We are pleased to announce that the Sod School House Cemetery Association has officially been recognized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
This milestone strengthens our mission to preserve the history, records, and grounds of Sod School House Cemetery for future generations. It also allows eligible donations to the Association to be tax-deductible as permitted by law and positions us to pursue additional funding opportunities that support long-term preservation efforts.
This achievement reflects the dedication of our volunteers, board members, donors, and supporters who believe the stories preserved within the cemetery deserve to be protected for generations to come.
Thank you to everyone who has supported our work. We look forward to continuing the preservation of Sod School House Cemetery and sharing our progress with you.
Sometimes, it looks like an ordinary headstone standing quietly in a rural cemetery.
George C. Long was born on June 8, 1854, in Tennessee. He and his wife, Virginia Frances “Jennie” Lanier Long, built a life together, raising a large family while farming and ranching in Texas before eventually settling near Cordell, Oklahoma.
By 1910, the Long family was living in Washita County. Contemporary records describe George as a successful farmer, stockman, businessman, and one of the county’s most prominent residents.
Then tragedy struck.
In January 1909, George‘s son, Henry L. “Bunk” Long, died in a murder-suicide in Emma, Texas. Contemporary newspapers described Henry as a young banker who took the life of his close friend before taking his own.
Just a few years later, in April 1913, another son, Charley Long, died from a gunshot wound in Happy, Texas. George was listed as the informant on his son’s death certificate.
Only four months later, on September 5, 1913, George C. Long died in Cordell. Contemporary newspaper accounts reported that he left a note asking his family to forgive him and stating that he felt overburdened. Those same accounts attributed his death to the grief he carried following the loss of two of his sons.
After George‘s death, Jennie and several of their children returned to Texas.
Standing beside George‘s monument today, it is difficult not to wonder how much sorrow one family could bear in so few years.
Some questions may never be answered, but his story reminds us that history is not only about the lives people built—it is also about the burdens they carried.
Historical information compiled from cemetery records, contemporary newspaper accounts, census records, Find A Grave memorials, genealogical records, and family research.
Florence was born on December 8, 1894, to Jackson Asberry “Berry” Coulter and Emma Adeline Stansberry Coulter. Less than four years later, on November 4, 1898, she was gone.
Little is known about Florence’s short life, but her monument remains as a lasting reminder that she was here and that she was loved.
Research shows that her parents later remained in Kiowa County, where Berry Coulter acquired an 80-acre farm and raised a family. The 1910 census records them there, carrying on after the loss of their firstborn daughter.
More than 125 years later, Florence’s white monument still stands at Sod School House Cemetery, preserving the memory of a child whose story might otherwise have been forgotten.
Andrew J. Johnson arrived in Oklahoma Territory by horseback in 1892 and became part of the generation that helped build western Oklahoma. His legacy still lives on in Cordell, where the A J Johnson’s Addition bears his name.
In 1902, his life was cut short when he was shot and killed at just 35 years of age. He left behind a wife, family, and a future that would never be realized.
Today, his monument stands at Sod School House Cemetery surrounded by iris and nightshade. The flowers have likely returned each spring for more than a century, long after those who planted them have passed away.
Standing beside the grave, it is difficult not to wonder who first planted the iris. Was it his wife? A child? A grieving family member hoping that something beautiful would remain?
More than 120 years later, the answer has been lost to time, but the flowers remain.
Sometimes history survives not only in records and newspapers, but in the living things left behind.
Historical information compiled from cemetery records, local newspaper accounts, Find A Grave memorials, and family research.
Scan to submit family connections, burial information, or marker condition updates and receive future communications regarding Sod School House Cemetery preservation efforts.
This Memorial Day weekend, we pause to remember and honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. Their sacrifice and dedication will not be forgotten.
Sod School House Cemetery now has the ability to accept both one-time and recurring online donations in support of ongoing preservation and restoration efforts. Donations help support cemetery maintenance, headstone repair, fencing and infrastructure preservation, cemetery mapping efforts, and the long-term preservation of historical records for future generations. We are grateful for the continued support of descendants, families, and the western Oklahoma community as we work to preserve the history and future of Sod School House Cemetery.
Representatives of Sod School House Cemetery will be present at the cemetery on Memorial Day and would welcome the opportunity to meet descendants, family members, and supporters connected to the cemetery. As part of ongoing preservation and restoration efforts, we are currently gathering contact information to help preserve cemetery records and reconnect families with the history of the cemetery. Visitors are encouraged to stop by and share their connection to those buried at Sod School House Cemetery. We would also be happy to collect contact information from individuals interested in receiving updates regarding future preservation and restoration efforts. Those unable to attend Memorial Day in person may still submit information before or after the event by using our Sod School House Cemetery Historical Information & Contact Form. Thank you for helping preserve the history and memory of Sod School House Cemetery.
Somewhere near Cordell, Oklahoma, a veteran named S. A. Younglove was buried and slowly forgotten. Local accounts say he died in a building on the square in Cordell and was buried at Sod Cemetery. Yet today, there is no headstone, and his name does not appear on the original cemetery roll. that mystery is what started this search. Who was S. A. Younglove? Was there once a marker that disappeared over time, or was he buried without one at all? As a veteran, he served his country and deserves to be remembered. I’m beginning the search for records, newspaper articles, family connections, and anyone who may know more about his life and burial. My hope is to learn his story and, if possible, help place a proper headstone at his grave. If you have information about the Younglove family, Cordell history, or Sod Cemetery, I would love to hear from you. Every veteran deserves to be remembered.
We’re always looking to connect with descendants, relatives, neighbors, and anyone with ties to Sod.
If you have family buried here, historical photographs, obituaries, family stories, or information to share, we’d love to hear from you.
Help us preserve these stories by completing our Cemetery Information Form.
