When the first death occurred in the area, because their Donation Land Claim lay on high ground, Rachel and Henry Matheny donated a portion of their land as the local cemetery,…” There is a monument next to the church in the cemetery. At the 1933 Reunion meeting, it was voted to thank the town of Hopewell for erecting the new monument to Rachel Matheny as the donor of the property for Hopewell Cemetery.
In Into the Eye of the Setting Sun, Charlotte Matheny Kirkwood, tells the story of the first burial there– Mr. Kay story. Reuben was the one who married into our family.
Also in Into the Eye of the Setting Sun, there is the story of our own family’s first burial there. It was Sarah Jane, who had died in the California gold fields. There is a question of whether her body had really been brought back and buried here. She was married to Aaron Layson.
The white stone marker under the cedar tree marks the grave of Margarette, wife of John Wittschen. She was Henry Hewitt’s sister, who came to Oregon much later than Henry. Jasper married her stepdaughter, Mary Ring. They had all lived in the same county in Missouri.
Charlotte Matheny Kirkwood’s grave is the large long, horizontal headstone near the back.
John Alvin Ray (Johnny Ray) Jan.10, 1927 – February 24, 1990, was not of our family, but was first cousins to some of our family members. He was a father of Rock and Roll.
For more FAMILY HISTORIC SITES, click on the link below.