STRAIN CEMETERY

STRAIN CEMETERY, WASHINGTON COUNTY, ARKANSAS
Photo Courtesy of Jane Elliott-Scott

The Strain family, which gave this lovely little cemetery south of Harris its name, is represented by several generations, including the following pioneers:

William J. Strain (1836-1922) and wife Evaline A. (1836-1929)
Robert Milton Strain (1838-1912) and wife Priscilla (Mankins)(1847-1918)
Benjamin Pearson Strain (1843-1894) and Mary Strain (1846-1913)
George Douglas Strain (1808-1880) and wife Mary Elizabeth "Polly" (Wood) 1767 - 1856
Mary Josephine "Mate" Strain (1858 - 1949)
Sarah Jane "Sally" Strain (1860-1949)
Kate Strain (1864-1940)
George Douglas Strain (1869-1906) and wife Nora Wood (1875-1956)
Willie Dale Strain (1874-1964)
Maud Evelyn Strain (1878 - 1953)

The cemetery evidently was first put to use just before the Civil War. The oldest burial date is 1854, but there are a few illegible markers that may be older. There are four sandstone burial vaults, two of them small and containing infant burials -- Andy Elisha Honaker and William Hurst (1861). The adult vaults, built in the familiar coffin shape, contain the dust of the pioneers, Hiram W. Fincher (1800-1863) and Harriet Fincher (?-1860). There are other early Finchers in the Strain cemetery, including:

J. A. Fincher (1841-1926) and wife Susan (1843-1914)
William H. Fincher (1865-1886)

There are a number of fine old sandstone grave markers, neatly cut and deeply engraved. Among these are the Moulden gravestones:

Smith R. Moulden (1825-1857)
Mary Moulden (1786-1860)
Thomas Moulden (1823-1854)
Mary Jane Moulden (1829-1890)
W. P. Moulden (1850-1912)

There are many Maguires buried here, including:

J. G. Maguire (1851-1930)
Owen C. Maguire (1853-1923) and wife Flora (1870-?)
W. A. Maguire (1853-1923) and wife Rena (1867-1897)
James H. Maguire (1861-1943) and wife Matildia (1865-1941)

Members of the pioneer Wood family who sleep in the Strain cemetery:

Henry N. Wood (1838-1915) and wife Nancy J. (1846-1944)
Andrew S. Wood (1852-1927) and wife Jennie (1856-1941)

Among the early birth dates are the following:

Margaret A. Colclasure (1800-1877)
M. S. Gregory (1817-1894) and wife Elizabeth (1822-1890)
Susan, wife of John Irvin (1818-?) - with a fine old gravestone
Susan, wife of Caleb Karnes (1820-1911)
Joshua B. Moore (1823-1908)
Bailum Ezell (1824-1922)
Susan E. Prather (1825-1897)
William Green Mhoon (1840-1919) and wife Martha (1839-1914)
Mary Jane Wagnon (1841-1914)
Abner Wilson (1841-1883)
Hosea M. Benbrook (1846-1943) and wife Catherine (1844-1936)
James B. Brewer (1860-1930) and wife Ella M. (1866-1925)
Jesse E. Baggett (1860-1950) and wife Lou J. (1870-1937)
William Thomas McClelland (1860-1943) and wife Ellen (1863-1947)

Veterans' graves with official markers are those of:

Elsy B. Fry, Co. A, 129th Ohio Inf., Civil War
Sam Neeley (1887-1941), 85th Co, Trans.Corps, World War I

Other family names found in the Strain Cemetery include: Atha, Black, Dyer, Gregg, McCuistion, Mills, Paschal, Reed, Wood.

(This report was put together by information gleaned from "Flashback", a quarterly magazine published by the Arkansas Genealogy Society, and our personal research.)

The following STRAIN CEMETERY listings were provided by information found in a report by Dorothy and Bartley Clutter and Bitsy and George Crabtree.

STRAIN CEMETERY

STRAIN CEMETERY PAVILLION
Photograph Courtesy of Jane Elliott-Scott

Located approximately 3 miles west of Elkins in S33, T16N, R29W, and just across the road east of Middle Fork of White River. Read beginning at the northeast corner; rows from north to southeast. Row number 1 on east side. Read by Dorothy and Bartley Clutter and Bitsy and George Crabtree 7 Nov 1980.

