Oakland Cemetery Initiative

Welcome to the Oakland Cemetery Initiative, an organization that aims to educate and inform visitors and the community about those interred in Oakland Cemetery, with over 75,000 monuments sprawled across 100 acres. Our goal is to compile generations of knowledge and research to apply for grants to bring the cemetery to life.

The Oakland Cemetery Initiative is under the 501c3 of the Keokuk History Center.

Notable People Resting in Oakland Cemetery

Samuel Freeman Miller

Supreme Court Justice

Cemetery Marker Number

31

Date of Birth

4/5/1816

Date of Death

10/17/1898

Cemetery Location

Block 18, Lot 6

Joseph James and William Patterson

Revolutionary War Veteran, Postmaster, Businessman

Cemetery Marker Number

34

Date of Birth

Multiple

Date of Death

Multiple

Cemetery Location

Block 7, Lot 7

Charlotta Pyles

Former Slave, Abolitionist

Cemetery Marker Number

37

Date of Birth

3/25/1804

Date of Death

2/25/1804

Cemetery Location

Block 3, Lot 68

Henry Rothert

Mayor of Keokuk, Senator, Superintendent of the Iowa School for the Deaf (1887-1919), Mason

Cemetery Marker Number

40

Date of Birth

9/11/1840

Date of Death

9/11/1840

Cemetery Location

Block 10, Lot 4

Nate Tuck

Firefighter

Cemetery Marker Number

43

Date of Birth

4/6/1960

Date of Death

12/22/1999

Cemetery Location

Block 41, Lot 145

Potter's Field 2

Unmarked Grave Location

Cemetery Marker Number

46

Date of Birth

Multiple

Date of Death

Multiple

Cemetery Location

Catholic Section La/M

William and Mary Anne LaForge Rees

Social Advocate for the Children of West Keokuk

Cemetery Marker Number

49

Date of Birth

Multiple

Date of Death

3/5/1891

Cemetery Location

Block 15, Lot 2

Hughes Family

Cemetery Marker Number

52

Date of Birth

Multiple

Date of Death

Multiple

Cemetery Location

Block 25, Lot 20

James Madison Love

Mexican-American War vet, Senator, judge, Shakespearean

Cemetery Marker Number

55

Date of Birth

-

Date of Death

-

Cemetery Location

Block R2, Lot 19

James Cameron Jr.

Businessman

Cemetery Marker Number

58

Date of Birth

-

Date of Death

-

Cemetery Location

Block K, Lot 38

The Nuns of Sisters' Circle

Educators and nurses

Cemetery Marker Number

32

Date of Birth

Multiple

Date of Death

Multiple

Cemetery Location

Block O.C.; Lot (Center)

Charles H. Henneman

Olympian, Chief of Police

Cemetery Marker Number

35

Date of Birth

2/15/1866

Date of Death

2/15/1866

Cemetery Location

Block 33, W1/2; Lot 29

Hugh Thompson Reid

Civil War Union Veteran, Prominent Land Owner, President of the Des Moines Valley Railroad

Cemetery Marker Number

38

Date of Birth

10/18/1811

Date of Death

10/18/1811

Cemetery Location

Block 13, Lot 28

Sample

Mayor of Keokuk, Railroad Commissioner, Businessman, Politician, Fireman, City Benefactor

Cemetery Marker Number

41

Date of Birth

Multiple

Date of Death

Multiple

Cemetery Location

Block E, Lot 10

Laura Van Pappelendam

Artist, Teacher

Cemetery Marker Number

44

Date of Birth

2/10/1883

Date of Death

2/10/1974

Cemetery Location

Block 23A, Lot 17

Nannie M. Smith

First Female Lawyer in Keokuk

Cemetery Marker Number

47

Date of Birth

10/21/1851

Date of Death

12/12/1939

Cemetery Location

Block A2, Lot 17

William M. Gray Torrence

Civil War Veteran, KIA, Namesake of Torrence Elementary School

Cemetery Marker Number

50

Date of Birth

9/1/1821

Date of Death

10/21/1863

Cemetery Location

Block 7, Lot 27

Potter's Field (Back)

Unmarked Grave Location

Cemetery Marker Number

53

Date of Birth

Multiple

Date of Death

Multiple

Cemetery Location

Block 41

Pauline Bertram

Early Keokuk Doctor, College of Physicians and Surgeons Graduate

Cemetery Marker Number

56

Date of Birth

-

Date of Death

5/8/1949

Cemetery Location

Block 1, Lot 40

James Camerson Sr.

