HISTORY OF ROSSVILLE CEMETERY

The first two acres were put on record by N. N. Bailey as Rossville Cemetery Association on December 11, 1901. Since that time one acre was donated by Andrew H. Gilliam and three acres added east of this, one acre donated by Nettie Burns and two acres donated by Verlin Frost, making a total of six acres.

There were two graves there before the cemetery was put on record. The first was a baby boy who was the son of E. A. Philby buried in 1889. The second was a little Wiley boy buried in 1890.

The first caretaker was J. A. "Grandaddy" Burns in the early 1930's. There has been a memorial built by Richard Greer in memory of Rossville Church and the pioneers who built it. It was also in memory of J. A. "Grandaddy Burns". There was one room built for Grandaddy Burns to live in at the cemetery while he was caretaker. He passed away in 1938.

There has been several caretakers since. The cemetery has always been well taken care of.

The first secretary was Roy Goggin. Olvry Haun and Roland Conley were board members. Olvry Haun passed away in 1958. Venis Armitage took his place and served until he passed away in 1985.

In 1983, a large pavilion was built with benches to sit on where people can visit on Memorial Day. The Veterans are honored by putting a flag on their graves on Memorial Day. There are sometimes over two hundred people who visit the cemetery on Memorial Day.

People are buried in the cemetery from every county in Oklahoma plus several other states. The cemetery is financed by donations.

The secretary now is Chester Walker. Board members are Kenneth Gilliam, Roger Ebers, Charles Goodman, and Knox Shingleton.

The cemetery is one of the best kept country cemeteries for its size in Lincoln County.

© Lincoln County Oklahoma History page 215.
Submitted by Flora Moulin 1988.

Rossville is located eight miles west and six miles south of Chandler, Oklahoma. As far as I know, I'm the only one left to tell the early days of this area.

I am Opal Moulin Frost, born to Martin and Susie {Farrell} Moulin on their farm 1/2 mile of Rossville. Papa was born in Manhatten, Kansas in 1888. My mother was born at Rossville. Her parents were from Waco, Texas. There were five children in the family, Charles, Grace, Herbert, Maudie Sue and myself.

Rossville was named after a Mr. Ross, who built a store around the turn of the century. It was near a huge spring and trees, which was a focal point for gatherings such as swimming, picnics, camp meetings, baptisings and 4th of July celebrations.

His store burned and he left the country.

W. G. Hall built a new store on the main road. He sold groceries, feed, implement parts, gas, oil, shoes, dry goods, and ladies hats. There was an antique red velvet barber chair for haircuts. He built a cotton gin and an independent telephone office. He later sold out to Morris Gentry. About 1920, my dad bought the three businesses. We lived in the back of the store. In the center of the intersection of east, west and north, south road was a water pump and trough for people passing through to water livestock. This is now U. S. 177 Highway.

For most farmers renting, January 1 was almost moving time. I remember seeing three or four wagons loaded with furniture and other things pass by at one time.

Bob Bruce bought the telephone office. There were wall hanging phones with a crank to ring a long or a short ring.

In 1928, Dad built a new brick store, but when Highway 177 came through, it had to be torn down - - - Rossville Union Church also. It was moved back and a store created. Proceeds from the church went to pay for a memorial at Rossville Cemetery in memory of the church. Some of the pioneers were Olvry Haun, Rol Conley, A. H. Gilliam, Howard Peace, Ida Thomas, V. R. Armitage, M. H. Moulin, Graham Hall and Grandpa Burns.

Mother's Day at Rossville was a big day for friends and relatives to visit and have a big dinner and singing and speeches.

We always had a community Christmas tree, huge cedar, all trimmed. We had pie suppers to pay for big treats of candy, nuts and fruit. Santa was there and everybody got a treat. We had quiltings at lunch at noon.

The depression of 1929 hit farmers hard who depended on cream, eggs, livestock and cotton. Cotton went down to $22.00 per bail and cows were 4 cents a pound. People ate what they produced. There was no welfare or soup lines here. A few times, flour was given to the needy. My dad sold groceries that he knew couldn't be paid for; very good people but with no money to pay. One lady told me later that her family would have starved had it not been for the generosity of her dad. It finally took most of his savings, he never complained.

We went to Rossville School through the sixth grade and to Union Graded Number 1 to finish high school. This is where I met my husband, Verlin Frost. I suppose we were school days sweethearts. His parents were J. W. and Fluella Frost. They had nine children.

In 1931, we lost my mother. She left a month old daughter. It was her will that I read Maudie Sue. My dad felt the same way. After my mother's death, I left school. Verlin and I were married. We worked at the store and gin for dad. We finally bought his business and operated it until after World War II. We sold the business in 1946 and were gone nine years. We weren't happy until we moved back to Rossville. We have acquired a small ranch since then. We moved on it in 1955 and here we are very contented. We celebrated our 55th wedding anniversary in September 1986.

My father remarried to Flora Gilliam and they have had three children; Mona, Roger and Andy. He lived almost all his life at Rossville. He left this world as a friend to all who knew him.

We have a good peaceful community. Rossville is always ready to help its people in any kind of need.

© Lincoln County Oklahoma History page 214.

Submitted by Opal Moulin Frost 1988.

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