
Billie |
1849 |
1870 |
4 |
6 |
| Kellam |
Ida
B. |
|
1872 |
3 |
20 |
| Embry |
Callie |
1851 |
1873 |
3 |
41 |
| Griffin |
T.H.,
Jr. |
|
1873 |
10 |
1 |
| More |
Harriet
Alma, Dau of Chas & Sarah A. |
|
1873 |
3 |
42 |
| Renshaw |
Infant
son of J.A. & H.E. |
|
1873 |
3 |
21 |
| Rush |
Mary
Ann, Wife of Wm |
|
1873 |
3 |
46 |
| Halsell |
Infant
of J.G. & J.F. |
1874 |
1874 |
3 |
39 |
| Hogg |
Joseph
Lewis, Son of J.W. & E.D. |
1875 |
1875 |
3 |
21 |
| Blythe |
Mattie
G. |
1854 |
1877 |
3 |
19 |
| Gose |
Steven
M. |
1824 |
1877 |
3 |
24 |
| Wallace |
William
S. |
1834 |
1877 |
3 |
22 |
| Blythe |
Edward
A., Capt. |
1830 |
1878 |
3 |
19 |
| Ford |
Willie
Smith |
1877 |
1878 |
3 |
35 |
| Rich |
Thomas |
1877 |
1878 |
3 |
28 |
Historical Markers
Oak Lawn
Cemetery 
Oak Lawn Cemetery was officially established in 1878 when
William T. Perry deeded property to R.M. Collins, the mayor of Decatur, for a public
burial ground for area residents. At that time however, at least one marked grave, that of
Eli Lindley (d. 1867) existed, indicating that a private cemetery has first been
established here. Other marked graves dating as early as 1857 are believed to have been
relocated to this site after the public cemetery’s founding.
The city of Decatur managed the cemetery between 1878 and
1928. During that time, local residents C. and Caroline Harmon generously donated land to
the city on four occasions to enlarge the cemetery property. In 1928, in response to the
recent formation of a cemetery association by E.P. Gibson, W.P. Thurmond and T.J.
Dillehay, the city ceased its’ management of Oak Lawn. Between 1928 and 1986, the
Cemetery Association maintained the burial ground, which was again enlarged in 1947 and
1960. In 1986, after the dissolution of the Association, the city of Decatur resumed
responsibility for the graveyard.
Now consisting of over forty acres of property, Oak Lawn
Cemetery is the final resting place of over 3,700 area residents.
|
The Randolph Vesey Texas Historical Marker
is in Block 8, Lot 12.
Randolph (Uncle Ran) Vesey
(1832 – 1903)
Born a slave near Savannah, GA,
Randolph Vesey was body servant to Confederate General William Lewis Cabell during the
Civil War, in 1868, while living on the Montague - Wise County line, Vesey was captured by
Indians and taken to Kansas. Black scout Brit Johnson ransomed Vesey with horses
contributed by friends in Texas. A natural musician, Vesey often played the violin at
dances in the area. He married Missouri (Zoe) Light and had two children.
|
The Marker Below is in Block 3, Lot 24
and is not a Texas Historical Marker.
Gose Family
This stone marks no grief and no graves.
It proudly remembers our pioneer forebears who in 1861 homesteaded land ten miles
northeast of the place:
Stephen Mathus Gose (1824 – 1877) and
Mary Frances Gerking Gose (1831 –
1911)
and their children,
Martha Ann Gose Harding, Henrietta Gose
Perrin, William David Gose, James Caughey Gose, John Gerking Gose, Mary Frances Gose
Waggoner, Margaret Ellen Gose Harvey, Joseph Martin Gose, Stephen Mathus Gose, and Cora
Nettie Gose Sellars.
Their lives, their character, and their
courage inspire us to live our own lives in the ennobling manner in which they lived
theirs.
Dedicated on June 3, 1990 by their living
descendants. |