I forgot to mention, you can reach Brad Edwards at <[email protected]>. Everyone should e-mail him. The more e-mails he receives the better chance there will be of getting something done. Sandy Miller

This should be made into a national issue, too. It shouldn't be happening anywhere - in the world actually not just the US. I say 60 min, 20/20, Dateline - my favorite should be made aware of this. This will sure make people stop and think before they commit this moral and legal crime! becky <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> My York & Baer Family site: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~ouryorks NEW!!!**THE URL OF YORK: for all York researchers: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~allyorks Paternal: * L E E* S T E W A R T* T U N S T A L L * W I L S O N*Y O R K* * Other: S T I N N E T T- S T O U T- T H O M P S O N* Maternal:* B A E R* C H A R L E S W O R T H* *H U M B L E* K E A G Y* [email protected] <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> <> -----Original Message----- From: Sandy Miller <[email protected]> To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Date: Friday, February 04, 2000 12:12 PM Subject: [OKROOTS] Claremore Cemetery contact Brad Edwards on KFOR-tv, channel 4 in Okc. If anyone will do anything about it, he will. Sandy Miller

contact Brad Edwards on KFOR-tv, channel 4 in Okc. If anyone will do anything about it, he will. Sandy Miller

Hi I am looking for the following family. I know that they were in Ada, Pontotoc County, Ok in 1920 (census records). Any help will be appreciated. Descendants of Asa Edward Whitesell 1 Asa Edward Whitesell b: July 18, 1860 in Illinois d: Bef. 1925 in Oklahoma . +Mary Francis Griswold aka: Fannie b: October 08, 1872 in Mineral Wells, Palo Pinto County, Texas m: June 23, 1896 in Belton, Bell County, Texas d: July 09, 1961 in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma ...... 2 Mary Elizabeth Whitesell b: May 18, 1898 in Mineral Wells, Palo Pinto County, Texas .......... +Unkown Haag ...... 2 Willie Whitesell b: May 10, 1900 in Mineral Wells, Palo Pinto County, Texas ...... 2 Frank J Whitesell b: July 03, 1902 d: 1952 in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma ...... 2 Bennie Whitesell b: 1903 d: Bef. 1941 ...... 2 Carl Whitesell b: 1905 ...... 2 Albert Whitesell b: October 04, 1909 d: May 1986 in Sunnyvale, Santa Clara County, California .......... +Mandy Marie Mae Shipley b: May 29, 1910 in Oklahoma m: October 31, 1936 in Ada, Pontotoc County, Oklahoma d: February 26, 1962 in Sunnyvale, Santa Clara County, California ...... 2 C A Whitesell b: 1910 d: June 09, 1941 in Springfield, Missouri ...... 2 L Z Whitesell b: January 23, 1913 .......... +Pansy Lee Jackson b: June 28, 1927 in Holdenville, Hughes County, Oklahoma m: December 24, 1947 in Ada, Pontotoc County, Oklahoma ...... 2 Rosie Whitesell b: 1915 d: September 01, 1966 in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma .......... +Wesley David Baker b: January 29, 1911 d: December 21, 1967 in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma Thanks Sondra

Ruth has contacted Dave Story of the Claremore Progress via the telephone and he is going over to talk with the county commissioner. I have written an e-mail to the cherokee.org site asking for help from the Cherokee Chief - Chadwick Corntassle Smith. There are many other suggestions that have been given and if necessary we will try them ALL. Okie are wonderful ain't they!?! :-)

I have been reading about the Claremore cemetery. It seems to me we should enlist the TV stations in Tulsa, as they are only 20 miles from Claremore. Melvin

