Oak Hill Cemetery: Difference between revisions

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'''Oak Hill Cemetery''', located between [[17th Street North|17th]] and [[19th Street North|19th]] Streets and [[11th Avenue North|11th Avenue]] and [[13th Court North]], is [[Birmingham]]'s oldest and most distinguished cemetery. Originally 21.5 acres on the estate of [[James M. Ware]], it was already a burial ground by April [[1869]] when it served as the resting place for the infant daughter of future mayor [[Robert Henley]]. It was marked as "City Cemetery" on the original plats for Birmingham laid out by the [[Elyton Land Company]] and was formally sold to the city on [[December 29]], [[1873]] for the sum of $1,073.50.
'''Oak Hill Cemetery''', located between [[17th Street North|17th]] and [[19th Street North|19th]] Streets and [[11th Avenue North|11th Avenue]] and [[13th Court North]], is [[Birmingham]]'s oldest and most distinguished cemetery. Originally 21.5 acres on the estate of [[James M. Ware]], it was already a burial ground by April [[1869]] when it served as the resting place for the infant daughter of future mayor [[Robert Henley]]. It was marked as "City Cemetery" on the original plats for Birmingham laid out by the [[Elyton Land Company]] and was formally sold to the city on [[December 29]], [[1873]] for the sum of $1,073.50.


Most of the 10,000 or so burials at Oak Hill were interred before 1930, including nine of the ten landholders who founded the city, many early [[Mayor of Birmingham|mayors]], a Revolutionary soldier, numerous Civil War veterans, and the first male child born in the city. The earliest marker memorializes [[Jesse Thompson]], the father of Mayor [[B. A. Thompson]]. Although few records exist from the time, most believe the "Potter's Field" section was also used as the final resting place for many victims of the [[1873 cholera epidemic]].
Most of the 11,000 or so burials at Oak Hill were interred before 1905, including nine of the ten landholders who founded the city, many early [[Mayor of Birmingham|mayors]], a Revolutionary soldier, numerous Civil War veterans, and the first male child born in the city. The earliest marker memorializes [[Jesse Thompson]], the father of Mayor [[B. A. Thompson]]. Although few records exist from the time, most believe the "Potter's Field" section was also used as the final resting place for many victims of the [[1873 cholera epidemic]].


In [[1889]] Judge [[A. O. Lane]] purchased 200 acres on the southern slopes of [[Red Mountain]], now [[Lane Park]], for the burial of paupers, thereby ending the use of Oak Hill's "Potter's Field". In [[1928]] the caretaker's cottage near the center of the property, was removed to the southwest corner of the cemetery and a new "Pioneer's Memorial Building" was constructed of Indiana Limestone, designed by [[Miller & Martin Architects]] with [[William Kessler]], landscape architect.
In [[1889]] Judge [[A. O. Lane]] purchased 200 acres on the southern slopes of [[Red Mountain]], now [[Lane Park]], for the burial of paupers, thereby ending the use of Oak Hill's "Potter's Field". In [[1928]] the caretaker's cottage near the center of the property, was removed to the southwest corner of the cemetery and a new "Pioneer's Memorial Building" was constructed of Indiana Limestone, designed by [[Miller & Martin Architects]] with [[William Kessler]], landscape architect.
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* [[Robert Henley]] (1843–1873), First mayor of Birmingham, editor of the ''[[Birmingham Sun]]''
* [[Robert Henley]] (1843–1873), First mayor of Birmingham, editor of the ''[[Birmingham Sun]]''
* [[Walter Henley]], coal baron, banker, philanthropist
* [[Walter Henley]], coal baron, banker, philanthropist
* [[Bertram Hudson]], educator and banker
* [[Andrew Johnston]], railroad officer, industrialist, founder of [[North Birmingham]]
* [[Andrew Johnston]], railroad officer, industrialist, founder of [[North Birmingham]]
* [[Mortimer Jordan, Jr]] (1844–1889), health care pioneer
* [[Mortimer Jordan, Jr]] (1844–1889), health care pioneer
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* [[A. H. Parker]] (1870–1939), educator, namesake of [[A. H. Parker High School]]
* [[A. H. Parker]] (1870–1939), educator, namesake of [[A. H. Parker High School]]
* [[Thomas Peters]], Birmingham founder
* [[Thomas Peters]], Birmingham founder
* [[William Pettiford]] (1847–1914), Baptist minister, founder of [[Alabama Penny Savings Bank]]
* [[Edmund Rucker]] (1835–1924), Civil War general, namesake of Fort Rucker, builder of the [[Walter Agee residence]]
* [[Edmund Rucker]] (1835–1924), Civil War general, namesake of Fort Rucker, builder of the [[Walter Agee residence]]
* [[Fred Shuttlesworth]] (1922–2011), Baptist minister, [[Civil Rights Movement]] leader
* [[Fred Shuttlesworth]] (1922–2011), Baptist minister, [[Civil Rights Movement]] leader
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* [[James A. Ware]] (d. 1888), Birmingham founder
* [[James A. Ware]] (d. 1888), Birmingham founder
* [[Thomas Watts]], namesake of [[Watts Building]]
* [[Thomas Watts]], namesake of [[Watts Building]]
* [[J. B. Webb]], owner of the [[Dude Saloon]]
* [[John Westbrook]] (1818–1888), merchant and real estate trader
* [[John Westbrook]] (1818–1888), merchant and real estate trader
* [[Louise Wooster]] (1842–1913), famed Madam
* [[Louise Wooster]] (1842–1913), famed Madam
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* Jeane, Gregory. "[http://www.samford.edu/~dgjeane/oakhill/oh_history.html A Brief History of Oak Hill Cemetery]". - accessed April 1, 2006
* Jeane, Gregory. "[http://www.samford.edu/~dgjeane/oakhill/oh_history.html A Brief History of Oak Hill Cemetery]". - accessed April 1, 2006
* Satterfield, Carolyn Green. (1976) ''Historic Sites of Jefferson County, Alabama''. Prepared for the Jefferson County Historical Commission. Birmingham: Gray Printing Co.
* Satterfield, Carolyn Green. (1976) ''Historic Sites of Jefferson County, Alabama''. Prepared for the Jefferson County Historical Commission. Birmingham: Gray Printing Co.
* Garrison, Greg (October 21, 2011) "The Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth will be buried in Birmingham's Oak Hill Cemetery." ''Birmingham News''


