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Indian Pioneer Papers - Index

Indian Pioneer History Project for Oklahoma
LDS Microfiche #6016976
Volume 111 - Cemeteries

Cemetery - Cherokee
Rock Church Cemetery
Legal location:
NE 10, NW 40, Sec 28, T17N, R19E, Wagoner County 11 1/2 miles east, 1 mile north of Riverside School

The Rock Church is one of the oldest land marks of pioneer days yet standing in eastern Oklahoma. It is situated in a beautiful little valley back in the hills hid away from the beaten trails of today. The building is about 24 feet in width by 40 feet in length, walls about 20 inches thickness, of native sandstone. In cap rock over the door is name of J. S. EALEY, who was stone mason in charge of construction, (Information by Charles MCDONALD, near Wagoner) with the date, 1885. Walls are cracked in several places and crumbling, entire building in very bad state of repair and has not been used as a church or school for many years. Previous to the building of the Rock church there was a log church and school at this place which stood about 40 feet north of where the Rock Church now stands which was built in the early sixties by the pioneers and was known as the Riverside Church and School, which was the first church and school in that part of the country. However after the Rock Church was built in 1885 the place has been known as the Rock Church. Several members of old pioneer families such as the COBBs and the NORMANs are buried in this old cemetery with granite headstones as follows:

William C. COBB, born 1860, died 1889
Lucy COBB, born 1863, died 1893
Joseph B. COBB, born 1828, died 1896
C.A. NORMAN, born 1829, died 1885
Ester T. JOHNSON, born 1861, died 1895
Wm. B. FISHER, Co. K 2nd, Tenn. Infantry
No other inscription or date on this stone

Many other graves with sandstone markers and no inscriptions. The Rock Church was built under the sponsorship of the Presbyterian Church with the mutual understanding it would be used by all denominations.

Submitted to OKGenWeb by Gay Wall.