Before the Pandemic, I had been actively working on better documenting my hometown cemetery (Oakwood Cemetery in Denison, Grayson County, Texas, USA) since a large portion of my ancestors who are buried there were very instrumental in the initial settlement of this area in the early 1870's. When I became a member of FAG, I noticed that the cemetery page for Oakwood was missing a few thousand burials, so we started in on a team project-- My husband would find the obituaries in the old newspapers and I would enter their memorials on Find A Grave. Since the Pandemic, I have relocated to South Texas so my trips to Denison are very infrequent, but I can still perform some research and update memorials— just not locally.

Also, a few years ago, I had discovered a burial book at Bratcher Funeral Home in Denison, TX dating back to 1881. I was able to photocopy this book and I am now in the process of entering the burials into Find A Grave. So if you are looking for a relative buried prior to the use of traditional Death Certificates, be patient and check back often as I am only able to enter approximately 50 burials per month. I have just finished entering the burials for the 1880's and now starting to enter the burials for the 1890's.

Personally, I am still searching for the final resting place of several in my family on my maternal side:

First, my 3X great grandparents, Ed & Ellen Smith. He was originally from England born in 1847, but came to the US in 1865. He lived in Illinois, where he married Ellen Meyers, then moved to Missouri before settling in Denison in 1883. He was an Engineer with the MK&T Railroad before he passed away in 1911 in Denison, TX. Death certificate & obit for Ed indicates he was buried in Oakwood. Death certificate for Ellen, who passed in 1939 in Denison, TX, does not indicate which cemetery she was buried, but her obit confirms she was buried in Oakwood. I suspect she was buried next to Ed as it does not appear that she ever remarried. Unfortunately, I have found no headstone to mark either of their graves.

Next, I am looking for my 3X great grandparents, James Mathis & Martha Susan Davis. He was originally from Kentucky or Missouri born in 1848, married Martha Susan McClure in 1870 in Missouri. They moved to Denison in the early 1900's and Martha passed away in 1906, although no death certificate can be found for her. J. M. passed away in 1927 in Denison, TX and although the death certificate does not indicate which cemetery he was buried in, the obit for James from the Denison Herald confirms he was buried in Oakwood. Unfortunately, I have found no headstones to mark their graves.

Finally, I am looking for my 3X great grandparents, James Henry & Mary Alma "Mollie" Burch. He was originally from Kentucky and born in 1828. He served in the Civil War and was a member of the United Confederate Veterans (UCV). He married Mary Alma Bash in 1858 in Missouri. They moved to Texas in the early 1870's and J. H. served as an early law man for the newly established township of Denison. He passed away in 1899 in Denison, TX but no death certificate can be been found. Mary Alma passed away in 1920 in Denison, TX and her death certificate indicates she was buried in Coffman-Layne Cemetery, although no headstone can be found to mark her grave. Nor can I find confirmation of the same as this appears to have originally been a private family cemetery and no early records exist.

Please note, I will be happy to transfer management of any of the memorials I have created and/ or have management over so please do not hesitate to ask!

Also, photos I have added to memorials are free to be used without having to ask permission-- nor do I expect credit. My goal is to help better document this wonderful & historic cemetery for the benefit of MANY, not the benefit of ONE!

Before the Pandemic, I had been actively working on better documenting my hometown cemetery (Oakwood Cemetery in Denison, Grayson County, Texas, USA) since a large portion of my ancestors who are buried there were very instrumental in the initial settlement of this area in the early 1870's. When I became a member of FAG, I noticed that the cemetery page for Oakwood was missing a few thousand burials, so we started in on a team project-- My husband would find the obituaries in the old newspapers and I would enter their memorials on Find A Grave. Since the Pandemic, I have relocated to South Texas so my trips to Denison are very infrequent, but I can still perform some research and update memorials— just not locally.

Also, a few years ago, I had discovered a burial book at Bratcher Funeral Home in Denison, TX dating back to 1881. I was able to photocopy this book and I am now in the process of entering the burials into Find A Grave. So if you are looking for a relative buried prior to the use of traditional Death Certificates, be patient and check back often as I am only able to enter approximately 50 burials per month. I have just finished entering the burials for the 1880's and now starting to enter the burials for the 1890's.

Personally, I am still searching for the final resting place of several in my family on my maternal side:

First, my 3X great grandparents, Ed & Ellen Smith. He was originally from England born in 1847, but came to the US in 1865. He lived in Illinois, where he married Ellen Meyers, then moved to Missouri before settling in Denison in 1883. He was an Engineer with the MK&T Railroad before he passed away in 1911 in Denison, TX. Death certificate & obit for Ed indicates he was buried in Oakwood. Death certificate for Ellen, who passed in 1939 in Denison, TX, does not indicate which cemetery she was buried, but her obit confirms she was buried in Oakwood. I suspect she was buried next to Ed as it does not appear that she ever remarried. Unfortunately, I have found no headstone to mark either of their graves.

Next, I am looking for my 3X great grandparents, James Mathis & Martha Susan Davis. He was originally from Kentucky or Missouri born in 1848, married Martha Susan McClure in 1870 in Missouri. They moved to Denison in the early 1900's and Martha passed away in 1906, although no death certificate can be found for her. J. M. passed away in 1927 in Denison, TX and although the death certificate does not indicate which cemetery he was buried in, the obit for James from the Denison Herald confirms he was buried in Oakwood. Unfortunately, I have found no headstones to mark their graves.

Finally, I am looking for my 3X great grandparents, James Henry & Mary Alma "Mollie" Burch. He was originally from Kentucky and born in 1828. He served in the Civil War and was a member of the United Confederate Veterans (UCV). He married Mary Alma Bash in 1858 in Missouri. They moved to Texas in the early 1870's and J. H. served as an early law man for the newly established township of Denison. He passed away in 1899 in Denison, TX but no death certificate can be been found. Mary Alma passed away in 1920 in Denison, TX and her death certificate indicates she was buried in Coffman-Layne Cemetery, although no headstone can be found to mark her grave. Nor can I find confirmation of the same as this appears to have originally been a private family cemetery and no early records exist.

Please note, I will be happy to transfer management of any of the memorials I have created and/ or have management over so please do not hesitate to ask!

Also, photos I have added to memorials are free to be used without having to ask permission-- nor do I expect credit. My goal is to help better document this wonderful & historic cemetery for the benefit of MANY, not the benefit of ONE!