Betty's
Haven
Greenleaf
Cemetery
Information and my
personal writings
Betty Sanders Spencer
Daughter of Edward
Jerry Sanders and granddaughter of Lewis J. Sanders
In 1942 when Camp Gruber
was being developed, several old cemeteries were relocated to Greenleaf
cemetery, southwest of Tahlequah. The cemetery property was part of the
Hendricks property where there is a Hendricks cemetery. I have been told
the old Hendricks homeplace was located just South of here. It would have
been across highway 62. (Of course there was no highway 62 back in those
days.) Greenleaf cemetery wraps around Hendricks cemetery on three sides
in a horseshoe shape. I have made my cemetery book and sectioned off the
cemetery into seven parts which I call the Southwest, West center, Northwest,
Southeast, East center, Northeast and Extended northeast. The cemetery
is shaped like a rectangle with an extended arm of land. As you go in the
front (South) gate you will see a little center road running North and
South. To the left (West) is the Southwest section running up to the little
road that turns (about 1/3 of the way) West off of the main little middle
road. On the right after going in the gate, is the Southeast section which
runs up about 1/3 way to a little road going East from the little center
road. The next section north of the little side road on the West is called
the West Center section and it runs up near the big trees and just past
the above ground vault. A little way North of the vault is where the Northwest
section starts and runs all the way to the North end. Back to the little
road on the East side just North of the Southeast section is where the
East center section starts and runs up to the Conrad graves opposite and
just North of the above ground vault. Then starting at the Conrad graves
is the Northeast section and it runs all the way to the North end. Then
off to the East of the Northeast section and North of the Hendricks cemetery
is where the Extended Northeast section is. There are a lot of graves here
in this cemetery. But what makes this cemetery so interesting is the fact
of it having so many old cemeteries relocated here in 1942. All
the graves you find dated that died before 1942 have been moved here from
other old cemeteries.The others have been buried here.
Below is some interesting information which I have found out about them
as I explore some of them and talk to old timers and whoever will talk
to me and tell me information. There are probably more than eighty graves
of my relatives here in this cemetery. My great, great grandparents, (Rachel
Raincrow and William and Mary Baufman Hinds) grandparents, (Lewis and Maud
Parson Sanders) parents, (Jerry and Dollie Dazzler Sanders), sister, (Lillian
Sanders James) son, (Jerry Spencer) and so many other cousins, aunts, uncles
and kinfolk. My daughter, Kathy Spencer is not buried here but I have a
memory stone for her by her brother and her grandparents and aunt. The
old cemeteries which were relocated to here are; (keep in mind there are a lot of unknowns that have been moved here from the various cemeteries, some marked with only rocks, some not marked at all anymore.)
Southwest
Section;
Amber
Hall -
In the Southwest
section from both sides of the little center road and along the South end
of the cemetery for three rows from the little road on the East side and
six rows from the little road on the West side. I have been to the old
Amber Hall cemetery. There are some holes still there where the graves
were moved from. It is located on what used to be the old Amp Hall place
east of the old Yellow Hammer school site. There are some real old cedar
trees in the original old cemetery.
Sleeper
-
In the Southwest
section on rows five, six, seven and eight from the little center road
and just north of a few of the Amber Hall graves. This old Sleeper
cemetery was located on the Muskogee county side on what is now Camp Gruber
property. It was Northeast of Braggs.
Indian
-
In the Southwest
section starting about row five just North of the Sleeper graves and going
West and North on rows six, seven and eight, then rows ten, eleven and
twelve starting at the South end of the rows. Row twelve runs along side
the West fence. It was located right by the old Brewer (Boudinot cemetery, mentioned below)
cemetery, but it had a big rock wall surrounding it.
West Section;
Brewer
-
In the West section
part of rows one and two from the little road and row one on the east side
of the little road in the East section. The above ground vault is from
there I think. Only a few graves moved here from it. Some elderly men
who used to live in the area told me it was located north of Braggs on Boudinot creek
and the locals called it "Boudinot cemetery". This is on the Muskogee County side where
Camp Gruber took the land in 1942.
Northwest
Section;
McCracken
-
In the Northwest
section all rows from the little center road and graves in a few of the
rows in East Center section close to the little center road and Northeast
section close to the little road are from McCracken cemetery. It was located
just inside the Cherokee county line on the bank of Big Greeleaf creek.
Just north of McCracken ford where Greenleaf creek makes a bend. I have
been to that old cemetery and there is part of the old gate hinge still
hanging on an old tree. I was told the gate was on the west side of the
cemetery and there was a place just inside the gate where they could have
a little service. My grandparents, Lewis and Maud Parson Sanders were buried
to the right after going in the old gate along the west side. I have been
told that is where some of the Hinds were buried too. Henrietta Hinds was
sister to Lewis Sanders.
Southeast
Section;
Amber
Hall -
Most of Amber Hall
is located in the Southwest section but rows one, two and three from the
little center road on the south end of Southeast section have some from
Amber Hall. (See info about Amber Hall above in the Southeast Section.)
