Rock Creek Cemetery, Baker County, Oregon

Photo and Cemetery Records contributed by Belva Ticknor

As the story on Haines Area History continues we recall the beginnings of the Haines and Rock Creek Cemetery's.

"Known all men", "Forever quick claim", these are some of the fancy words on the deed drawn up, three days of June 1895 to purchase a School District. The parcel of land runs about 800 feet along the Rock Creek road east of the School House. I. H. Ingram prepared the deed as the Oregon Notary Public of Oregon, county of Baker. signing as trustees of the new Cemetery were Henry K. Fisher, Alonzo Long, Joseph Savage, Samuel Hearing, L. S. Pobst, F. O. Anderson, Ellen Anderson, H. P. Fisher, M. A. Savgae, Julia A. Long, Annie Pobst and S. J. Hearing. It is believed the site was just to swampy for a good cemetery. At the funeral of Chas. Ashwood's first wife, the ground was so wet, the coffin was floating and would not stay down, to they had to pile rocks on it to keep it in place.

James Oliver Maxwell was in attendance and he thought "good night this is terrible". and so he went looking for a better spot.

Ed Coles and his two sisters owned the land South of the Cemetery Hill and east of the railroad tracks, and on it was a bone dry hill covered with rocks and sage brush. For the sum of fifty dollars James Oliver Maxwell bought the premises to with 800' by 250' over looking the Power River. Elmer F. Hill and wife Florence Coles Hill, Edward W. Coles and wife Ollie and John Richmond and wife Sara (Coles) sold the parcel of land to Mr. Maxwell to be used only as a cemetery (forever). This became known as the Maxwell Cemetery.

When Mr. Maxwell died (approx 1916) the cemetery passed on to his ten children. Other cemetery's started to fix up their grounds with grass and trees, and the area residents started asking the Maxwell's to clear off the sage brush and rocks to make the Cemetery nice. Glen and Omer started to yank the sage brush and finally turned the land over to the Haines Cemetery Board so they could hire a caretaker to take care of the facilities. All of Mr. Maxwell's children were living and each had to sign the deed.

The Rock Creek Cemetery ceased to be used and many graves were opened and contents moved to the Haines Cemetery. Late one of the caretakers of the Rock Creek Cemetery burned off the dead grass and accidentally burned most if not all of the old wooden markers. Only those with granite markers or stones survived, but local residents were able to locate some of the pioneer grave sites and remarked them. One such was a pioneer grave belonging to George S. Miller, better known as Butcher Knife Miller, Mountain Man and as he married Minerva Creighbaum in 1865, was related to many families in this area.
Record Courier, Used with permission