--part1_bb.e3d324.25cc8f86_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 2/4/00 2:19:15 PM Central Standard Time, JD2OK writes: Subj: Fwd: CEMETERY IN CLAREMORE BEING BULLDOZED Date: 2/4/00 2:19:15 PM Central Standard Time From: <A HREF="mailto:JD2OK">JD2OK</A> To: <A HREF="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</A> Dear Mr. Edwards, We desparately need your help in this matter. You can contact me at (phone number) here in OKC. Thanks so much, Jann Davenport (copy of emails were included) --part1_bb.e3d324.25cc8f86_boundary Content-Type: message/rfc822 Content-Disposition: inline Return-path: [email protected] From: [email protected] Full-name: JD2OK Message-ID: <[email protected]> Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2000 15:19:15 EST Subject: Fwd: CEMETERY IN CLAREMORE BEING BULLDOZED To: [email protected] MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/mixed; boundary="part2_bb.e3d324.25cc8e43_boundary" X-Mailer: AOL 5.0 for Windows sub 44 --part2_bb.e3d324.25cc8e43_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Dear Mr. Edwards, We desparately need your help in this matter. You can contact me at 405-681-9334 here in OKC. Thanks so much, Jann Davenport --part2_bb.e3d324.25cc8e43_boundary Content-Type: message/rfc822 Content-Disposition: inline Return-path: [email protected] From: [email protected] Full-name: JD2OK Message-ID: <[email protected]> Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2000 14:07:22 EST Subject: CEMETERY IN CLAREMORE BEING BULLDOZED To: [email protected] CC: [email protected] MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-Mailer: AOL 5.0 for Windows sub 44 Mr. Blackburn, I am forwarding to you several emails I received through the OKRoots list t= o=20 which I subscribe. We are very concerned about the cemetery in Claremore, and would like your=20 advice on what action can be taken to protect this cemetery from complete=20 distruction. Thank you so much for your attention to this matter. Jann Davenport Oklahoma City Subj: [OKROOTS] CEMETERY IN CLAREMORE BEING BULLDOZED Date: 2/3/00 5:26:59 PM Central Standard Time From: [email protected] To: [email protected] A gentleman that lives in Claremore, Rogers County, OK wrote me and asked=20 for=20 help. =20 One more thing about cemeteries; in the mid to late 1800's the town of Claremore was 3 1/2 miles north of its present location. They moved it so it could be on the railroad. At the old town site was a small cemetery with some fairly large headstones. It now sits in the middle of a ranch. Some one up there has been bulldozing trees and brush and have bulldozed the cemetery off in a ravine. Is there anything that can be done about this? I've contacted the county commissioner, the mayor,and the Rogers County Historical Society. Nothing has been done. Please let me know if you have any suggestions. Thanks again for everything.=20 Who was the commissioner you contacted? If need be I will call the town council. This is ridiculous and is still bothering me. I wonder if the=20 one you are talking about is the old Talber Cemetery that I can't find anything on. Let me know. I asked him who the commissioner was that he contacted and perhaps he should= =20 contact the newspaper. Here was the reply: Wendy, The county commissioner that I contacted is Gerry Payne. That's his district where it's located. Gerry didn't know that the cemetery existed and he did go check on it and told me that I was right that it was the old Claremore Cemetery and that it was gone and that it had been bulldozed. I don't know if it had been called the Talber Cemetery or not. I had always heard it called the old Claremore Cemetery. I don't think Gerry knew what to do about it, so he hasn't done anything. When I was a teen ager growing up here, one of my friend's dad was the foreman for that ranch ( at that time under a different owner) and I spent a lot of time roaming around that ranch. We used to read on the old tombstones. I would guess there was about 30 or 40 graves, but that's been so many years ago I can't really remember. I do remember some of the names; such as Bushyhead which was an Indian family from this area, and also several members of the Starr family. We used to think they were probably some of Belle Starr's family since this area is where she was from. The Indians might be who we should contact. Let me know what you think about that. Thanks Ed Cemeteries Date: 2/3/00 9:19:37 PM Central Standard Time From: [email protected] To: [email protected] =A721-1167. =A721-1167. =20 Every person who shall willfully or with malicious intent destroy, mutilate, deface, injure or remove any tomb, monument or gravestone, or other structure placed in any cemetery or private burying ground, or any fence, railing, or other work for the protection or ornament of any such cemetery or place of burial of any human being, or tomb, monument or gravestone, memento, or memorial, or other structure aforesaid, or of any lot within a cemetery, or shall willfully or with malicious intent destroy, cut, break, or injure any tree, shrub or plant, within the limits thereof, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not less than Fifty Dollars ($50.00), nor more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or by imprisonment in the county jail for a term not to exceed six (6) months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. (I think the dictrict attorney should be contacted about this, quoting the=20 above law as his jurisdiction over the matter. Also, there are similar laws= =20 if the cemetery contains Indian graves.) Jack Childers in OKC =20 --part2_bb.e3d324.25cc8e43_boundary-- --part1_bb.e3d324.25cc8f86_boundary--

