Asherman wrote:
The grave site of Mary Murphy dated 1788 is certainly an anomaly. How did a person who died in 1788 get into a cemetery that didn't even exist until 60 years after her death?
I've mentioned that already above: in one source I found yesterday it is said that headstones/tombs from 12 other (older) cemeteries were send to Oakwood Cemetary (can't refind that source now anymore).
Yes, Walter, I do remember your saying that. It would be nice to know where the other cemetaries were located, and when the graves were transfered to Oakwood. Were any of the reintered dated from 1835 to 1860? Any relocation of graves in the Austin area dated earlier than 1835 would still be a minor mystery.
The Austin Insane Asylum, which is still in operation, apparently has been continuously handling patients since its completion in 1861.
It is not uncommon for alot of the graves there to be noted that they were 'moved' .
I just got home a few minutes ago and will upload some more pictures now.
I did find one that is marked with personal info, but even THAT is limited..
Sharing the same plot space shown from behind on the right hand side of one picture above is this one -
( this does NOT fall in lines with what the keeper told me before..)
Other examples of stars on headstones for various reasons/organizations etc..
Freemason symbols-
And here is a police officer star emblem from 1880-
Wich leads me to believe that it is not any kind of texas ranger / officer etc
Ah ha! A stone with a name and a death date of 1889. If the markers at one time had names and dates on them, we can dismiss the idea of pauper or anonymous graves. The amount of weathering is much greater than I would have expected for late 19th, early 20th century burials. Oh well .....
Its also interesting to see that the graves are all located within a concrete curbed area.
I think with this latest information the finger is pointing strongly toward Odd Fellow burials. There were active Odd Fellows in Texas as early as 1837, and in that period many of them were also Masons.
The local Odd Fellows may have a record of E.F. Hooke, and that would pretty much resolve most of the puzzle.
I'm still interested in the story behind the presence of Mary Murhpy's 1788 burial in Oakwood.
Shewolf, you've really done a bang up job. The photo enhancement revealing what looked like the three-linked Odd Fellows chain appears to have been a major clue.
One other thing i was thinking was , a railroad spike.
Turned sideways?
They could have been casualties of a railroad building accident?
Thanks for the photos and your work, shewolf!
---
Southwestern University history professor Martha Norkunas:
Quote:There were separate sections for blacks, Mexican Americans, Jews and Catholics. There are many unmarked pauper's graves.
source:
News8Austin from today!
Thanks for the photos and your work, shewolf!
---
Southwestern University history professor Martha Norkunas:
Quote:There were separate sections for blacks, Mexican Americans, Jews and Catholics. There are many unmarked pauper's graves.
source:
News8Austin from today!
So are all of them No. 138, or were those alternate views/ lighting of the original one?
And one other common 'star' found on alot of the headstones..
wich i believe is the north star ? Of freemasons? something like that.. (shaking head) im not positive..
And a bit off topic but,
some of the reasons I love this place -
( sorry.. cant help it
this is a passion of mine.. )
The rich folks-
some of these are over 120,000$
