Library & Cemetery Finds in Muskogee, Oklahoma

The Hubs and I recently camped near Muskogee, Oklahoma, for the weekend. As his grandfather was born in Muskogee, the Hubs was interested in visiting some "dead relatives" (as he likes to call them), at any nearby cemeteries. And since it was predicted to be a rainy weekend, I looked into visiting the Muskogee Public Library's genealogy room to see what goodies could be found. (Sidebar: How lucky am I that the Hubs is always game to find his relatives, do a little cemetery sleuthing, or wander the stacks at genealogy libraries?)

Three generations of Casey families lived in Muskogee at various times, beginning with the Hub's great-grandparents Stephen Henry Casey (1889-1972) and Nellie Francis Taylor (1890-1974), who wed at Muskogee's First Baptist Church in 1909. They began their married life in Muskogee, where their son Harold Edwin Casey (1915-2009) was born. Harold also lived in Muskogee for a time when Jim's father James Dale Casey (1940-  ) was born. In addition, the Hub's great-great-grandparents, Thomas Benton Casey (1853-1935) and Emily Amanda Pennington (1853-1937) lived a short drive away in nearby Pryor, Mayes, Oklahoma, and were buried at Fairview Cemetery there. Jim also spent a few childhood years in Pryor.

We visited the Muskogee Public Library's genealogy room first. Though there were no staff in the room during our visit, it was easy to navigate the files, drawers, and stacks. I found a 1905 Gazetteer of Indian Territory and a Fairview Cemetery burial book. In the gazetteer, I scanned pages about the geography of the area and those referencing the various localities where Jim's ancestors lived in Oklahoma: Vinita, Locust Grove, Muscogee [sic], Pryor Creek, etc. In the burial book, I scanned info on Casey family members. (I use Genius Scan on my Samsung phone. The app is available on both Google Play and the App Store.)

I was also interested in learning more about the First Baptist Church where Stephen Casey and Nellie Taylor were married—ironically located right next door to the library. In the book Our Century in Christ: First Baptist Church, Muskogee, Oklahoma, 1890-1990 I found photographs of the first two church buildings which preceded the version next to the library, as well as a photo of Rev. A.N. Hall who married Stephen and Nellie.

This was just one more instance which proves my credo: "A library visit is never wasted." 

First Baptist Church, Muskogee, as it looked when Stephen and Nellie were married in 1909.1

Rev. A.N. Hall, who married Stephen Casey & Nellie Taylor in 1909.2

When the skies cleared up for a bit we made the quick drive to visit Fairview Cemetery in Pryor. Fortunately for us, the cemetery provided a wonderful binder with all the burial locations—fortunate because the Find a Grave memorials for the Casey clan did not include their grave locations! I snapped a few quick photos of the pertinent cemetery locations and we set off.

The Hubs consults the Fairview Cemetery burial listing binder to find his Casey kin.

The nearest grave was that of Effie L. Lawson (née Casey), Jim's great-grandaunt/Stephen Casey's sister. Her headstone included the poignant epitaph "Home at Last." Effie was buried next to her husband George W. Lawson who died in his early 30s in 1912. His epitaph, "He Giveth His Beloved Sleep." Next to George's grave was the headstone that pulled at our heartstrings: Orval, son of G.W. and E.L. Lawson, "Our Darling Baby," who died at just 3 years old in 1911.

The rest of the Casey kin were in a different section around the corner. Four Casey burials were located here. Jim's great-great-grandparents Thomas Benton Casey (1853-1935) and Emily Amanda Pennington (1853-1937) were buried next to another daughter, Dovie May Lair (1893-1963), and son, Welza D. Casey (1878-1954), his wife, Mary, and their daughter Martha Jean Casey (1922-1967). I made sure to take one long shot that encompassed all four related graves and plan to upload it to each of the corresponding Find a Grave memorials.

From left to right, the upright headstones of Dovie Casey Lair, Thomas and Emily Pennington Casey, and Welza and Mary Meek Casey. Martha Jean Casey's flush marker is far right.

Besides looking for family graves, I am always interested in seeing interesting grave markers in any cemetery. Fairview did not disappoint. We saw two "Woodmen of the World" sponsored markers with their recognizable tree symbolism. In particular, one marker for James Thompson included a tree stump symbol, often used to denote a life cut short. Thompson died at age 21.

This medallion, featuring a tree stump, also includes the Latin phrase "Dom tacet clamat," or "though silent, he speaks."

 

A little background on the Woodmen of the World: "In 1890 Joseph Cullen Root founded Woodmen of the World, a fraternal benefit organization, the purpose of which was to make life insurance affordable to everyone. From 1890 until 1900 the policy included a tombstone. For adults the stones were made to look like tree stumps and came in a variety of styles and heights. For children a stack of three logs was typical."³

James Thompson's stacked log headstone likely symbolizes his youth—he died at 21.

This Woodmen of the World marker stands tall, symbolizing a deceased adult.

All in all, though it was a wet and dreary weekend for the most part, the sun shone long enough for us to get to the cemetery and offered spare time to visit the library, so we made the genealogical best of the situation. 

Until next time...

© Nancy Gilbride Casey, 2025. All rights reserved.

 

IMAGES 

Muskogee postcard, City of Muskogee (https://www.muskogeeonline.org/residents/brief_history.php : accessed 29 May 2025). 

First Baptist Church and A.N. Hall images, C.W. "Dub" West, editor, Our Century in Christ: First Baptist Church, Muskogee, Oklahoma, 1890-1990 (Muskogee: Thompson Printing Company, n.d.).

All cemetery photographs by author, 2025.

NOTES

¹ C.W. "Dub" West, editor, Our Century in Christ: First Baptist Church, Muskogee, Oklahoma, 1890-1990 (Muskogee: Thompson Printing Company, n.d.), n.p., second church building photo; citing Muskogee Public Library.

² C.W. "Dub" West, editor, Our Century in Christ: First Baptist Church, Muskogee, Oklahoma, 1890-1990 (Muskogee: Thompson Printing Company, n.d.), n.p., Rev. A.N. Hall photo; citing Muskogee Public Library.

³ Historic Houston (https://historichouston1836.com/woodmen-of-the-world/ : accessed 29 May 2025), "Story of the Tree Stump Tombstones."