Row 1

MAHOON, Minta B. ae ly 4m 12 d d of W.G. & M.J., Aug 15, 1880
DANIEL, Loy Donald PFC US Marine Corps, Feb 2, 1956 - Dec 4, 1979
Three Stone markers, J.R.M. - M.J.M. - W.G.M. (Could be Mahoons)
BAGGETT, Lou J. Mother, 1870 - 1937
----- Jessie E. - ssw Lou -- Father, 1860 - 1950
WILSON, Brackin, Feb 19, 1848 - Mar 9, 1915
FRY, E.P. (Could be B) Fieldstone, nd - nd

Row 2

PASCHAL, Juanita OVEBY, m 4 Aug 1938, Sep 3, 1921 -
----- Charlie Arthur ssw Juanita, Aug 31, 1909 - Oct 25, 1977
----- Janice Sue - d of C.A. & Juanita (o d Dec 28, 1954)
----- Lisa Elaine - May 1, 1962 - May 3, 1962
----- Kathy Darlene (o d Apr 30, 1957)
----- Pearl E., Dec 15, 1881 - Feb 18, 1963
----- John T., ssw Pearl, Feb 14, 1880 - Aug 21, 1945
WOOD, Willa V., 1881 - 1936
----- Jarrett, ssw Willa, 1887 - 1965
----- Jewel Elvin "Bill", Mar 3, 1901 - June 19, 1955
----- Jarrett M., 1905 - 1967
DYER, Mary M., May 9, 1875 - Feb 11, 1960
----- William E., ssw Mary, Nov 22, 1869 - Nov 19, 1944
KARNES, Sarah, w of Caleb, Nov 30, 1820 - Feb 11, 1911
Fieldstone
WAGON, Mary Jane, Sep 14, 1841 - June 25, 1914
MAHOON, John T., ae 20y 1m 7d, Dec 27, 1881
----- W.G., Father, Mar 16, 1840 - Feb 14, 1919
----- Martha J., ssw W.G., Mother, Dec 3, 1839 - Dec 18, 1914
GREGORY, Margret E., d of M.S. & E., Nov 4, 1845 - Jul 31, 1888
----- Elizabeth, ssw M.E., Mar 12, 1823 - Jan 5, 1890
----- M.S., ssw M. and E., Dec 14, 1817 - Jan 23, 1894
Fieldstone
HURST, William, s of William, illegible
Fieldstone
FHM illegible
WILLIAMS, Edgar Lee, Nov 27, 1863 - May 20, 1938
EADS, Unity E., ae 11y 2d, d of A. & J.A., Aug 22, 1869 - Aug 24, 1880
FRY, N.J., ae 33y, - Apr 8, 1888
Fieldstone
FRY, Elsy B., Co b 129 Ohio Inf, nd - nd

Row 3

THOMAS, Nola KING, May 25, 1895 - Jun 9, 1979
KING, John F., Jan 29, 1889 - Jan 29 ????
BAILUM Ezell, Oct. 10, 1824 - Aug 12 ????
KEATON, Bonnie ROBERSON, Oct 5, 1900 - Jun 18, 1921
ROBERSON, Louie J., Apr 19, 1868 - May 15, ????
----- Ezra E., ssw Louie, Jul 17, 1865 - Mar 25, 1918
PRATHER, Susan F., Sep 30, 1825 - Feb 20, 1897
LEWIS, Martha, ae 1y 9m 15d, dau of M.D. and Narcissa J., - Oct 29, 1860
SHORT, William E., FHM Moore's Chapel, 1898 - 1974
MOULDEN, Mary Jane, ae 61y 3m 12d, May 24, 1829 - Sep 6, 1890
Unmarked headstone
Moulden, W.P., 1850 - 1912
A.W., nd - nd
HONAKER, Andy Elisha, s of C.M. & Jennie, Nov 12, 1900 - Jan 8, 1904
COUCH, Infant, s of J.E. & Pearl, Nov 25, 1901 - Nov 26, 1901

Row 4

REED, Donna Fae, d of W.P. & N., Dec 21, 1886 - Feb 21, 1933
----- Laura L., 1877 - 1945
----- Geo. W., 1879 - 19??
NEELEY, Sam, Ark Pvt 85 Co Trans Corp, Oct 18, 1887 - June 11, 1941
Two FHM, no names
HAGGARD, Margery H., 1914 - 1958
----- Roy W., CMI US Navy, Dec 12, 1901 - May 19, 1974
MOULDEN, Thomas, Oct 25, 1823 - Oct 3, 1854
MOULDEN, Smith R., June 24, 1825 - Mar 10, 1857
MOULDEN, Mary, Sep 1, 1786 - Mar 22, 1860
----- Little Nellie, d of W.P. & N., Dec 21, 1886 - Oct 13, 1888
WILSON, Abner, July 12, 1841 - Nov 2, 1883

