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Milton Pioneer Cemetery
Milton-Freewater, Umatilla County, Oregon

Lat: 45° 55' 26"N, Lon: 118° 23' 30"W
T5N R36E Sec 11/12

Contributed by Rella Gleaton, Sep 22, 2005, last edited Jan 27, 2010 [rella@ultraplix.com]. Total records = 117.

In Milton-Freewater, from Main Street, turn West just North of the City Hall onto S.W. 8th Street, going approximately 4 blocks to Jacqueline. At this intersection there is a metal farm gate, no lock, which was hanging open. Go through the gateway onto the dirt road that climbs the hill to the water tank. The cemetery is on the right, directly behind the tank and a radio tower that is fenced. Little room is left by the original gateway because of the placement of the water tank.

This old Pioneer cemetery, which was established in 1878, has been atrociously vandalized. Many of the headstones were broken into pieces or tipped over. It is a shame that this sacred ground of our ancestors is so terribly disregarded. There is a nice entrance gate, but no fence. A new radio tower and a large water tank are practically upon it. Many of the headstones were hard to find in the jungle of the half of the cemetery with the overgrown tall weeds. Someone had been working at pulling and piling them and a large garbage dumpster sits in the middle of the cemetery. About a third has been weeded. The photos show the cleared space in the foreground. Many of the headstones are laying flat on the ground because they have been knocked off their base stone. By the size of the cemetery, there are probably others buried here, but these were all the headstones we could find searching the tall weeds.

It is believed that the William Frazier family donated this land for the cemetery. The Piper family once owned the farmland around it also. Earliest date on a found headstone was 1878, Jan 20, of George W. McCoy, though a number of Frazier family members died in 1878. It is also referred to as the Old Pioneer Cemetery or the Milton Freewater Pioneer Cemetery.

I added the heartfelt poem that was on the Lee grave headstone, as this is so sad when compared to the damage done by vandals to this resting place. No one seems in charge of or willing to take responsibility for these pioneer cemeteries where so much damage has been done by vandalism. We have read many cemeteries in this area and so many have been left to uncaring neglect and worse such as this one. Please, Somebody do something!!

Jim Gleaton and I walked and recorded these headstones on Sep 03, 2005, using a digital camera.

