[or-roots] Re: [GFO] Powell Grove Cemetery

[Eugene Melvin]

Hi Carroll,  Living in SW Portland I have been out to this loving little cemetery many times.  

I also found a letter by my grandfather in the Oregonian complaining about an attempt by the county to move this cemetery because it wanted to straighten out 122nd avenue (I believe). 

Anyway I have been in contact with the current county administrators of this and the other 14 pioneer cemeteries and she has been very helpful i.e. the 70 pages I mentioned earlier.  But the problem I have incurred is apparently there is no records between the founding of this cemetery in 1848 and the beginning of the county administrator in 1949.

The Oregon Historical Society has a book about this cemetery but it only lists names that appear in the headstones.

The issue I have is that my Great grand father and Great grand mother had there marriage annul in 1906.  The actual documents are in the Oregon Archives in Salem.  Both remarried.  He died in Seattle, Washington and she died on Oakland, California.

Now the dilemma.  When you go the cemetery you see a head stone that says Father and Mother.  It has the dates (Year only) that I have for my Great Grand Parents. (Birth and Death).  But who is really buried there?  

And because my Great Grand mother died in 1930 and Great Grand Father died in 1936.  Divorces and annulments were taboo subjects during this period in our history and they both remarried.  So my dilemma.

Eugene Melvin
SW Portland, Oregon

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: CARROLLOUC at aol.com 
  To: or-roots at sosinet.sos.state.or.us 
  Sent: Saturday, June 19, 2004 9:18 PM
  Subject: Re: [or-roots] Re: [GFO] Powell Grove Cemetery


  Hi Eugene - i have a brochure from the Mult. Co., Pioneer Association which gives this info: Powell Grove Cemetery, aka Central Grove Cemetery. est. 1848, 1.0 acre. 

  I knew this cemetery had a different name when I was growing up and lived near there. It would seem like the cemetery records, what there might have been, would have been transferred to Mult. Co. when they took over the cemetery.

  I remember my parents and grandparents were not happy with the name change, although we didn't have anyone buried there. It was just that my grandparents had lived in Parkrose, probably from before 1930 and knew some of the inhabitants. They felt the name should be left alone, but you know how that goes.

  Are you able to go to the cemetery and look around? It is a pretty little oasis with Sandy and 122nd surrounding it. Perhaps some of the stones would be helpful. I wonder if the Mult. Co. library or the OR Genealogical Society would have any of the information as to the names of the really old folks. Though it does seem like 70 pages would just about cover all of them except for the old flat stones that have become covered by grass or the inscriptions have worn away. I still haven't been able to find a stone for my gr grandfather Cooper in the Multnomah Pioneer Cemeter yet but have everyone else.

  Just some thoughts on the subject to throw out.

  Who are you looking for in the cemetery?

  Carroll (Cooper) Summers


    The current administrators are very helpful.  They gave me everything they had from 1949 forward.  In my case about 70 pages.  But they had no records prior to 1949.  I believe this cemetery began in the late 1880's. 

    Eugene Melvin
    SW Portland, Oregon
      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: CARROLLOUC at aol.com 
      To: or-roots at sosinet.sos.state.or.us 
      Sent: Friday, June 18, 2004 11:29 PM
      Subject: Re: [or-roots] Re: [GFO] Powell Grove Cemetery


      The Pioneer Cemetery Association, located in Portland should have records of the graves in this cemetery. I don't have the address or phone number but you should be able to find it in your Portland phone directory.

      I remember the cemetery well from growing up in Parkrose. The cemetery wasn't always surrounded by roads as it is now but I don't know just when that happened as I have lived in So. Oregon since 1949.

      My Dad's side of the family were all buried in the Multnomah Park (now) Pioneer Cemetery. I was able to get information from the Cem. Assoc. as well as a plot map, although I did know where most of the older ancestors were buried. An annual Memorial Day trek while growing up and I still visit it when I can.

      Carroll (Cooper) Summers
        Is there any records as to who and when people were buried there prior to 1949.  It is my understanding that this is the year the management of this cemetery change from the Powell Grove Cemetery Association to Multnomah County.

        Eugene Melvin
        SW Portland, Oregon
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