Row 5

PHELAN, Hettie O., June 11, 1915 - Augb 26, 1963
----- Norris E., ssw Hettie, Feb 21, 1905 - Apr 25, 1969
WATTS, Elizabeth Jane, May 28, 1827 - Dec 8, 1875
----- Infant Son, ssw E.J., nd - nd
STRAIN, Ellis W., Aug 7, 1899 - Aug 26, 1946
----- Nora W., Aug 25, 1875 - Nov 11, 1956
----- George E., ssw Nora, Aug 30, 1869 - Oct 3, 1906
----- William J., Jan 14, 1836 - Apr 8, 1922
----- Evaline A. ssw William, Apr 30, 1836 - Sep 7, 1929
----- Kate, Dec 7, 1864 - Nov 7, 1940
----- Sallie, Sep 25, 1860 - Feb 5, 1949
----- Mate, Feb 5, 1858 - Oct 2, 1949
----- Maud, Oct 28, 1878 - Oct 25, 1953
----- Willie D., June 11, 1874 - Jul 17, 1964
FINCHER, Effie B., Aug 19, 1884 - Jan 8, 1945
----- H. Pat, ssw Effie B., Oct 9, 1884 -
----- __arrie, - 1869
----- Hiram W., ae 63y, - Aug 14, 1863
COLCLASURE, ______, Jun 20, 1800 - Jul 6, 1877
FINCHER, William H., Dec 3,1865 - Nov 7, 1886
----- Susan, w. of J.A., Mother, Oct 7, 1843 - Jun 23, 1914
----- J.A., Father, July 7, 1841 - Oct 10, 1926
BLACK, Toy Lillian, d of W.H. & M.E., May 31, 1895 - Apr 7, 1909
----- W.H., July 9, 1875 - Jan 1, 1911
FINCHER, Harriet A., d. of J.A. & S., ae 1y 5m 24d, - July 24, 1875 (this should have followed the entry for Hiram W. in the entry near end of Row 5)

Row 6

WOOD, Andrew S., Father, 1852 - 1927
----- Jennie, ssw Andrew, Mother, 1856 - 1941
----- Owen A., 1887 - 1957
----- Gracie, d of A.S. & J., Sep 29, 1882 - Sep 9, 1885
----- Infant d of A.S. & J., Apr 1, 1878 - Apr 2, 1878
----- Henry M., May 19, 1838 - Mar 14, 1915?
----- Nancy J., ssw Henry, Apr 30, 1848 - Jan 2, 1944
----- Wade Lester, Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, Masonic Emblem, Dec 16, 1886 - Aug 19, 1913
----- Clemme, d of H.M. & N.J. Wood, June 4, 1878 - June 30, 1892
----- Ida E., d. of H.M. & N.J. Wood, Jul 5, 1821 - Sep 11, 1871
McCUSTIAN, Minerva, w of W.R., nd - nd
STRAIN, Bertis, Aug 15, 1879 - Aug 22, 1879
----- Cora, d of B.P. & J.M., Oct 11, 1867 - Sep 7, 1872
----- Mahaliac ? , d of B.P. & M., Jan 1, 1874 - Sep 9, 1875
----- B.P. (This would be Benjamin Pearson), June 18, 1843 - Sep 27, 1894
----- Mary, Nov 10, 1846 - Jan 30, 1913
ATHA, Julia S., 1880 - 1952
GREGG, Marple, w. lf I.J. Gregg and dau of P.O. & Cleo PHILLIPS, Dec 24, 1910 - Apr 30, 1932
PHILLIPS, Cleo S., 1887 - 1952
----- Polk P., ssw Cleo S., 1884 - 1963

Row 7

FRITZ, J.L., m 7 Aug 1904, Apr 30, 1879 - Jan 15, 1964
----- Elizabeth, ssw J.L., Oct 11, 1883 - Feb 5, 1966
KIRKHAM, J.R., Father, June 29, 1857 - Nov 19, 1936
----- Richard, s of J.R. & Amanda, Jan 3, 1898 - Aug 12, 1911
McCLELAND, Glen, Sep 20, 1908 - Sep 19, 1919
----- Iva Mae, ssw Glen, Apr 21, 1915 - Apr 5, 1928
MILLS, Ellen A., Mother, 1851 - 1888
WILLIFORD, Mari I., d of S. & C., Dec 3, 1872 - July 31, 1874
WALLACE, Belle STRAIN, w of W.E., Sep 26, 1867 - Nov 19, 1953
----- W.E., June 19, 1865 - Dec 7, 1926
STRAIN, J.E., Mar 15, 1878 - Jul 10, 1888
----- R.M. (This would be Robert Milton), Jun 14, 1838 - Dec 23, 1912
----- Priscilla, w of R.M., Dec 25, 1847 - May 8, 1918
LAWSON, Sylvia Mae, Baby, 1930 - 1931
Fieldstone
IRVIN, Susan, w of John, Sep 24, 1818 - Jun 7, 1872