- Rella Gleaton

Key: d/o= daughter of s/o = son of

s/w = stone with w/= with w/o = wife of

Archer, Baby, b. Oct 22, 1904, d. 1904 Nov 08, c/o B. L. & M. E.
Archer, Infant twins, b/d. Feb 12, 1909, c/o of B. L. & M. E.
Archer, Lela M., b. Jun 07, 1903, d. 1904 Feb 02, d/o B. L. & M. E.
Bailey, George, no dates
Banister, Eddie A., b. Aug 20, 1881, d. 1888 May 05, s/w Sarah
Banister, Eva O., b. Apr 1856, d. 1919 Sep
Banister, Sarah A., b. Aug 23, 1828, d. 1889 Mar 21, s/w Eddie
Banister, Willis A., b. 1862, d. 1909
Barker, Ethel May, b. 1889, d. 1893 Jun 05, @ 4y 3m 19d, d/o James A.
Beamer, Baby, d. May 13, 1913, c/o Pete
Beamer, Baby, d. May 15, 1913, c/o Peter
Beckman, Edwin, d. 1915 Jan 04 @ 10y 5m 5d
Best, Eva Katherine, d. 1915 Apr 14 @ 7y 16d, d/o W. J. Best
Blackburn, Isaac, b. Nov 12, 1865, d. 1899 May 31
Brannin, Rachel E., d. 1923 Mar 24, 74y 6m 24d, d. White Salmon, WA
Brannin, Robert C., d. 1919 Nov 21 @ 70y 9m 29d, d. Portland OR
Brown, Amanda, b. Dec 13, 1860, d. 1930 Oct 27, w/o Robert, d/o James & Jane Tulk Kutch
Brown, Cleveland W., b. 1889, d. 1907, s/w Sarah Corpin
Brown, Daughter, no dates, d/o of W. S. & M., broken stone
Brown, John L., b. 1849, d. 1920, s/w Nancy
Brown, Maria Clarissa, b. Aug 26, 1836, d. 1916 Jun 26, nee Fay, m. Nov 13 1860 to Walter
Brown, Nancy E., b. 1856, d. 1920, s/w John
Brown, Nellie A., d. 1882 Apr 16 @ 20y 8m, d/o W. S.
Brown, Robert Anrew, b. Feb 24, 1841, d. 1903 Mar 20
Brown, Walter S., b. 1833, d. 1908
Clark, Howard R., b. Jul 23, 1911, d. 1934 Feb 12
Cobb, Leonard D., b. 1848, d. 1901, s/w Mary
Cobb, Mary J., b. 1853, d. 1937, s/w Leonard
Cole, Almeda, b. Jul 16, 1885 Mich, d. 1938 Jun 17, d/o Silas Doan
Corporin, Sarah M., b. 1874, d. 1900, s/w Cleveland
Dawkins, I. B., d. 1903 Feb 22 @ 64y
Fox, Jennie N., b. 1865, d. 1906
Frazier, Archie P., b/d. April 17, 1883, s/w Ruthie S.
Frazier, Bessie Rilla, b. Dec 18, 1891, d. 1901 Oct 27
Frazier, Claudie, d. Apr 24, 1895 @ 3y 8m 24d, s/o J. L. & Jennie, s/w Ruth & Helen N.
Frazier, E. L., only, plaque on concrete wall
Frazier, Four, Infant markers, no names, no dates
Frazier, George B., b. Jul 20, 1883, d. 1865 Mar
Frazier, Helen Nora, d. Mar 13, 1888, @ 23y 1m 27d, w/o. J. L., s/w Ruth & Claudie
Frazier, Infant son, d. Jul 14, 1887, s/o W. H. & F. S.
Frazier, K. L., only, plaque on concrete wall
Frazier, Katie L., b. Apr 08, 1877, d. 1878 Oct 17, d/o R. W. & E. W.
Frazier, Martha Dora, b. Jan 31, 1875, d. 1878 Oct 26
Frazier, Rachel P., W. S. F., no dates, w/o Thomas P.
Frazier, Ruth, b. Jul 01, 1883, d. 1884 Feb, Infant d/o J. L. & Helen, s/w Helen N. and Claudie
Frazier, Ruthie S., b/d. Feb 07, 1881, s/w Archie
Frazier, Thomas P., W. S. F., no dates, w/ Rachel P.
Givens, Edith Fay, 1912 only, s/w Baby Martin
Hamer, Andrew, b. Aug 11, 1873, d. 1895 Aug 16
Hamer, John Harrison, b. 1840, d. 1909, s/w Virginia, m/1867
Hamer, Virginia Trueman, b. 1844, d. 1920 (newer stone)
Hansell, Catherine A., b. Dec 27, 1858, d. 1907 Feb 09, w/o G. W.
Harpe, Robert Andrew, Apr 27, 1919 only, s/o A. & M.
Hastings, Jacob P., b. Feb 03, 1826, d. 1909 Mar 30, s/w Martha
Hastings, Martha A., b. Feb 14, 1827, d. 1900 Feb 23, s/w Jacob
Henry, Hazel Pauline, b. Jun 07, 1902, d. 1903 Nov 25, d/o E. K. & Sophia, "We miss the sunshine of thy face"
Hudson, Nancy, b. Dec 09, 1860, d. 1893 May 23, w/o E. D.
Hughes, Hanna C., b. May 04, 1825, d. 1907 Jul 27
Hughes, John J., b. Mar 13, 1818, d. 1893 Jul 27
Irons, Baily P., b. 1864, d. 1929
Irons, Joseph, b. Sep 14, 1835, d. 1907 Jun 25
Irons, Matilda J., b. Jan 30, 1899, d. 1905 Apr 24
Irons, Maud M., b. Apr 03, 1897, d. 1897 Jun 24, d/o B. & N. E.
Irons, Mildred, b. 1839, d. 1920