Can anyone help Cecelia on this one? Vickie Neill Taylor [email protected] Cemeteries of Oklahoma http://www.rootsweb.com/~okgenweb/cemetery/cemetery.htm ----- Original Message ----- From: Cecelia Morton <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2000 6:43 PM Subject: Cemeteries > Vickie, > We have a grandfather that is buried in the Loco Cemetery. > > We have been there and searched and find nothing. We talked to an > elderly lady that worked at the Post Office and she said there was one > north of Loco. Didn't think it was used any more and may not be able to > get to it. Iyt had been raining and getting dark and we left it for a > later date. Do you or any know of this cemetery. It was also call Loco > cemetery. Our family that knows where have alol deceased. Any help > will be appreciated. > > Grandpas name was MAJOR BEAN RUSSELL > > Thanking you in advance, > > Cecelia Morton > perrin @ galstar. com > >

You can sure make an Okie's dander get up when you mention that they are bulldozing kin off into a ravine! I have many avenues being checked on this: Law advice, Indian Desecration Act, Historical Society has been e-mailed and I would invite everyone to e-mail the Historical Society and the editor of the Claremore Progress. Mr. Meacham did the right thing by contacting us! LOL He lives in Claremore and can help us too. Historical Society e-mail address: [email protected] Editor of the Claremore Progress: Dave Story (nice man) [email protected] Thank you all again for all your help and support on this matter. Wendy Gayle Walkup-Barry <A HREF="http://www.rootsweb.com/~arlincol/index.html">Lincoln County, Arkansas</A> CC <A HREF="http://users.rootsweb.com/~okrogers/">Rogers County, Oklahoma</A> CC <A HREF="http://www.rootsweb.com/~okbits">OKBITS</A> CO-C <A HREF="http://www.rootsweb.com/~okbits/shoebox.html">Grandma's Shoebox</A> Coffey Cousins: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/6233/coffeycousins.html Genie Angel List Admin: Rogers, Lincoln, WALKUP Full-Time Mom Houston, TX

Wendy, I also sent copies of emails to the director of the OK Historical Preservation Society. We'll see what he has to say.... Jann OKC

