Oaklawn Cemetery

THE FIRST BURIALS IN THE CITY OF COOPER WERE MADE ON A HILL WEST OF DR. J.A. BLACKWELL’S OLD HOME. THE FIRST BURIAL WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN THE YOUNG DAUGHTER OF DR. R.C. ANDREWS. THE SITE SOON BECAME UNDESIRABLE AND LAND WAS SOUGHT ELSEWHERE. IN 1891, MR. ASA WHITE DONATED FIVE ACRES FOR A CEMETERY. MOST OF THE PEOPLE BURIED IN THE OLD COOPER CEMETERY WERE MOVED TO THIS LOCATION. THE OLDEST EXISTING MONUMENT IS THAT OF MARY CUMMING (1791-1881). THE INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODDFELLOWS ORGANIZATION CARED FOR THE CEMETERY AND PURCHASED ADDITIONAL LAND UNTIL THE OAKLAWN CEMETERY, INC. WAS CHARTERED ON NOV. 17, 1959. THEY CONTINUE TO CARE FOR THIS HISTORIC COMMUNITY BURIAL GROUND. HISTORIC TEXAS CEMETERY – 2009