Oxford Junction Cemetery
Photo added by Rita Balichek

Oxford Junction Cemetery

Also known as McClure Cemetery

Jones County, Iowa, USA

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  • Get directions Jones County, Iowa, USA
    Coordinates: 41.97648, -90.98542
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One half mile down an old, washed out lane, into heavy timber and deep undergrowth lies a cemetery, with 15 graves, of rather unusual consequence.
The cemetery, which lies on the Earl Eiselstein farm, 1 1/2 miles west of Oxford Mills on county road X-64, holds graves of children 15 years of age or younger, except for one 24 year old man. The first grave was placed there in 1854 with the latest one, so for to be found, dates to 1865.
One theory is that a wagon train of pioneers was hit by plague while traveling west, and buried their victims there. But, this theory is disproven by the 11 year span of time over which the graves collected.
A second theory relates to a rumor that there was once an early settlement there, even before the days of Oxford Mills, which began 100 years ago this summer. As to what happened to this early settlement, no one knows but some try to use it to explain the mystery of the place.
Dominant names in the cemetery seem to be McClure and Schnepp with other names such as Weeks, Kellog, Mar, Brier, and Mathews. Derived from the dominant name, McClure, the area has often been called the McClure Cemetery. Through the years it has also picked up the names, Wapsi Cemetery, and Oxford Mills Cemetery.



One half mile down an old, washed out lane, into heavy timber and deep undergrowth lies a cemetery, with 15 graves, of rather unusual consequence.
The cemetery, which lies on the Earl Eiselstein farm, 1 1/2 miles west of Oxford Mills on county road X-64, holds graves of children 15 years of age or younger, except for one 24 year old man. The first grave was placed there in 1854 with the latest one, so for to be found, dates to 1865.
One theory is that a wagon train of pioneers was hit by plague while traveling west, and buried their victims there. But, this theory is disproven by the 11 year span of time over which the graves collected.
A second theory relates to a rumor that there was once an early settlement there, even before the days of Oxford Mills, which began 100 years ago this summer. As to what happened to this early settlement, no one knows but some try to use it to explain the mystery of the place.
Dominant names in the cemetery seem to be McClure and Schnepp with other names such as Weeks, Kellog, Mar, Brier, and Mathews. Derived from the dominant name, McClure, the area has often been called the McClure Cemetery. Through the years it has also picked up the names, Wapsi Cemetery, and Oxford Mills Cemetery.



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  • Added: 23 Oct 2005
  • Find a Grave Cemetery ID: 2156203