Pre-Civil War oak tree scheduled for removal in Seligman cemetery
The large red oak that stands at the center of King Cemetery. While half the tree remains alive and vibrant, the other half has become visibly decayed.
October 9, 2019
Vinnie Roberts
King Cemetery, located between Washburn and Seligman on Farm Road 2265, is one of the oldest cemeteries in Barry County. Its earliest occupants date back to the 1840’s, just five years after the formation of the county itself. Now, in 2019, nearly 160 years after the cemetery came into being, one of its most important landmarks is being retired.
The red oak tree that rests in the center of the grounds is scheduled for removal sometime later this month. The tree is speculated to be one of the oldest in Barry County, having been recorded as being part of the grounds since before the first bodies were laid to rest beneath it.
According to Wendell Bishop, who has served as the president of the King Cemetery Board for 26 years, the tree is estimated to be over 100 feet tall with a measured circumference of 17 feet and a diameter of 8 feet 3 inches.
“It’s a big, beautiful tree,” said Bishop. “It might be just about the oldest in Barry County.”
Bishop explained that the tree is most likely part of a forest that was cleared to make room for burial plots. As it currently stands, the tree is one of just a few inside the cemetery grounds.
According to an article titled “Legend of King Cemetery One of County’s Earliest” from the Cassville Democrat in June of 1970, one of the earliest accounts of burials on the grounds implied that before the grounds were explicitly a cemetery, much of the area was wooded. This would mean that the tree at the center of King Cemetery is the last of a pre-Civil War forest.
Bishop went on to explain that the tree has special meaning to the cemetery itself. According to him and King Cemetery secretary Carolyn Richardson, the tree was once the site of annual memorial day meetings on the ground.
“Families would eat lunch under the tree after they met there,” said Richardson. “Then they would spend the day tending the grounds and trimming the weeds away from the headstones.”
Efforts to keep the tree alive began nearly a decade ago. In that time, according to Bishop, the tree has been trimmed, pruned and everything in between to keep the dead ends away and keep the living parts of the tree healthy and prosperous.
While numerous efforts have been made over the past decade to keep the tree alive, time has finally taken its toll. While half of the tree remains healthy and vibrant, the other half is visibly withered from root to leaf. Its continued existence on the grounds could be detrimental to the occupants.
“It could fall over any day now,” said Bishop. “When that happens, it will cause serious damage to the graves and headstones under it.”
While the plans for the tree’s removal haven’t been set in stone, the eight-member board of King Cemetery has made arrangements with local logger Justin Beeff to begin removal of the tree at the end of October.
“We’re going to use a couple of cranes and take it out piece by piece,” explained Bishop. “That way we don’t disturb any of the graves and we can make sure we don’t hurt any of the headstones.”
The tree will not be entirely removed from the grounds, however. Though some believe the tree to be hollow in many spots, Bishop believes that enough of the insides of the tree still remain to make it a suitable replacement for something that was lost long ago.
The tree once featured large stones under its shade that were used as public seating. According to Bishop, some time before the turn of the century, those stones were stolen by vandals.
Bishop hopes that enough of the trunk will remain intact to turn the stump of the tree into a new public seating area on the grounds.
King Cemetery is located on Farm Road 2265, just off of Business Highway 37 between Seligman and Washburn. The board of King Cemetery is empowered to maintain the grounds and make changes such as this through donations.
To donate to the Board of King Cemetery, contact president Wendell Bishop at (417) 846-5355.
Vinnie Roberts
King Cemetery, located between Washburn and Seligman on Farm Road 2265, is one of the oldest cemeteries in Barry County. Its earliest occupants date back to the 1840’s, just five years after the formation of the county itself. Now, in 2019, nearly 160 years after the cemetery came into being, one of its most important landmarks is being retired.
The red oak tree that rests in the center of the grounds is scheduled for removal sometime later this month. The tree is speculated to be one of the oldest in Barry County, having been recorded as being part of the grounds since before the first bodies were laid to rest beneath it.
According to Wendell Bishop, who has served as the president of the King Cemetery Board for 26 years, the tree is estimated to be over 100 feet tall with a measured circumference of 17 feet and a diameter of 8 feet 3 inches.
“It’s a big, beautiful tree,” said Bishop. “It might be just about the oldest in Barry County.”
Bishop explained that the tree is most likely part of a forest that was cleared to make room for burial plots. As it currently stands, the tree is one of just a few inside the cemetery grounds.
According to an article titled “Legend of King Cemetery One of County’s Earliest” from the Cassville Democrat in June of 1970, one of the earliest accounts of burials on the grounds implied that before the grounds were explicitly a cemetery, much of the area was wooded. This would mean that the tree at the center of King Cemetery is the last of a pre-Civil War forest.
Bishop went on to explain that the tree has special meaning to the cemetery itself. According to him and King Cemetery secretary Carolyn Richardson, the tree was once the site of annual memorial day meetings on the ground.
“Families would eat lunch under the tree after they met there,” said Richardson. “Then they would spend the day tending the grounds and trimming the weeds away from the headstones.”
Efforts to keep the tree alive began nearly a decade ago. In that time, according to Bishop, the tree has been trimmed, pruned and everything in between to keep the dead ends away and keep the living parts of the tree healthy and prosperous.
While numerous efforts have been made over the past decade to keep the tree alive, time has finally taken its toll. While half of the tree remains healthy and vibrant, the other half is visibly withered from root to leaf. Its continued existence on the grounds could be detrimental to the occupants.
“It could fall over any day now,” said Bishop. “When that happens, it will cause serious damage to the graves and headstones under it.”
While the plans for the tree’s removal haven’t been set in stone, the eight-member board of King Cemetery has made arrangements with local logger Justin Beeff to begin removal of the tree at the end of October.
“We’re going to use a couple of cranes and take it out piece by piece,” explained Bishop. “That way we don’t disturb any of the graves and we can make sure we don’t hurt any of the headstones.”
The tree will not be entirely removed from the grounds, however. Though some believe the tree to be hollow in many spots, Bishop believes that enough of the insides of the tree still remain to make it a suitable replacement for something that was lost long ago.
The tree once featured large stones under its shade that were used as public seating. According to Bishop, some time before the turn of the century, those stones were stolen by vandals.
Bishop hopes that enough of the trunk will remain intact to turn the stump of the tree into a new public seating area on the grounds.
King Cemetery is located on Farm Road 2265, just off of Business Highway 37 between Seligman and Washburn. The board of King Cemetery is empowered to maintain the grounds and make changes such as this through donations.
To donate to the Board of King Cemetery, contact president Wendell Bishop at (417) 846-5355.