Irons, William A., b. Nov 28, 1882, d. 1911 Nov 11, @ 29yrs
Jones, Sarah L., b. Jan 10, 1857, d. 1884 Jul 16, w/o Levy M.
Knapp, Evan D., b. 1878, d. 1937
Knapp, George R., b. 1838, d. 1927, s/w Julia
Knapp, Julia A., b. 1839, d. 1908, s/w George
Lee, ____, d. Nov 03, 1881, @ 24y 8m 3d, wife of P. L., first name missing, broken stone, "Dear is the spot where Christians sleep, And sweet the strains that angels pour, Oh why should we in anguish weep, She is not dead but gone before."
Llafet, Sarah A., b. Aug 23, 1826, d. 1889 Mar 21
Lydall, Alice, b. Nov 21, 1871, d. 1891 Nov 15, w/o William
Lydall, Lucius, b. May 11, 1875, d. 1911 Feb 17, Brother
Lydall, Lyman, b. Apr 08, 1827, d. 1917 Feb 17, Father
Maestretti, Stanley, b. Nov 29, 1910, d. 1918 Dec 12, s/o Mr. & Mrs. Nelson M. Maestretti
Martin, Baby, 1909 only, s/w Edith Fay Givens
McCarter, Cornelia O., b. Feb 05, 1833, d. 1914 Feb 24, s/w John
McCarter, Elisha F., b. Mar 01, 1852, d. 1904 Mar 24
McCarter, John, b. Mar 27, 1826, d. 1879 May 16, s/w Cornelia
McCarter, John, d. May 16, 1879,( @ 53y 1m 26d, pieced stone may not be part of his stone for sure)
McClain, Isaac Doughtery, Colo L. A., top half of broken stone
McCoy, Ellen, d. May 22, 1878, @ 6y 8m 10d, d/o Wm & T. A., s/w Laura & George
McCoy, George W., d. May 20, 1878 @ 4y 4m 16d, s/o Wm. & T. A., s/w Ellen & Laura (George McCoy footstone, found also)
McCoy, Laura J., d. May 18, 1878, @ 8y 10m, d/o Wm. & T. A., s/w Geo & Ellen
Mill_, Fannie R., d. 1882 Apr 07, @ 5y 7m 3d, broken stone (probably Mills)
Morse, AHira, b. Jul 17, 1842, d. 1904 Feb 08, Co C 13 IA Inf.
Morse, Amanda, b. May 16, 1860, d. 1911 Jul 23, w/o Ahira
Oringer, Baby, May 17, 1901, child of Mr. & Mrs. C. E.
Plimell, Addie M., d. Dec 30, 1893, @ 43y 8m 8d w/o J. T.
Putnam, Goyne McCoy, d. Apr 17, 1902, @ 81y 4m 3d
Raup, Washington, b. Mar 15, 1850, Columbia, Penn., d. 1902 Dec 25
Saling, Mary J., b. Sep 03, 1860, d. 1908 Mar 22, w/o J. W.
Shield, Fred, d. Nov 29, 1894 @ 3m, s/o S. & C. M.
Shortridge, Emma M., b. 1853, d. 1902
Smalley, Nancy Clementine, b. Jul 10, 1869, d. 1878 ____ 27, d/o W. D. & Sarah C., broken stone
Smith, Nancy, d. Jul 12, 1882, @ 40y 7m 6d, w/o I.
Spence, And___, d. 1878 May 28, @ 15y 2m 24d, broken stone
Spence, Andrew, d. 1891 Feb 09, @ 67y 5m 12d
Spence, Nancy A., d. 1911 Aug 26, @ 84y 3m 1d
Stevenson, Willard E., b. 1881, d. 1898, s/w Mary White
Thomson, James, b. Dec 24, 1818, d. 1898 Sep 21, s/w Virginia
Thomson, Virginia Meeks, b. Aug 30, 1829, d. 1897 May 02, s/w James
Timmons, only, no dates, metal homemade sign
Vinson, May V., b. Oct 28, 1890, d. 1896 Feb 22, d/o J. L. & A. B.
Vinson, Nellie V., b. Feb 10, 1893, d. 1893 Mar 14
Welch, Daisie M. Plimell, b. west Salem, Ill, Aug 16, 1873, d. 1896 Ju1 11, Milton, Or.
White, Mary E., b. 1818, d. 1898, s/w William Stevenson
Wilder, Ann J., b. Sep 04, 1809, d. 1897 May 09
Wilder, James E., d. 1881 Mar 19 @ 64y
Wilmot, Robert Perry, b. Mar 27, 1814, d. 1898 Sep 10
Wilmot, William H., b. Oct 20, 1843, d. 1913 Feb 23
Wormington, Bonnie, b. Feb 01, 1882, d. 1888 Oct 28, s/w Lloyd
Wormington, Gracie, d. Dec 24, 1882, @ 10m 18d, d/o M. V. & H. A.
Wormington, Harriet A., b. 1849, d. 1920
Wormington, Lloyd, b. Nov 18, 1893, d. 1894 Nov 17, s/w Bonnie
Wormington, Ralph, d. Nov 03, 1879, d@ 1y 3m 3d, s/o M. V. & H. A.
Wormington, Vanburen, b. Dec 01, 1836, d. 1895 Sep 26

Stones too broken to read:
??, Charlotte, wife of____, broken stone ??ay, Isabel, died Feb 24,___, Our Mother, (@ 84y, 10m 12d, broken stone, bottom may not be hers) ??ens, ____, b. Sep 24, 1874, d. 1902 Apr 05, broken stone ??occ__, John, d. Sep 10, 1881, @ 50y 9m 21d, broken stone