Mayor of Keokuk, Businessman

Cemetery Marker Number

59

Date of Birth

-

Date of Death

-

Cemetery Location

Block C, Lot 21

James Corner Parrott

Civil War Union Veteran, Keokuk Postmaster

Cemetery Marker Number

33

Date of Birth

5/21/1811

Date of Death

6/21/1811

Cemetery Location

Block P, Lot 4

Carlton Holmes Perry

Civil War Union Veteran, Educator, Businessman, Keokuk Library Association President

Cemetery Marker Number

36

Date of Birth

3/25/1802

Date of Death

2/25/1802

Cemetery Location

Block 25, Lot 2

Willie "Midnight" Richardson

Porter and Custodian of Keokuk Union Depot, Guiness World Record Holder

Cemetery Marker Number

39

Date of Birth

8/4/1867

Date of Death

8/4/1867

Cemetery Location

Block 34-1, Lot 5

City Vault

Coffin Storage

Cemetery Marker Number

42

Date of Birth

-

Date of Death

-

Cemetery Location

-

Yonker Family

Owners of Younker's Department Store

Cemetery Marker Number

45

Date of Birth

Multiple

Date of Death

Multiple

Cemetery Location

Hebrew Section, Lot 13 & 14

Richard Neil Concannon

Vietnam War Veteran, KIA

Cemetery Marker Number

48

Date of Birth

8/1/1946

Date of Death

2/15/1971

Cemetery Location

Block G, Lot 7

Montgomery Meigs

Cemetery Marker Number

51

Date of Birth

2/27/1847

Date of Death

12/9/1931

Cemetery Location

Block 33, Lot 63

Leo Parrot LeBron

WWI Maritime Tragedy Victim

Cemetery Marker Number

54

Date of Birth

7/10/1874

Date of Death

2/5/1918

Cemetery Location

Block 30, Lot 1

William Harper Sr.

Physician, African American Community Advocate

Cemetery Marker Number

57

Date of Birth

7/3/1889

Date of Death

12/24/1956

Cemetery Location

New Catholic Section (F), Lot 31

Walter Miller

Businessman, Local Organizations Leader

Cemetery Marker Number

60

Date of Birth

9/10/1916

Date of Death

5/24/2001

Cemetery Location

Block 38, Lot 61

How You Can Help:

Signs are acquired through fundraising and donations. Donations can be mailed to:

Keokuk History Center

Attn: Oakland Cemetery Initiative
P. O. Box 125
Keokuk, IA 52632

PayPal donations can be sent to KeokukHistoryCenter@gmail.com

If you are interested in supporting the Oakland Cemetery Initiative through merchandise, mugs, t-shirts, and stickers are now available via the link below!

We thank you for your contributions and your interest in Keokuk's Oakland Cemetery!

Merchandise Order Form

Oakland Cemetery Initiative

Notable People Resting in Oakland Cemetery

Samuel Freeman Miller

Joseph James and William Patterson

Charlotta Pyles

Henry Rothert

Nate Tuck

Potter's Field 2

William and Mary Anne LaForge Rees

Hughes Family

James Madison Love

James Cameron Jr.

The Nuns of Sisters' Circle

Charles H. Henneman

Hugh Thompson Reid

Sample

Laura Van Pappelendam

Nannie M. Smith

William M. Gray Torrence

Potter's Field (Back)

Pauline Bertram

James Camerson Sr.

James Corner Parrott

Carlton Holmes Perry

Willie "Midnight" Richardson

City Vault

Yonker Family

Richard Neil Concannon

Montgomery Meigs

Leo Parrot LeBron

William Harper Sr.

Walter Miller

How You Can Help:

Contact Us