Census Update July 2008

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LAST FIRST MIDDLE MAIDEN SPOUSE DOB DOD VET SPACE NOTATIONS PICT
ALDRICH NAVARRO NEIL     1932 2004 X sp-1018   Y
ALDRICH ROBERT RAY   C.J. 1934 2007 X sp-957   Y
ALDRICH TONI LYNN   RANDY FINK 1956 2006   sp-958   Y
ANDERSON MELVIN A     1895 1895   sp-727 son of Frank & Ellen Y
ASHWOOD ELIZABETH     JAMES 1823 1911   sp-1044   Y
ASHWOOD JAMES     ELIZABETH 1820 1886   sp-1043 1996-pine tree still standing Y
BLIZE PEARL J     1889 1890     dau. Of Wm & M.L. Blize Y
BLIZE WILLIAM JOHN   MINNIE 1853 1890     AGE OF 37 YRS. Y
BRAZIER ARTHUR       1895 1895   sp-1233 10 DAYS OLD Y
BRAZIER WILLIAM       1888 1888   sp-1232 3 DAYS OLD Y
BROWN CHARLES HENRY     1851 1895 X sp-331 west-end/was fenced   Y
BROWN WADE G     1956 2000     son of F. Shurtleff Y
BURNSIDE BESSIE M.     1909 1910   no marker funeral record,  no marker found N
BURNSIDE GEORGE       1908 1908   no marker funeral record,  no marker found N
BURNSIDE JNO,         1892 X sp-697 Company C  6th Missouri Cavalry Y
CARTMILL ROSA   12yr 3mo 13da     1899     dau. of D.M. Cartmill buried E. of  road Y
CLARK T G       1903   sp-1074 24yr 8mo 11da Y
COLE SOLOMON       1831 1890   sp-905 AGE 59 YRS. Y
COLES ELIZABETH   SPEARMAN CLARENCE 1868 1917       Y
COLES LYDIA   WEISNER   1842 1917   sp-901   Y
COLES MAY       no date     twin of Ray  Clarence & Eliz. Coles Y
COLES RAY       no date     twin of May both buried at mother's site Y
COLLINS MARY E.       1899   sp-798 AGE 30 YEARS 7MO. Y
COMPTON SUSAN  "SUE" Y     1935 2006   sp-1117 last name LONG in obit. Y
DETHLOFF                 WILLIAM, JR. J.   "JOE"     1945 2002 X sp-47   Y
DETHLOFF                    WILLIAM J     1923 1998 X sp-16   Y
FAVORITE DAYTON       1837 1893   sp-784   Y
FAVORITE MARTHA M COYLE   1842 1917   sp-785   Y
FERGUSON ANNA ELIZA NAYLOR STEPHENS 1827 1921   sp-698 married John Burnside first Y
FERGUSON STEPHENS     ANNA 1823 1921   sp-793   Y
FISHER BEN         1898   no marker funeral record,  no marker found N
FISHER BENNY         1900   no marker funeral record,  no marker found N
FISHER IRA ALONZO           sp-1077 south of big tree--no marker N
FISHER ROSA MAY           sp-1076 born in May no marker N
GEORGE ROLAND P     1861 1890       Y
GREEN JOSEPH       1876 1890   sp-1190 killed at rail crossing-team ran away. Y
GREEN LILLIE MAY     1883 1883   sp-1190 all three children on sides of one marker Y
GREEN NATHANIEL       1888 1888   sp-1190 Children of W.A. & E.L. Green Y
H. M. E.           sp-739 sm. Stone no dates (M.E.H.) Y
HALL ISAIAH  S  "PONY" obit. States was bur.by Nancy 1845 1930   sp-738 BOARD MARKER identified by family Y
HALL LESTER Wm     1916 1916   sp-740 two months old Y
HALL NANCY JANE BURNSIDE "PONY" 1856 1905   sp-737 prob. Marble marker by board marker Y
HARDY MABLE       ? ?     hand made marker.Diff to read first name Y
HEARD MAUD F     1894 1992   sp-668   Y
HEARING DAUGHTER       no date   sp-1340 Baby of James & Lydia Hearing Y
HEARING GEORGE ALLEN 6yr 5 mo   1873 1879   sp-1100 son of S.P. & S.J. Hearing Y
HEARING HENRY THOMAS 1yr 10da   1876 1877   sp-1103 son of S.P. & S.J. Hearing Y
HEARING OSCAR LEE 1 yr 11mo 4da   1878 1879   sp-1099 son of S.P. & S.J. Hearing Y
HEARING SUSANNAH   HELMICK SAMUEL P. 1810 1862   sp-1092 died at 52 yrs bur. With son John Y
HEARNG JOHN       1842 1862   sp-1092  On mother's  (Susannah) marker Y
HORN AMANDA       1896 1896   sp-1367 dau of  John & Amanda Maxwell Horn Y
HORN WILLIAM C     1861 1894   sp-1370   Y
HUCKINS MARY ELLEN RAMSAY   1904 2001       Y
HUNT HOWARD LEE   DAWNA 1935 2008   sp-802   O
JACKLIN PHILLIS     WILLIAM 1911 2003       Y
JACKLIN WILLIAM C.   PHILLIS 1904 1993       Y
JACOBSON MARSHA   LILLARD "JACK" 1941 2003       Y
