© Tammie Chada

Tom George Cemetery

LeFlore County, Oklahoma

Research by Lula Faye (Hobbs- Green ) VanVe Koven
1 June 2003
E-Mail: Vanvekoven@alltel.net

James Thomas (Tom) George moved to Eastern Oklahoma about 1870 when he was awarded land. Tom was born September 19, 1847, in Sebastion County, Arkansas. He was the fourth child of Bird and Jane George who came to Western Arkansas in 1840 on the Trail of Tears. Tom was a farmer and owned a blacksmith shop in Pocola, Oklahoma. Tom married Sefronia George and their family was born and grew up on Backbone Mountain.

Henry George was Tom's second son . He told stories of how his Father, Tom liked to look out over the valley. He especially loved one pine tree that stood only a few feet away from where he would sit. He always told his family that he wanted to be buried under that special pine tree. His grave in the cemetery was near an old pine tree. A new pine tree now grows near his grave.

Tom's first wife , Sefronia, died on 27 February 1890. Tom had her laid to rest under the pine tree. No one remembers who the first one was to be buried in the Tom George cemetery. Many are buried there who are not related to Tom George, but the space under the pine tree was reserved for him.

Tom's second wife was Sarah Barnes. His last child was born on Backbone Mountain. Sarah Barnes' mother's maiden name was Spicer and a sister to William Henry Green's wife who owned a farm and Store in Williams Oklahoma.

On December 15, 1902, James Thomas George was laid to rest under his pine tree with his first wife, Sefronia. They share the same headstone with her name on one side and his name on the other. In the year 1995 or thereabouts the cemetery was damaged by vandals, and the Tom George Tombstone was knocked down. It has been replaced under the pine tree but has suffered damage.

In 1905 the mountain was awarded to Frank and Lela Dunnam, who deeded off a 100 foot X 100 foot cemetery plot and a 10 foot wide 450 foot road to the main county road. The easement and deed and the key to the cemetery gate was given to Mrs. Edith (Hobbs) Green because of her grandparents and relatives buried there. She and her family have tried to maintain and keep the cemetery clean. The cemetery is now maintained By Lula Faye (Green) Vanvekoven.

This cemetery is located on Backbone Mountain about five miles west of Pocola on a bluff overlooking the Poteau river. A county road runs from the Tom George Road to Williams, Oklahoma. The old river (wagon) crossing was called the Hardaway Ford to cross to Spiro Oklahoma (Race Track) area. The Hobbs family also had a log cabin on Backbone Mountain south of the Tom George cemetery. There are about 30 each sandstone (Indian) graves unmarked. Belle Starr and many Indians had horse races at Spiro at Race track area.

Jude Green who is presently 95 years old remembers playing with several Indian boys that lived on Backbone Mountain. Jude's wife Edith Green has her grandparents, Thomas D. Hobbs and Charlotte (Pickins) Hobbs, their two son's, daughter, and grandchild buried in Tom George Cemetery.

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