John Richard TEEL

John Richard Teel was born 1853 in Whetstone, Cumberland County, KY.  
The family moved to Oklahoma and John Teel bought 40 acres in Allen Township from a Chickasaw Freedman in 1910 for $200. He had an accident working on the railroad at Fitzhugh which resulted in his death 3 days later on October 10, 1920. He was buried on his own land and I have been told there is a headstone for him but I haven't seen it.
Over the years the cemetery was used for the burial of seven children: Twins Lessie and Bessie Farrow, Mary Magdalene Farrow, Infant child of Henry and Edith Teel, Infant child of Tom and Estie Teel, Infant Rowe (Edith Teel's sister), and an unknown infant of a friend of the family. All of these had stones, but I doubt whether they have withstood the ravages of time.
The location of the land owned by John Teel is Southwest corner of Southwest corner of Section 4, Township 3, Range 8. My grandfather, Merle Lee Teel sold the land sometime in the 50's and I don't know who owns it now.
There have been a great many Teels in Pontotoc county throughout the past hundred years. Some of John's brothers and sisters moved here from KY later. Also, there were many Gossages (also from Cumberland County, KY) who were related as well as friends before coming to OK. They are neighbors on the 1910 Pontotoc census.
Contributed by Linda Nelson