Oak Grove Cemetery (Americus, Georgia)

Oak Grove Cemetery
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Oak Grove Cemetery office
Location	309 Rees Street, Americus, Sumter County, Georgia, U.S.
Coordinates	32°04′09″N84°13′16″W / 32.06920°N 84.22110°W / 32.06920; -84.22110
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

Oak Grove Cemetery

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

1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
2. "Americus Historic District (Boundary Increase)". NPGallery, Digital Asset Management System.
3. "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Americus Historic District (Boundary Increase)". National Park Service . Retrieved May 20, 2025. With accompanying pictures
4. "Oak Grove Cemetery: A Shelter for the Dead, A Park for the Living". Americus Times-Recorder . October 22, 2020. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
5. Americus residents raise concerns after grave marker from 1800s vandalized (Television production). December 2, 2024. Retrieved May 20, 2025– via WALB.
6. 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.
7. "Death". The Savannah Morning News. December 22, 1882. p. 1. Retrieved May 20, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
8. "Death". The Atlanta Constitution. December 8, 1882. p. 4. Retrieved May 20, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
9. • United States Congress. "Charles Frederick Crisp (id: C000908)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress .
10. • United States Congress. "Charles Robert Crisp (id: C000909)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress .
11. 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.
12. "Actress Joanna Moore, 63, dies". The Desert Sun (Obituary). November 25, 1997. p. 21. Retrieved May 20, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
13. Betts, Graham (2006). Complete UK Hit Singles 1952-2006. Collins. p. 913. ISBN   978-0-00-720077-1.
14. "Meri Wilson". The Independent (Obituary). January 2, 2003. p. 14. Retrieved May 20, 2025– via Newspapers.com.

External links

• Oak Grove Cemetery on Find a Grave