Mr. Blackburn, I am forwarding to you several emails I received through the OKRoots list to which I subscribe. We are very concerned about the cemetery in Claremore, and would like your advice on what action can be taken to protect this cemetery from complete distruction. Thank you so much for your attention to this matter. Jann Davenport Oklahoma City Subj: [OKROOTS] CEMETERY IN CLAREMORE BEING BULLDOZED Date: 2/3/00 5:26:59 PM Central Standard Time From: [email protected] To: [email protected] A gentleman that lives in Claremore, Rogers County, OK wrote me and asked for help. One more thing about cemeteries; in the mid to late 1800's the town of Claremore was 3 1/2 miles north of its present location. They moved it so it could be on the railroad. At the old town site was a small cemetery with some fairly large headstones. It now sits in the middle of a ranch. Some one up there has been bulldozing trees and brush and have bulldozed the cemetery off in a ravine. Is there anything that can be done about this? I've contacted the county commissioner, the mayor,and the Rogers County Historical Society. Nothing has been done. Please let me know if you have any suggestions. Thanks again for everything. Who was the commissioner you contacted? If need be I will call the town council. This is ridiculous and is still bothering me. I wonder if the one you are talking about is the old Talber Cemetery that I can't find anything on. Let me know. I asked him who the commissioner was that he contacted and perhaps he should contact the newspaper. Here was the reply: Wendy, The county commissioner that I contacted is Gerry Payne. That's his district where it's located. Gerry didn't know that the cemetery existed and he did go check on it and told me that I was right that it was the old Claremore Cemetery and that it was gone and that it had been bulldozed. I don't know if it had been called the Talber Cemetery or not. I had always heard it called the old Claremore Cemetery. I don't think Gerry knew what to do about it, so he hasn't done anything. When I was a teen ager growing up here, one of my friend's dad was the foreman for that ranch ( at that time under a different owner) and I spent a lot of time roaming around that ranch. We used to read on the old tombstones. I would guess there was about 30 or 40 graves, but that's been so many years ago I can't really remember. I do remember some of the names; such as Bushyhead which was an Indian family from this area, and also several members of the Starr family. We used to think they were probably some of Belle Starr's family since this area is where she was from. The Indians might be who we should contact. Let me know what you think about that. Thanks Ed Cemeteries Date: 2/3/00 9:19:37 PM Central Standard Time From: [email protected] To: [email protected] §21-1167. §21-1167. Every person who shall willfully or with malicious intent destroy, mutilate, deface, injure or remove any tomb, monument or gravestone, or other structure placed in any cemetery or private burying ground, or any fence, railing, or other work for the protection or ornament of any such cemetery or place of burial of any human being, or tomb, monument or gravestone, memento, or memorial, or other structure aforesaid, or of any lot within a cemetery, or shall willfully or with malicious intent destroy, cut, break, or injure any tree, shrub or plant, within the limits thereof, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not less than Fifty Dollars ($50.00), nor more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or by imprisonment in the county jail for a term not to exceed six (6) months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. (I think the dictrict attorney should be contacted about this, quoting the above law as his jurisdiction over the matter. Also, there are similar laws if the cemetery contains Indian graves.) Jack Childers in OKC

In a message dated 2/3/00 6:13:13 PM Central Standard Time, Lorlauvan writes: << Some of us are not Indian. Nor do we live in Oklahoma any longer. However, if there is some way we can help put a stop to this sort of thing as voters--or whatever--please send that information to the list. Thanks. Lorene >> Thanks Lorene, I have gotten a lot of great suggestions and will let you know on yours. I have someone checking into: a lawyer; one checking into: contacting the editor of the paper; one checking into: finding a descendant of the Bushyhead family buried there; one checking into: contacting the Historical Society again. Wendy Gayle Walkup-Barry <A HREF="http://www.rootsweb.com/~arlincol/index.html">Lincoln County, Arkansas</A> CC <A HREF="http://users.rootsweb.com/~okrogers/">Rogers County, Oklahoma</A> CC <A HREF="http://www.rootsweb.com/~okbits">OKBITS</A> CO-C <A HREF="http://www.rootsweb.com/~okbits/shoebox.html">Grandma's Shoebox</A> Coffey Cousins: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/6233/coffeycousins.html Genie Angel List Admin: Rogers, Lincoln, WALKUP Full-Time Mom Houston, TX

