Oak Grove Cemetery (Americus, Georgia)
Oak Grove Cemetery | |
Oak Grove Cemetery office | |
| Location | 309 Rees Street, Americus, Sumter County, Georgia, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 32°04′09″N 84°13′16″W / 32.06920°N 84.22110°W |
| Built | 1856 |
| Part of | Americus Historic District |
| NRHP reference No. | 79003319 (Increase)[1] |
| Added to NRHP | September 3, 1979 |
Oak Grove Cemetery is a historic place of burial located in Americus, Sumter County, Georgia, U.S.. It is one of the contributing properties for the Americus Historic District, since the boundary increased in 1979.[2][3]
History
The Oak Grove Cemetery was founded in 1856, and is operated by the city of Americus.[4] The property's first 9 acres (3.6 ha) was purchased from local physician Dr. Albert Rees.[4]
In 1880, the 129 bodies of Confederate soldiers were moved from Andersonville to Americus and placed in Oak Grove Cemetery.[3] It contains the burial for 129 veterans of the Confederate States Army, of which 45 of the burials are "unknown".[3] Ladies' Memorial Association of Americus added a Confederate memorial statue in 1899.[3] It also contains a small section for Spanish–American War veterans.[3]
In 2024, some gravestones from the 19th-century at Oak Grove Cemetery were vandalized.[5]
Notable internments
- Griffin Bell (1918–2009) judge, 72nd Attorney General of the United States, served under President Carter[6]
- Dr. George F. Cooper (1825–1882), physician, Baptist minister, and founder of the public school system in Americus[3][7][8]
- Joel Crawford (1783–1858), U.S. Congressman
- Charles Frederick Crisp (1845–1896), English-born American politician, U.S. Congressman[9]
- Charles Robert Crisp (1870–1937), U.S. Congressman[10]
- Allen Sherrod Cutts (1826–1896), military leader, colonel of artillery of the Confederate States Army, farmer, and politician[11]
- Joanna Moore (1934–1997), film and television actress[12]
- Meri Wilson (1949–2002), American singer, born in Japan[13][14]
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Sumter County, Georgia
- List of cemeteries in Georgia (U.S. state)
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- ^ "Americus Historic District (Boundary Increase)". NPGallery, Digital Asset Management System.
- ^ a b c d e f "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Americus Historic District (Boundary Increase)". National Park Service. Retrieved May 20, 2025. With accompanying pictures
- ^ a b "Oak Grove Cemetery: A Shelter for the Dead, A Park for the Living". Americus Times-Recorder. October 22, 2020. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
- ^ Americus residents raise concerns after grave marker from 1800s vandalized (Television production). December 2, 2024. Retrieved May 20, 2025 – via WALB.
- ^ Lyons, Patrick J. (January 5, 2009). "Griffin Bell, Ex-Attorney General, Dies at 90". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
- ^ "Death". The Savannah Morning News. December 22, 1882. p. 1. Retrieved May 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Death". The Atlanta Constitution. December 8, 1882. p. 4. Retrieved May 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^
- United States Congress. "Charles Frederick Crisp (id: C000908)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- ^
- United States Congress. "Charles Robert Crisp (id: C000909)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- ^ Speicher, James (October 12, 2009). The Sumter Flying Artillery: A Civil War History of the Eleventh Battalion Georgia Light Artillery. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4556-1267-3.
- ^ "Actress Joanna Moore, 63, dies". The Desert Sun (Obituary). November 25, 1997. p. 21. Retrieved May 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Betts, Graham (2006). Complete UK Hit Singles 1952-2006. Collins. p. 913. ISBN 978-0-00-720077-1.
- ^ "Meri Wilson". The Independent (Obituary). January 2, 2003. p. 14. Retrieved May 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.