==External links==
==External links==

Revision as of 09:48, 21 October 2011

This article is about the cemetery in Birmingham. For others, see Oak Hill Cemetery (disambiguation).

Oak Hill Cemetery, located between 17th and 19th Streets and 11th Avenue and 13th Court North, is Birmingham's oldest and most distinguished cemetery. Originally 21.5 acres on the estate of James M. Ware, it was already a burial ground by April 1869 when it served as the resting place for the infant daughter of future mayor Robert Henley. It was marked as "City Cemetery" on the original plats for Birmingham laid out by the Elyton Land Company and was formally sold to the city on December 29, 1873 for the sum of $1,073.50.

Most of the 11,000 or so burials at Oak Hill were interred before 1905, including nine of the ten landholders who founded the city, many early mayors, a Revolutionary soldier, numerous Civil War veterans, and the first male child born in the city. The earliest marker memorializes Jesse Thompson, the father of Mayor B. A. Thompson. Although few records exist from the time, most believe the "Potter's Field" section was also used as the final resting place for many victims of the 1873 cholera epidemic.

In 1889 Judge A. O. Lane purchased 200 acres on the southern slopes of Red Mountain, now Lane Park, for the burial of paupers, thereby ending the use of Oak Hill's "Potter's Field". In 1928 the caretaker's cottage near the center of the property, was removed to the southwest corner of the cemetery and a new "Pioneer's Memorial Building" was constructed of Indiana Limestone, designed by Miller & Martin Architects with William Kessler, landscape architect.

Since 1913 Oak Hill has been under the care of the Oak Hill Memorial Association, a group created to preserve and maintain the monuments, grounds, and records of the cemetery.

In 1977, Oak Hill Cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Oak Hill Memorial Association keeps an office in the former caretaker's cottage and published a quarterly newsletter, the Oak Hill Pioneer, from Winter 1999 to Fall 2001, with articles about the history of the city in the context of the lives of those buried at Oak Hill.

Notable burials

References

  • Jeane, Gregory. "A Brief History of Oak Hill Cemetery". - accessed April 1, 2006
  • Satterfield, Carolyn Green. (1976) Historic Sites of Jefferson County, Alabama. Prepared for the Jefferson County Historical Commission. Birmingham: Gray Printing Co.
  • Garrison, Greg (October 21, 2011) "The Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth will be buried in Birmingham's Oak Hill Cemetery." Birmingham News

External links

Locate with
Google Maps

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