--part1_a.cf752d.25cc531f_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi List - Well, the following is the reply I got from Channel 5 here in OKC. I guess I might go to Plan B and see what happens. Any suggestions?.....Jann In a message dated 2/4/00 4:31:22 AM Central Standard Time, [email protected] writes: << Subj: Cemetery Date: 2/4/00 4:31:22 AM Central Standard Time From: [email protected] (Eyewitness News 5) To: [email protected] Goodmorning Jann. My name is Don Perryman anad I work for Channel 5. I am also into Genealogy. I would check with the State Historical Society and see what help they might offer. Here is a copy that came from one of the genealogy sites, concerning a similar situation in MO. "Missouri has statues regulating cemeteries. It is against the law to deface stones or destroy a cemetery. A cemetery in public property. Go to the local courthouse and make sure the cemetery is recorded. Once done that property should be protected by law. Any person or corporation destroying it can be put in prison and or fined. You might also check with any genealogy society in that county. If worse comes to worse. make a trip up and record as many as you can.. GOOD LUCK Don >> --part1_a.cf752d.25cc531f_boundary Content-Type: message/rfc822 Content-Disposition: inline Return-Path: <[email protected]> Received: from rly-yd02.mx.aol.com (rly-yd02.mail.aol.com [172.18.150.2]) by air-yd04.mail.aol.com (v67_b1.21) with ESMTP; Fri, 04 Feb 2000 05:31:22 -0500 Received: from ionet.net (mail.ionet.net [206.41.128.16]) by rly-yd02.mx.aol.com (v67_b1.21) with ESMTP; Fri, 04 Feb 2000 05:31:14 -0500 Received: from web (okcnasb-40.ionet.net [38.193.86.41]) by ionet.net (8.9.1a/8.9.1) with SMTP id EAA03274 for <[email protected]>; Fri, 4 Feb 2000 04:31:16 -0600 (CST) Message-Id: <[email protected]> X-Sender: [email protected] X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Light Version 1.5.4 (32) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Date: Fri, 04 Feb 2000 04:31:06 -0600 To: [email protected] From: Eyewitness News 5 <[email protected]> Subject: Cemetery Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Goodmorning Jann. My name is Don Perryman anad I work for Channel 5. I am also into Genealogy. I would check with the State Historical Society and see what help they might offer. Here is a copy that came from one of the genealogy sites, concerning a similar situation in MO. "Missouri has statues regulating cemeteries. It is against the law to deface stones or destroy a cemetery. A cemetery in public property. Go to the local courthouse and make sure the cemetery is recorded. Once done that property should be protected by law. Any person or corporation destroying it can be put in prison and or fined. You might also check with any genealogy society in that county. If worse comes to worse. make a trip up and record as many as you can.. GOOD LUCK Don --part1_a.cf752d.25cc531f_boundary--

http://www.artnatam.com/bhead/ Here's Jerome Bushyhead's website. He is fighting cancer. Becky <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> My York & Baer Family site: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~ouryorks NEW!!!**THE URL OF YORK: for all York researchers: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~allyorks Paternal: * L E E* S T E W A R T* T U N S T A L L * W I L S O N*Y O R K* * Other: S T I N N E T T- S T O U T- T H O M P S O N* Maternal:* B A E R* C H A R L E S W O R T H* *H U M B L E* K E A G Y* [email protected] <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> <>

Someone had mentioned that there some Bushyheads located in the cemetary. There is a Jerome Bushyhead in El Reno, Oklahoma. He is the famous Indian artist. I think he has a web page. You might check with him and see if some of his relation is there. Go to www.elreno.com and I think the links are there. Or maybe call information. Denise

