- - - - HISTORY OF MARTIN FAMILY CEMETERY - - - -

OKLAHOMA COUNTY OK

Richard Tirey Martin was born in 1846 in St. Joseph, Missouri to James Calhoun Martin and Mariah L. Crigler Martin, the only son with 7 sisters. The family later moved to Saline County, Missouri where R. T. and Mary Louisa McMurtrie were married on July 11,1876. They had a total of 9 children with 2 dying in infancy.

R. T. served in the Civil War as a confederate soldier. He enlisted in 1863 in Company G of the Missouri 9th Cavalry, then transferred to Company G of the 9th Missouri Volunteer Infantry. He was a "Fifer". Two of the battles he was involved in were at Pea Ridge and Honey Springs. He was a prisoner and surrendered at New Orleans, Louisiana on May 26, 1865 and was paroled at Alexandria, Louisiana on June 7, 1865. He was given a mule and $5.00 to get back home to Missouri. He made it back home and continued to farm on the family land with his sisters and brothers-in-law.

When the opening of the Oklahoma Territory was announced April 22, 1889, R. T., Mary, and four of their children {with another on the way} decided to make a new start in the new land. Four of his sisters and their families also moved to Oklahoma Territory. His other three sisters stayed in Sedalia, Missouri area.

R. T. and Mary settled on these 160 acres. Lou Ellis and Daniel John Witcher settled on the 160 acres just south of R. T.; Maude Almer Louisa and Charley I. Weiss settled on 160 acres at Memorial Rd. and Bryant. Harriet {Aunt Hat} and Bowman Haggard stayed in this area. Harriet remarried after Bowman died and moved on. Francis {Aunt Fannie} and Sam Hentin also stayed in this area. Sam remarried after Francis died and moved on also.

R. T. and Mary had a baby boy that died just after they moved here and they buried him on this hill in the center of their property. When others died, they were also buried here. In 1922, R. T. made a public deed of this plat of land for a family cemetery.

While friends were visiting the family, they had a baby they named Isaac. He was born and died in the railroad station house, and R. T. gave his permission for them to bury the baby in the cemetery. All others buried here are related to R. T. {Deeded December 19, 1922.}

Adam Rayner, member of BSA Troop 129, canvassed this cemetery June 2000 for the Oklahoma HCE Tombstone Transcription Project. His purpose was to earn his Eagle Scout Merit Badge. In the process, he discovered many of his maternal ancestors are buried here.

{This was taken from a notebook at the site of the cemetery.}

{Information obtained from OK County Cemetery Index - compiled by OK County HCE Genealogy Group, pages 66, 67}.