One of the earliest cemeteries in Baker County is located at Sumpter. We have been unable to learn exactly when it was started but it is believed to have had its beginning soon after discovery of gold in the area, some time in the 1860’s. The cemetery is located just off of State Highway 220, about one mile south and east of the town of Sumpter on the right hand side of the road going westward.
Sumpter was first settled by a few white men who mined in the area. Later several hundred Chinese came to the mines. Many of the Chinese were buried in the cemetery but their bodies were later taken up and removed to China. All of the early graves are unmarked as records were not maintained, these early burials are now unknown to local residents. This is a large cemetery. No regular custodian is employed but some plots are taken care of by relatives. The ground is dry and covered with beautiful wild flowers.
Inscriptions were taken of the burials in this cemetery by the DAR. This list of burials is on microfilm and can be found in the library of the Oregon Historical Society, Portland, Oregon. The oldest burial of record is dated 1896. The list as compiled by the DAR, together with one addition, is reproduced below by consent of the Matthew Starbuck Chapter of the Dar, Baker, Oregon.
Austin, D.C. b 29 Jan 1842; d 17 Mar 1900; initial may be D.G.
Beardsley, John b 30 May 1864; d 3 Jun 1904
Benson, Otto O. b 1 May 1893; d 8 Mar 1896; son of O.O & M.M.
Black, J.V. b 26 Nov 1864; d 8 Mar 1900
Bledsoe, Helen b 8 Feb 1911; d 5 May 1911; dau of E. & M.
Butcher, Albert E b 4 Oct 1873; d 22 Oct 1937
Calhoun, Elizabeth b 17 Sep 1850; d 20 Dec 1907; wife of J.D.
Conger, Marie b 2 Mar 1893; d 17 Oct 1906
Couse, Andrew A b 17 Aug 1852; d 11 May 1910
Donell, Mary Agnis b 12 Mar 1898; d 20 Jan 1906; dau of D.O.& A.O
Eddy, Mark P. b 2 Oct 1906; d 17 Sep 1908; son of W. & E.J.
Estes,. Robert J. b 1914; d 1915
Evans, Llewelyn Rees b 6 Feb 1893; d 7 Jan 1910
Fain, J.P. b 4 Sep 1848; d 11 Jan 1898
Fisk, Mary C. b 20 May 1888; d 15 May 1898; dau of J.M. & I.A.
Frodsham, Laura Bell d 5 Dec 1903; aged 34 yrs 2 mos 30 days
Gallagher, James F. b 1 Nov 1838; d 5 Apr 1900
Gardner, C.H. b 22 Mar 1870; d 6 Jun 1909
Gardner, Frankie b 7 Aug 1905; d 22 Oct 1907
Gray, Thomas Cummings b 1860; d 1909
Green, Charles A. b 10 May 1894; d 15 May 1905
Hatley, Baby
Hatley, Effie d 7 Feb 1951; aged 89 yrs 9 mos 2 days
Hatley, Gertrude b 27 Jun 1883; d 3 Mar 1913
Hatley, Laura b 28 Dec 1878; d 2 Apr 1900
Hatley, Nathaniel
Hatley, Ralph G. d 24 Dec 1950; aged 47 yrs 7 mos 19days
Hefling, M.V. b 1833; d 1900
Hinton, John J. b 18 Feb 1850; d 3 Sep 1928; father
Hinton, Nancy C. b 16 Jan 1854; d 14 Apr 1931; mother
Holland, Paul Aged 9 mos
Hurt, Infant b 1 Jan 1900; d 3 Jan 1900; dau of J.G. & E.P.
Jackson, Nellie M. b 5 May 1896; d 7 Mar 1900
Jellison, Ira T. b 29 Mar 1872; d 21 May 1901
Jennings, Perlie b 16 Mar 1907; d 18 Mar 1910; parents, J.J & A.
Johnson, C.W. d 10 Jul 1898
Knapp, Christle A. b 19 May 1893; d 28 May 1897; dau of L. & M.J.
Knapp, Gladys B. b 24 May 1898; d 9 Sep 1898; dau of L. & M.J.
Knuth, Fred E. b 15 Aug 1863; d 11 Jul 1915
Knuth, Ida b 9 Jul 1871; d 21 Mar 1830
LeDue, Mary E. b 8 Mar 1856; d 14 Apr 1900
Lippert, Elma S. b 1899; d 1984
Lockhart, Laura b 1865; d 1900
McCullough, H.O. b 13 Dec 1875; d 22 Jul 1908
McVickers, Lodena Mother
Maiwaldt, Clara E. b 8 Jan 1861 in Posen, Germany; d 26 Apr 1895; wife of Ernst.
Maiwaldt, Willie Gustav b 6 Dec 1893; d 26 Apr 1895; son of Ernst.
Metzger, O.H. d 12 Oct 1913; aged 40 yrs
Moffett, Nathan P. b 3 Jan 1872; d 3 Aug 1937
Newton, Henry P. b 18 Jul 1835; d 3 Oct 1905
Peterman, Edward b 13 Sep 1907; d 22 Apr 1908; son of Edward & Ruth
Raver, Mrs. M. d 3 Nov 1903; aged 64 yrs
Raver, Vernon d 22 Nov 1892; aged 4 mos
Rimbo, Charles b 1830; d 1908; bur in lot with Mary A. Young believed to be his mother.
Robertson, Henry H. b 9 Mar 1892; d 2 Dec 1904
Roe, Ethel G. b 2 Jul 1894; d 24 Jun 1910
Rowe, Christopher R. b 3 Nov 1865; d 26 Aug 1907
Rowe, Shristopher R. b 1891; d 1918
Rowe, Jane b 1863; d 1941; mother
Rusk, Santford T. b 14 Aug 1840; d 5 Jun 1904
Schmidt, J. B.
Starck, Gordon A. b 24 Feb 1906; d 22 May 1908
Stauffer, Harold Benard b 23 Jan 1911; d 24 Feb 1911; son of E.E. & E.
Stewart, Catherine b 27 Feb 1912; d 25 May 1917; dau of Mr. & Mrs. E.T.
Sullivan, Ernest N. b 7 Jan 1905; d 24 Jan 1905; son of M.W. & L.D.
Swift, Infant b 18 Apr 1903; d 10 Jul 1903; dau of J.D. & H.
Talefero, Nicholas L. b 11 Nov 1866; d 4 Mar 1950
Talifero, Otie L. b 29 May 1876; d 17 May 1902
Torongo, John d 29 Jun 1912; aged 65 yrs
Veronda, T.
Walsh, Patrick d 21 Aug 1948; aged 79 yrs
Weatherford, Wesley Darr b 30 Oct 1892; d 8 Apr 1898; son of B. & M.
Webb, Rose Duke b 15 Jun 1835; d 8 Feb 1914
Webb, Thomas Dukes b 8 Dec 1828; d 2 Feb 1908
Whitesell, Evalyn
Whitesell, George
Woodruff, Nathan W. b 1821; d 1901; of New Jersey. GAR
Worley, Albert b 31 Oct 1859; d 18 Feb 1913
Worley, Hannah b 4 May 1832; d 16 Aug 1906; mother
Wyant, A.A. b 8 Apr 1839; d 23 Aug 1915; mother
Yeager, Clarence b 13 Apr 1898; d 24 Apr 1899
Young, Joseph B. b 10 Jul 1832 at Rugby, Va.; d 27 Feb 1905; pioneer of 1855.
Young, Mary A. b 1855; d 1935
Young, Rimbol T. b 1885; 1954