One thing I failed to mention in my last reply, we may have to locate a descendant of someone burried there to file a complaint. Jim Fowler ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2000 5:18 PM Subject: [OKROOTS] CEMETERY IN CLAREMORE BEING BULLDOZED > A gentleman that lives in Claremore, Rogers County, OK wrote me and asked for > help. > One more thing about cemeteries; in the mid to late 1800's the town of > > Claremore was 3 1/2 miles north of its present location. They moved it > > so it could be on the railroad. At the old town site was a small > > cemetery with some fairly large headstones. It now sits in the middle > > of a ranch. Some one up there has been bulldozing trees and brush and > > have bulldozed the cemetery off in a ravine. Is there anything that can > > be done about this? I've contacted the county commissioner, the > > mayor,and the Rogers County Historical Society. Nothing has been done. > > Please let me know if you have any suggestions. Thanks again for > > everything. >> > > Who was the commissioner you contacted? If need be I will call the town > > council. This is ridiculous and is still bothering me. I wonder if the > one > > you are talking about is the old Talber Cemetery that I can't find anything > > on. Let me know. > I asked him who the commissioner was that he contacted and perhaps he should > contact the newspaper. Here was the reply: > > Wendy, > The county commissioner that I contacted is Gerry Payne. That's his > district where it's located. Gerry didn't know that the cemetery > existed and he did go check on it and told me that I was right that it > was the old Claremore Cemetery and that it was gone and that it had been > bulldozed. I don't know if it had been called the Talber Cemetery or > not. I had always heard it called the old Claremore Cemetery. I don't > think Gerry knew what to do about it, so he hasn't done anything. When > I was a teen ager growing up here, one of my friend's dad was the > foreman for that ranch ( at that time under a different owner) and I > spent a lot of time roaming around that ranch. We used to read on the > old tombstones. I would guess there was about 30 or 40 graves, but > that's been so many years ago I can't really remember. I do remember > some of the names; such as Bushyhead which was an Indian family from > this area, and also several members of the Starr family. We used to > think they were probably some of Belle Starr's family since this area is > where she was from. The Indians might be who we should contact. Let me > know what you think about that. Thanks > Ed > > What should be my course of action. > >

Might I suggest you get in touch with the County Sheriff. There is a similar situation going on in South Carolina right now, what I have read on the matter, they have stiff penalties and fines for such acts to a cenetery in that state. The people there are trying to resolve the problem by having the perpetrator restore the cemetery to its original state. It might be worth a call. Jim Fowler Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2000 5:18 PM Subject: [OKROOTS] CEMETERY IN CLAREMORE BEING BULLDOZED > A gentleman that lives in Claremore, Rogers County, OK wrote me and asked for > help. > One more thing about cemeteries; in the mid to late 1800's the town of > > Claremore was 3 1/2 miles north of its present location. They moved it > > so it could be on the railroad. At the old town site was a small > > cemetery with some fairly large headstones. It now sits in the middle > > of a ranch. Some one up there has been bulldozing trees and brush and > > have bulldozed the cemetery off in a ravine. Is there anything that can > > be done about this? I've contacted the county commissioner, the > > mayor,and the Rogers County Historical Society. Nothing has been done. > > Please let me know if you have any suggestions. Thanks again for > > everything. >> > > Who was the commissioner you contacted? If need be I will call the town > > council. This is ridiculous and is still bothering me. I wonder if the > one > > you are talking about is the old Talber Cemetery that I can't find anything > > on. Let me know. > I asked him who the commissioner was that he contacted and perhaps he should > contact the newspaper. Here was the reply: > > Wendy, > The county commissioner that I contacted is Gerry Payne. That's his > district where it's located. Gerry didn't know that the cemetery > existed and he did go check on it and told me that I was right that it > was the old Claremore Cemetery and that it was gone and that it had been > bulldozed. I don't know if it had been called the Talber Cemetery or > not. I had always heard it called the old Claremore Cemetery. I don't > think Gerry knew what to do about it, so he hasn't done anything. When > I was a teen ager growing up here, one of my friend's dad was the > foreman for that ranch ( at that time under a different owner) and I > spent a lot of time roaming around that ranch. We used to read on the > old tombstones. I would guess there was about 30 or 40 graves, but > that's been so many years ago I can't really remember. I do remember > some of the names; such as Bushyhead which was an Indian family from > this area, and also several members of the Starr family. We used to > think they were probably some of Belle Starr's family since this area is > where she was from. The Indians might be who we should contact. Let me > know what you think about that. Thanks > Ed > > What should be my course of action. > >

