 Herald Democrat Sunday, February 20, 2000 A19 Local cemeteries moved during construction of lake  During the period June 1942 to July 1943, 3,000 graves were removed from 49 cemeteries within an area of 186,000 acres which the U.S. government has acquired in preparation for the building of Denison Dam and the creation of Lake Texoma. According to the summary furnished by Sarah Dye from multiple documents obtained from the Corps of Engineers by Col. Joe Dornstadter (avid Grayson County historian; presently member of the Denison City Council), some of the graves moved were more than 100 years old. The removal process is described: "The remains were removed in boxes 12x14x30 inches, padded with excelsior. Later some boxes were reduced to six-inch square. Some caskets were moved. Large monuments were moved by crane and truck. Some small markers were moved." "Around the present Denison Dam many Choctaw and Chickasaw Indian graves were moved. Among those were the graves of two governors of the Chickasaw tribe, B. F. Overton and B. C. Burney." "Traces of Indian traditions were found. Some had been buried in a sitting position, one had the metal parts of a saddle between his leg bones, and many bore the skull which contained led bullets." "Many graves had to be marked 'unknown'",  Precautions were taken to show respect for the dead: "No public sight-seers were allowed and even the workers were not allowed to use unguarded language.: (What words amounted to 'unguarded language' is not stated, nor the penalties for violations.)" "Rigid health regulations were observed. Meticulous records for each re-interment were filed in Oklahoma with the State Board of Health, with the County Courts in Texas and with the board of trustees of the new cemeteries." "The Corps seems to have taken special precautions, perhaps to protect their workers, to learn the cause of death of the individual deceased."Examples from graves moved from the Watkins Family cemetery in Grayson County, Texas, to the new Woodville Cemetery in Oklahoma:
With reference to Government Cemetery No. 2 (No. 157) the summary states: "The Corps of engineers utilized the existing hill-top cemetery at Preston bend to form a new cemetery on that cemetery's westernmost section. Today, the two cemeteries appear to be one, but can be distinguished by noting the erection of rock gates so commonly built by the Corps of Engineers at that time." Cemeteries moved to this new cemetery included the following: INDIAN FORMSBY: Cemetery was located due south of Preston, east of Highway 91 on the Grover Caddell Tract, HOLLAND COFFEE TOMB: One grave located in the back yard of the old Glen Eden Farm-house which faced Highway 91. MEADOWS FAMILY: Cemetery was just north of Preston and west of Highway 1 on Earnest Meadows Tract. THOMPSON AND MEADOWS: Cemetery was immediately west of Highway 91 on the river. J. C. CLOER: One grave was located on the northwest corner of the Allan Carter Survey. Graves removed from the above cemeteries to the Government Cemetery No. 2 include: INDIAN FORMSBY: 4 graves, no names available. HOLLAND COFFEE: 1 grave - Holland coffee, stabbed to death by Charles Galloway in a street duel in Preston, May, 1846. (Note: Holland Coffee signed a codicil to his will at Washita on May 17, 1846. His stated reason for signing the codicil was that he was "apprehensive that surrounding circumstances may soon terminate my life . . ." Evidently he believed that mortal danger was imminent. He state that he did not have his Will and Testament with him and desired to make the codicil a part of his will.) This seems to have influenced some writers to conclude that Holland Coffee was killed shortly after he signed the codicil. Actually, the date of Oct. 1, 1846, as the date of his death is supported by credible documentation. See Grayson County Probate Minutes for November Term 1846; and letter from A. M. M. Upshaw, Chickasaw Agency dated Oct. 6, 1846, to Maj. Wm. Armstrong giving an eyewitness account of Holland Coffee's death on Oct. 1, 1846.) In a recent news article in The Dallas Morning News titled "The Buried Past," Gerron Hite, cemetery preservation coordinator for the Texas Historical Commission, was quoted as saying: "In some cases, cemeteries are all that's left of a community or a family. They can be our only tangible contact with an individual." Mr. Hite directs a program that can help protect the state's estimated 50.000 historic cemeteries. He points out that individuals, groups or agencies can nominate a site at least 50 years old by presenting documents detailing its age and precise location. If a cemetery gains historic designation the state commission files papers to include the site as an undeniable part of the land record, according to the article. The article focuses on the dedicated efforts of Ms. Kathy Hunt to locate and preserve historic cemeteries in Kaufman County where, she said, that county has about 20,000 unmarked graves, sites originally marked by wooden stakes that long ago deteriorated. The author of the article, Roy Appleton, described Ms. Hunt's modus operandi: "Using county death records, newspaper obituaries, Bible notations, family histories, field explorations, neighborly tips and basic luck, Ms. Hunt and a few fellow members of the Kaufman County Historical Commission located 26 cemeteries last year. Some had only one marker, others as many as 30." Mr. Appleton adds: "Kaufman County commissioners have tightened their subdivisions rules to require a historical inventory of land before it is developed." "Property owners or developers must present a letter to commissioners from the county historical commission that identifies all structures or object of potential historical significance. The count then can require fencing, setbacks of other protective measures." Mr. Hunt's motto: "We live as long as we are remembered." R. C. VAUGHAN of Sherman is a retired senior District Judge and is co-chair of the Grayson County Millennium Committee.  Government Cemetery #2 History Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any links inoperable, please send me a message. |