KERNS JANET BERNICE McCORMIC TOM 1911 1982   sp-1430   Y
KERNS TOM LORENCE   JANET 1910 1997       Y
LONG ALFRED MARION     1882 1882   sp-1152 Son of Alonzo & Julia Long Y
LONG BONNIE JEAN FLICKINGER   1922 2005       N
LONG GEORGE EMEL 11 mo 5 da   1890 1891   sp-1155 Son of Alonzo & Julia Long Y
LONG JAMES LOUIS     1883 1883   sp-1153 Son of Alonzo & Julia Long Y
LONG RAY P 1 mo 18 da   1888 1888   sp-1154 Son of Alonzo & Julia Long Y
LONG SUSAN   WEAVER   1935 2006   sp-1117 buried as Susan Compton..(obit. Long) N
LONG THOMAS SYLVANIS 6 mo 1 day   1878 1879   sp-1151 Son of Alonzo & Julia Long Y
MARKLE MARY   FORD RICHARD   1916   no marker accord to death cert., no marker found N
MARKLE RICHARD BRUER   MARY 1818 1890   no marker accord to death cert., no marker found N
McCULLOUGH MARTHA E.     1863 1898   sp-736 wife of H.C. McCullough Y
MILLER CHARLES       1877 unk   sp-1108 no dates readable Y
MILLER GEORGE S   MINERVA 1824 1916   sp-1111 father of Isaphine Warfield Y
MILLER MINERVA   CREIGHBAUM GEORGE 1835 unk   sp1111 mother of Isaphine Y
MILLER PHILLIP HUDSON     1951 2007   sp-623 funeral marker O
MOORE JAMES         1893   no marker funeral record,  no marker found N
MOORE MRS. JAMES         1900   no marker funeral record,  no marker found N
MORGAN B. F.       1893   no marker funeral record,  no marker found N
MORGAN WILLIAM H     1853 1893     4x8 cement slab on grave Y
MORIN child of W.C. Morin       1900   no marker funeral record,  no marker found N
PHILLIPS BALEM     CLARA 1845 1924   sp-614   Y
PHILLIPS CLARA   BURNSIDE BALEM 1848 1930   sp613 wife of Balem Y
QUIGLEY EDGAR       1912 1990       Y
QUIGLEY STEVE       1943 1991       Y
RAMSAY (SON)     son of E.G & Ollie Ramsay 1922 1922   no marker funeral record,  no marker found N
RAMSAY OLLIE LURA ADDIE TAYLOR E.G.   1922   sp-678   Y
ROBLES CHARLES A., JR.   VIRGINIA 1919 1996   sp-839   Y
ROBLES VIRGINIA     CHARLES 1916 2001   sp-839   Y
SAVAGE IVY MYRTLE     1883 1885     Da. Joseph & Malinda Savage Y
SAVAGE WILLIAM FRANKLIN     1868 1886     son of Joseph & Malinda Savage Y
SCOTT SAMUEL       1846 1899   sp-895 born in Tenn. stone erected by W.O.W. Y
SHURTLEFF LIONEL D.     1906 1997       Y
SPENCE GEORGE age 2 mo. son of Tom & Anna Spence       no marker info Geo. Miller, no marker found N
SPENCE MATILDA age 5 yr dau. Of Tom & Anna Spence       no marker info Geo. Miller, no marker found N
SPENCE WALLACE 23 yrs. bro. of Tom         no marker info Geo. Miller, no marker found N
STEPHENS DONALD RAY     1934 2006 X sp-628   Y
STROMMER JOSEPH         2005   sp-655   N
SWAN CLAUDE 16YR son of Mary   ? ?   no marker info Geo. Miller, no marker found N
TAYLOR ELIZABETH ANN SMELSER JAMES 1822 1888   sp-1227   Y
TAYLOR JAMES     ELIZABETH 1822 1887   sp-1226 son of T. & R. Taylor Y
TIPTON LEO I. BUDEL     1925 1977   sp-807 below the road/outhouse Y
TIPTON VIOLA     JOHN 1866 1886   sp-1095 dau. SP & S.S. Hearing age 19 yrs Y
TONEY JULIA S.   JESSE D. 1864 1891   sp-1245   Y
TONEY ROZIER       1888 1890   sp-1244 son of Jesse & Julia Toney Y
VALIANT GERALDINE R.     1936 1990       Y
WARFIELD ISAPHINE   MILLER   1867 1908   sp-1115 grmother of Bertha Boesch & Glen W Y
WARFIELD JAMES       1857 1913   sp-1116 Handmade marker by Glen Warfield Y
WASHBURN MARIANNE GERTRUDE HUNTER LEON 1918 2008   sp-835 also widow of Lionel Shurtleff O
West&Co marker               sp-783   N
WILLIAMS ALICE MAY     1921 1921   no marker wood mark dist.in fire -no marker found Y
WILLIAMS LOULEOLIO   MARKLE VASCO 1870 1929   sp-898 ROW 2 Y
WILLIAMS MILO       1857 1929   sp-896   Y
WILLIAMS VASCO     LOULEOLIO 1864 1923   sp-897   Y
YOUNG RUMFORD         1908   no marker funeral record,  no marker found N


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