If I may make a suggestion, Find a Television Station that still believes in respecting the deceased, contact 20/20 or one of those shows with the same concern's. The problem in this day and age is that the kids have grown to not respect the living so we know that the dead is the least of their concern's. To me this is absolutely horrible. In our town teens decided to destroy over 50 very old head stones. It just made me sick, then they later went back after a slap on the hand and dug up 2 graves just to see what the people would look like after so many years . They were not slapped on the hand this time, we all stood and shouted our concern's, this is what needs to happen there. Debbie Oxford Long Ca. visit: Oxford's Of The World: http://www.genweb.net/Oxford/index.htm Oxford Site e-mail: [email protected] Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery, Today is a Gift ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2000 3:18 PM Subject: [OKROOTS] CEMETERY IN CLAREMORE BEING BULLDOZED > A gentleman that lives in Claremore, Rogers County, OK wrote me and asked for > help. > One more thing about cemeteries; in the mid to late 1800's the town of > > Claremore was 3 1/2 miles north of its present location. They moved it > > so it could be on the railroad. At the old town site was a small > > cemetery with some fairly large headstones. It now sits in the middle > > of a ranch. Some one up there has been bulldozing trees and brush and > > have bulldozed the cemetery off in a ravine. Is there anything that can > > be done about this? I've contacted the county commissioner, the > > mayor,and the Rogers County Historical Society. Nothing has been done. > > Please let me know if you have any suggestions. Thanks again for > > everything. >> > > Who was the commissioner you contacted? If need be I will call the town > > council. This is ridiculous and is still bothering me. I wonder if the > one > > you are talking about is the old Talber Cemetery that I can't find anything > > on. Let me know. > I asked him who the commissioner was that he contacted and perhaps he should > contact the newspaper. Here was the reply: > > Wendy, > The county commissioner that I contacted is Gerry Payne. That's his > district where it's located. Gerry didn't know that the cemetery > existed and he did go check on it and told me that I was right that it > was the old Claremore Cemetery and that it was gone and that it had been > bulldozed. I don't know if it had been called the Talber Cemetery or > not. I had always heard it called the old Claremore Cemetery. I don't > think Gerry knew what to do about it, so he hasn't done anything. When > I was a teen ager growing up here, one of my friend's dad was the > foreman for that ranch ( at that time under a different owner) and I > spent a lot of time roaming around that ranch. We used to read on the > old tombstones. I would guess there was about 30 or 40 graves, but > that's been so many years ago I can't really remember. I do remember > some of the names; such as Bushyhead which was an Indian family from > this area, and also several members of the Starr family. We used to > think they were probably some of Belle Starr's family since this area is > where she was from. The Indians might be who we should contact. Let me > know what you think about that. Thanks > Ed > > What should be my course of action. > >

In a message dated 02/03/2000 8:19:37 PM US Mountain Standard Time, [email protected] writes: << (I think the dictrict attorney should be contacted about this, quoting the above law as his jurisdiction over the matter. Also, there are similar laws if the cemetery contains Indian graves.) >> I think so too. Someone please let us know if you want our help in doing something--anything--to help.

§21-1167. §21-1167. Every person who shall willfully or with malicious intent destroy, mutilate, deface, injure or remove any tomb, monument or gravestone, or other structure placed in any cemetery or private burying ground, or any fence, railing, or other work for the protection or ornament of any such cemetery or place of burial of any human being, or tomb, monument or gravestone, memento, or memorial, or other structure aforesaid, or of any lot within a cemetery, or shall willfully or with malicious intent destroy, cut, break, or injure any tree, shrub or plant, within the limits thereof, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not less than Fifty Dollars ($50.00), nor more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or by imprisonment in the county jail for a term not to exceed six (6) months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. (I think the dictrict attorney should be contacted about this, quoting the above law as his jurisdiction over the matter. Also, there are similar laws if the cemetery contains Indian graves.) Jack Childers in OKC