Greenleaf
- Old original Greenleaf
In the Southeast
section starting on the south end just north of the Amber Hall graves,
of row three and going all the way East on each row, along the south end
to next to the last row are some old Greenleaf cemetery graves. I have
been to this old cemetery site. It was located on the south side of a little
creek that runs into Big Greenleaf creek. To get to it, go to the top of
Battenfield Hill on Black Hollow road and then go North down an old dim
road or trail now, and then go down a little hill to the northeast and
cross that little creek and there it is. The holes are really deep where
they took out the graves. On the way down to it, you pass another old cemetery
site before going down to that little creek. It was the old Miller cemetery
site I think.
Miller
-
Rows four, six, seven,
eight and nine just north of the old Greenleaf cemetery graves. I have
been to the old Miller cemetery and seen old flowers growing in the Spring
where the graves used to be. The holes are all filled up but when I was
there, the daffodils were growing and were all around one of the graves
in the shape of the grave.
Tuxie
Ballard -
Rows three, north
of the Amber Hall graves, row four, north of the Miller graves. This was
a small family grave located on what was the allotted land of Mary Ballard,
Tuxie’s wife. It was located off of what is now called Hayfield road. I
have been there exploring around the place. It is south of Big Greenleaf
creek and on the south side of Hayfield road.
Mull
-
Rows six and seven
north of the Miller graves. I have been to where I think this old cemetery
was located. South of Doc Mull’s old homeplace and store close to Spainard
creek that runs into Greenleaf creek. Doc Mull’s old place was located
on Pumpkin Center road West of the old Greenleaf school site. The Greenleaf
post office was located there in the 1800’s, run by Oscar Williams
I have been told.
East Center
Section;
Brewer
-
It was a family cemetery
with graves in rows one and two in the West center section and in row one
in this East center section. See info in West Section.
Ragsdale
-
It was a family cemetery
on row two in this East center section. It was located not far from
where Whiteoak creek runs into Greenleaf creek, South of Cedar Bluff road
on the Ragsdale place.
Lonzo
Reynolds -
It was a family cemetery
with graves in a few rows in this section. It was located on Lonzo Reynolds
place off of Greenleaf road somewhere.
South
Ballard -
In rows three, four,
six, seven of this East center section are graves from this old cemetery.
I have been to where it used to be. It was located just North of Spaniard
creek not far from the Muskogee / Cherokee county line and Southeast of
the old William “Bill” Ballard place.
North
Ballard -
In row ten of this
section . It was located on the John J. Ballard place just North of where
they lived on the Cherokee county side. I have been close to where it was
when I explored the old homeplace there.
AHTA
-
There are a few graves
here from this cemetery in row seven. I think this stands for Anti Horse
Thief Association. I don’t know where it was originally located.
David
Sanders -
This was just a family
cemetery of three graves on the old Sanders place. It was located off of
Black Hollow road on the David Sanders / Caroline Romine Ballard Sanders
homeplace. I have been to the property which was my uncle David’s allottment
but I don’t know just where on the property the graves were. My cousin
John Raincrow told me they had been buried there and moved in 1942 when
Camp Gruber took the land.
Northeast
Section;
McCracken
-
Most of the McCracken
graves are in the Northwest section but there are a few graves in this
section in rows one and two. (See info about it in the Northwest
section)
Sanders
-
In the Northeast
section, a few rows east of the McCracken cemetery rows which are in the
Northeast section. Rows three and four are the ones from the Sanders cemetery.
The old Sanders cemetery was located on the allotted land of Susie Lyman
which had gone to Lucy Lyman Sanders who married my uncle Tom Sanders and
deeded him the land. It was located just south of Tom Sanders and Lucy
Lyman Sanders homeplace south of Greenleaf creek in Cherokee county. Only
a few graves were moved from this cemetery.
Bullfrog
-
In rows three and
four. This old cemetery was located west of the old Pardo church. I have
never been able to find the location although I think I have been near
there.
Pardo
-
In rows four, five
and six of this section there are a few graves moved here from Pardo. It
was located west of the old Pardo church. I have never found the location
of it either. I have been close though.
Raincrow
-
Rows five, six, eight
and nine are where the Raincrow graves are. I have been to the original
old Raincrow cemetery and saw some of the holes where the graves were moved
from. Mose Miller was buried in the original old Raincrow cemetery. It
was located West of what is now called Burnt Cabin road in the Wildlife
Game Management area. It used to be on the Raincrow property land allottment.
My cousin John Raincrow used to live just a short distance from the cemetery.
He is the one who showed me where it used to be. It is not far from Whiteoak
creek. My great
great Grandma Rachel
Raincrow was orignally buried there. Her grave was moved to this Greenleaf
cemetery in 1942. Her headstone is in the last row of this section.
Mose Miller, the
outlaw was buried here. My cousin, John Raincrow told me Mose's grave used
to be in the center of the cemetery on a little knoll and used to have
a log fence around it.
Extended
Northeast Section;
I don't know where
the old graves here were from. If anyone knows, please let me know. There
are some graves of Fodder and a Silversmith.
A little map;
| Northwest |
C |
Northeast |
Northeast extended |
| West |
E |
East |
|
|
N |
|
|
|
T |
|
|
|
E |
|
|
| Southwest |
R |
Southeast |
|
|
Road |
|
|
|
Front south gate |
|
|
|
Highway 62 |
|
|
Next to see the Greenleaf
Cemetery pages
Greenleaf
poem
Old
McCracken poem
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