Sunday, May 1, 2011


Oscar Allison Smith
(He is pictured in this picture with his back turned against the camera. This picture was taken at a Duke Ellington concert in Kansas City. His deceased wife, Grace, is the woman to his left.


**SMITH, OSCAR ALLISON. D.O.B.: November 25, 1894. D.O.D.: Birthplace: Higginsville, MO. Place of death: Higginsville, MO. Race: black. Marital status at time of death: widower. Name of deceased spouse: Grace Smith. Date of burial: October 3, 1966. Usual occupation: unknown. He was a veteran of the World War I and served in the Army. He was a member of the St. James African Methodist Church in Higginsville, MO. Name of father: John Henry Smith. Birthplace of father: KY. Maiden name of mother: Lucy Ann Jones. Birthplace of mother: VA. Source: Higginsville Advance, October 13, 1966.

Stella Koontz Henderson is one of the persons buried at this cemetery. She lived to be 100 years old.

HENDERSON, STELLA. D.O.B.: November 8, 1893. Birthplace: Pleasant Grove, MO. Race: black. Marital status at time of death: widow. She was married to William Naylor on January 13, 1919, until his death. She and James Henderson were married on February 19, 1939. Usual occupation: housekeeper. She was a lifetime member of the St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church in Higginsville, MO. She was a deaconess and a missionary society was named after her. She was a member of the Sunshine Social and Art Club. Name of father: Benjamin Koontz. Birthplace of father: unknown. Maiden name of mother: Rushia Gordon. Birthplace of mother: unknown.
Source: Higginsville Advance, January 26, 1994.