Headstones in the Yukon Cemetery 1891-1990 Canadian Co. OK
Copied by the Yukon Chapter- Daughters of the American Revolution
OK State Society (NSDAR)
Mrs. Anna Lee Hixon
State Regent
Mrs. T. Inslee
State Committee Chairman
Genealogical Records
Acknowledgements:
We wish to express our appreciation to the following for their help
in the survey and the compilation of the book:
Mrs. Sara Nee Ball for permission to reprint the History of the
Yukon Cemetery from her book "Yukon's First Hundred Years".
Geraldine Fiala Hanska for the Czech words for the months and
the days of the week.
Jean Wiedemann Kyle for her help in the survey.
Mr. Bernard Rudebush, caretaker of the Yukon Cemetery for his help
in locating some headstones which were covered by grass or dirt.
Cameron Duff McAntire for his programming skills and the use
of his computer.
Our Cemetery Committee, Dorothy Wilson Pulley, Carol Jewell Knuppel
and Betty Sauls McAntire.
Location: The Yukon Cemetery is located on South 11th Street
(also known as Cemetery Road, State Highway 92 and Garth Brooks)
on the west edge of the City of Yukon. It can be reached from
either I-40 or State Highway 66. From I-40 take exit number 136
(State Highway 92) North appoximately one mile. From State Highway
66 go south on 11th Street approximately 1/2/mile.
History of the Yukon Cemetery
The cemetery's beginnings preceded Yukon's birth. The family C.O.
Bernard came to the quarter section southwest of where Yukon
now stands. In 1890 their young daughter Winnie died and they wished
to bury her close by in their yard. Later a neighbor child died
and they asked to bury her close to Winnie. Then the Bernards built
a new house in the southwest corner of their land (site of the present
empty First National Bank building). The Bernards deeded a lot to Mrs.
Henry Shumake. About that same time Yukons leading citizen's saw the
necessity of a cemetery and thought the Bernard place was an ideal site.
A committee of M.V. Mulvey, Sam Hogan, J.A. Faris, D.A. Ott, T.N. Brooks
and C.O. Bernard met to decide to try to form a Yukon Cemetery Association
with at least 50 members and to try to buy 2 1/2 acres from Bernards.
They accomplished this and that Cemetery Association has regulated the
cemetery ever since. They have acquired more land as needed. Recently the
board erected a nice building on the north side of the cemetery to store
machinery with a room to serve as a suitable meeting place. Records have
been kept at Turners Funeral Home. Only records of buyers of lots were
kept at Turners. Those early boards did not realize the importance of
keeping records of all persons buried in the cemetery. Now it is
difficult to make a complete record as some stones, especially early
wooden markers are no longer there.
Present board members are Paul Stejskal- President, Evelyn Basore-Treasurer,
Laverne Stejskal- Secretary, with George Basore, Antone
Yanda Sr. and the late Archie Turner as members.
(To the right of the above information is a miniature copy of the General
Warranty Deed. It makes reference to the cemetery as Calvary
Cemetery dated 20th December 1900).
Foreword
The survey of the Yukon Cemetery was begun in mid-September of 1989 and
completed in late October. In the Fall of 1990, using the computer printout,
we rechecked for accuracy of dates, spellings, etc. and included burials
made since our original survey. Every effort has been made to insure the
accuracy of our information, however, this book lists only existing
headstones and temporary markers installed by funeral homes.
The blocks listed on the map as 59-72 and 60-71 have no clear line of
division between the blocks and have been listed under the lower number
(i.e. 59-72 listed as 59).
A few of the older stones show the months in Czech so listed below are
months of the year and days of the week in Czech:
Months: Leden-January, Unor- February, Brezen-March, Duben- April,
Kveten- May, Cerven- June, Cervenec- July, Srpen-August.
Zari- September, Rejen- October, Listopad- November, Prosinec- December.
Days of the week: Nedele- Sunday, Pondeli- Monday, Utery-Tuesday,
Streda- Wednesday, Ctvrtek- Thursday, Patek-Friday, Sobota-
Saturday.
