Lawrie Cemetery History

Logan County, Oklahoma

Researched, written, © by Janet Blair.

"The Lawrie Cemetery first came into being when the Early Day Settlers purchased an acre of ground for $20."

"In 1949 this was a typical rural cemetery. An old sagging fence, and gate, grass waist high and when someone was to be buried, a path was cut through high grass to the grave sight. Once in a while this grass was accidentally or on purpose burned off."

"In 1949 interested persons decided to do something abut the situation that existed. So The Lawrie Cemetery Association was organized." Its governing body consists of three board members, they were Harold Shultz (President), Brownie Gooch, and Joe McCubbin. Mrs. Carl (Margie) Gooch was Secretary Treasurer, Sexton was Raymond Gooch and Custodians were Lawrence and Earl Buckley.

Some improvements were the purchase of an additional acre of land, (surveyed and laid out in lots, with driveways), a new fence replacing the original fence, (with new gates and new signs installed over the gates), trees have been removed and trimmed and new trees planted (as well as shrubs and bushes).

"An effort was made to mark unmarked graves, which proved quite a task, as the only signs of some graves was a sunken parcel of ground."

"This Cemetery is maintained by donations from interested individuals. As the saying goes. "A thing of beauty is a joy forever", and the Abell Community is proud to have a cemetery that is maintained and kept like this one is in our neighborhood midst."

Note:

The quoted paragraphs above were taken from a paper written by an unknown party. (either Margie or Edna Gooch)

June 9, 1992, I talked to Margie Gooch about the original cemetery, and she informed me that lots were not purchased until 1949. She said that when a member of the neighborhood died they would just mark a plot and start digging.

In reading some of the records it is stated that May 9, 1952 was the seventh annual clean up day. This means that the clean up days started in 1945.

In 1951 it was voted that Board members are to serve a term of 3 years. With only one being elected each year, and this has not changed through the years (as of 1994).

In 1955 there was a cleanup day on Nov. 18th. Preston Walker donated marble driveway markers and helped mark the driveways. Feb. 1956 two signs were purchased for the gates at the cost of $190 with installation included. This year it was decided to get an estimate on the cost of drilling a well and the equipment needed for it.

What is known as Old Cemetery will be called Plot No. 1. There was no record of people buried there, and it was suggested that a record of some kind be made. This was started and worked on by numerous people and complete in 1993, there now is a map and register of "known or marked" burial sites.

The second acre of ground was bought from Brownie Gooch in 1969 for $250. This is for the surface only. In 1972, after a discussion about the addition of a third acre of land to the west or south of the present "new" acre, it was voted to add the third acre on the south.

The entire front of the cemetery was fenced with chain link fencing, with woven wire and barbed wire across other areas needing fence. Margie and Carl Gooch paid the difference of the amount for the fence which was still owed, and paid for two mowings that year. Brownie and Raymond Gooch seeded and fertilized acre No. 3 at no charge. Wayne Bennett graded and leveled acre No. 3, working for more than a day with his machinery at no charge. George Plagg planted and cared for new trees, he also added a flower bed border made of bricks donated by Cliff Hatfield.

1959 the clean up day was held on the second Wednesday in May. Clean up day was held on Wednesday for quite a few years from then on and didn't change until 1969, but only for one year, then it was once again moved to the Wednesday before decoration day in 1970. In 1973 it was decided that more people might get to help on Clean up day if it was moved back to Saturday before Memorial day.

At the annual meeting of the Lawrie Cemetery Group, May 24, 1967, Bill Caylor of Dallas talked on perpetual care of cemeteries and a discussion by the group followed. In 1971 perpetual care was brought to the vote and was voted down, 11 to 13. In 1973 a separate account was opened for the contributions to perpetual care with the first contribution of $100 from Mr. and Mrs. Willard Gooch. After this meeting money received from sale of lots was to go into perpetual care fund, unless it was needed to pay expenses.

In 1972 lots cost $35 & $50 raising it from $15 & $25. I found no minutes of meeting between 1976 and 1979. The lots sold for $150 for 4 gravesites and $75 for 2 gravesites. In 1986 the cost of 6 gravesites (10 x 24 ft.) was $250. With perpetual care it was $400. The cost of 3 gravesites (10 x 12 ft.) was $125 or $250 with perpetual care. Perpetual care only cost $150 for 10 x 24 ft., or $125 for 10 x 12 ft. lots.

In the early years everyone brought their power mowers on clean up day and everyone mowed and raked together. In 1954 it was decided to hire the mowing done, instead of getting the cemetery mower fixed. The cost of having the cemetery mowed was $25.

In 1962 Joe Bennett volunteered to take care of the mowing, and Noah Lamie worked the flower beds in the front of the cemetery. Mowing costs $30 in June of 1963. In 1966 Earl Buckley did the mowing for $35. The cost of mowing jumped to $50 in 1973, and in 1976 we were paying $75 each time the cemetery was mowed, but there were now 3 acres. 1979 saw another mowing increase to $100, 1981 it raised again to $125, 1983 it was $150, 1985 the cost was $175, and in 1991 it was decided to raise the payment to $225.

As of May 1994 there are 39 United States Veterans in the Lawrie cemetery. They fought in wars ranging from the Mexican War, Civil War, World War 1 & 2, Korean War and the Vietnam War. There are soldiers who served our country proudly in the Army, Air Force and Navy.

In 1995 Wayne and Maxine Bennett and Edna Gooch donated an additional 124 ft. on the west side of the entire length of the cemetery. This added approximately another acre. This was not fenced until March of 1999. At that time the north and south end fences were replaced also and the fence lines were cleaned and leveled. Those who donated time, equipment and materials were: Wayne Bennett, Hubert Plagg, Bob Gooch, Robert Gooch, Joe Hall, Warren Monument, Frank Blair, Dale Blair and Glen Blair.