Volume 7, Number 6 - Winter 1981
Owens Cemetery
Stone County, Missouri
Compiled by Linda Melson Mulkey
The stones are crumbling, the wild roses and the "funeral" flags (Iris) bloom unseen. No longer does the sound of shod horses, the squeak of wagons, the funeral hymns and the final prayer of funerals pass across this ground. In fact, if you passed the Owens cemetery now you might never notice, but in the hearts of many the sights and sounds of the cemetery still echo.
With the passing of time and people we are losing the history of the small communities of Missouri so, in hope of preserving a bit of history, I have listed those I know that are buried in the Owens cemetery.
The Owens Cemetery was established in 1881 on about one acre of the land William K. and Sarah Ann (McCray) Owens purchased on 5 June 1875 in the SW corner section 11, Range 24W, Township 22 N Stone County, Missouri. William K. Owens was the first person buried there 15 January 1882. The only road to this cemetery is unmarked and unpaved. It is about 9 or 10 miles east of Hill City (which is on highway 39 - Barry County) on the banks of Table Rock Lake. Turn right on the first road past the Owens Public Use Area and continue about one mile.
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The following is a list of names and dates, from stones still standing, sent to me in June 1978 by Leonard Carey of Sacramento, CA
Wm. Owens
Age 67 yr. 2 mo. 15 dy.
January 15, 1882
Oct. 31, 1814
Maury Co. TN.
Margarette V. (Hilton) Owens
Dec. 24, 1852
Aug. 28, 1945
Rev. James C. Owens
June 18, 1852
Nov. 1, 1928
Infant son of B. H. and F. E. Owens (this is probably son of Roland Owens listed later)
Aug. 22, 1886
Aug. 22, 1886
W.M. Townsend
Dec. 17, 1902
Nov. 27, 1935
Wm. T. Townsend
March 16, 1846
Nov. 13, 1924
Mary E. Townsend
July 3, 1850
Oct. 29, 1921
Cora Emma Townsend - Mother
Sept. 11, 1881
Aug. 18, 1946
Wm. Ernest Townsend - Father
Oct. 8, 1875
Nov. 2, 1954
I. Sand (Pitts) Gore
Aug. 18, 1924
Mable Martin
Jan. 17, 1908
June 12, 1916
Mildred Martin
Oct. 23, 1911
Jan. 18, 1923
The following list was told to me by my Grandmother, Dosha Elizabeth Owens Graves. * Dates listed here are from genealogy research I have done.
Sarah Ann (McCray) Owens
4 Jan. 1826
16 Nov. 1892
(buried next to her husband Wm. Owens)
Son of Roland H. and Flora E. (Ashley) Owens
Mary Elizabeth (Davis) Owens**
1865
19 Aug. 1905
Dilefate Owens**
(Dilly Fate)
24 May 1872
2 Oct. 1920
Lucy Melissia Francis (Taylor) Owens
24 Feb. 1884
2 Nov. 1918
Baby of Will and Indis (Stalions) Victory
May Victory
1 May 1912
1 July 1914
(daughter of John Victory and Naverette (Owens) Victory)
Johnnie Fate Graves
Nov. 1914
Nov. 1914
(son of John F. and Dosha E. (Owens) Graves- Johnnie was buried in the southeast corner- room left for rest of Graves famiry, but they moved to Oklahoma in 1922.)
Claude Chism
24 Sept. 1883
28 Feb. 1956
Herve Ray
22 Nov. 1891
6 Sept. 1963
Mary ( ) Ray
Leonia (Jordon) (Taylor) Ray
Dec. 1862
1919
Mary (Nelson) Pace
Mamie Nelson
1899
about 1916
Claude Graves
3 Mar. 1913
17 Mar. 1913
Clide Graves
3 Mar. 1913
4 May 1913
(twin sons of William and Artie (McGuire) Graves)
Presley Jefferson Beal
22 Jan. 1852
16 Sept. 1942
Samantha Admantine (Tine) (Owens) Beal
Mar. 1877
1922
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Molly Owens Aug. 1880
Walter Thompson
Baby of James and Nancy (Gore) Davis
Daniel McGray Owens
25 Aug. 1848
7 Sept. 1912
Sarah Jane (Davis) Ray
1 Dec. 1834
7 Dec. 1914
Anna Maire (Alexander) (Hilton) Mullins
"Old Man" Mullins (this may be Jasper McMullins-1 mm)
Ohilie G.; Letha; William Ray all children of Joshua Ray and Leonia (Jordon) (Taylor) Ray.
They all died young.
Billy Lee Owens
Jack Melvin Owens
*Dosha E. Owens Graves
b. 4 Dec. 1891 Stone Co., Mo.
m. 27 Oct. 1910 Stone Co., Mo.
d. 23 Nov. 1979 Tulsa, Ok.
**Parents of Dosha-Dilly was youngest son of Wm. and Sarah Owens.
Dosha also recalled that buried in the front yard of "Uncle" Pres Beal’s place was:
Lee Ann (Gore) Beal - Pres’ first wife (died after 1900 census)
Ollie (Beal) Philibert - Pres and Lee Ann daughter and 1st wife of Austin Philabert. 2 or 3 children of Pres and Lee Ann Beal - (this would be Willie, Charley, Nellie and maybe Rosa-1mm)
1 granddaughter of Pres and Lee Ann (this is Juanita Beal daughter of Weaver and Tella (Johnson) Beal.
COMPILER'S REQUEST: I would like to hear from anyone that knows of other people buried in Owens Cemetery. Linda Melson Mulkey, 17710 3rd Place W., Bothell, WA 98011
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