Gower Memorial Cemetery 

An incredibly significant historic site exists within the bounds of Edmond, but few people are aware of this American treasure. The Gower Memorial Cemetery, off Covell between Douglas and Post Road, is one of the few physical sites in Oklahoma that represents Land Run settlement by African Americans. 

Thanks to the collective efforts of civic-minded people over the last 130 years, the graves of 122 people have been identified and preserved. Most of them were former African American enslaved persons, including Civil War veterans. Their stories would be lost if not for the generosity of the Gower family and the modern work of some diligent genealogists. 

1889-1930: The Beginning 

John and Ophelia Gower, former enslaved persons, participated in the 1889 Land Run. At the time, their 160 acres of land fell northeast of the Edmond boundary. The Gowers dedicated a one-acre section of the property, over 500 plots, to enable their family and African American neighbors to bury their relatives. In the 1930s, the Gower’s son, Willie, worked for Baggerly Funeral Home. He saw a need for burial places for the poor or homeless, so he designated a section for people who could not afford a funeral plot. 

1986-1992: The Renewal 

In 1986, John and Ophelia’s granddaughter, Myrtle Gower Thomas, began working to revitalize the aging cemetery. She mapped graves, added a metal entry gate, and erected engraved monuments. Thanks to her tenacity, the cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. 

2020: The Community Cleanup 

Stephanie Carel wanted to help with the Black Lives Matter movement in May 2020. She organized a group of people to help the Gower family clean up the overgrown cemetery. Nearly 50 people gathered to do lawn work and grave cleaning. The Gower’s great-great grandson and cemetery owner, Sherrod Wall, was grateful for the help. 

2020-2022: The Documenting 

Andrea Aven read an article about the Gower Cemetery project in Outlook Magazine, which inspired her to research the veterans’ graves. Sherrod granted Andrea access to the original cemetery records. Her genealogy experience helped her wade through handwritten pages, inconsistent information, and missing or damaged gravestone markers. 

Andrea then recruited the help of Cathryn Schmid, a major turning point in the record-keeping of Gower Cemetery. Over a two-year period, Cathryn expanded her search to everyone interred in the cemetery. She spent hundreds of hours searching military and census records, newspaper articles, databases, and the rarely-available African American obituary. 

“I’m not an expert, but genealogy is something I love to do as a hobby,” Cathryn said. “I felt trapped at home during Covid, so the project was good for me, and it was an honor to work on it. Every record I found was exciting because it often led me to another piece of the jigsaw puzzle. To me, genealogy is the most challenging and satisfying puzzle in the world.” 

Andrea compiled and summarized all the records, which came to 1,400 pages of documentation, which is now available to researchers online. Although many names in the cemetery remain unknown, the efforts of Myrtle, Andrea, and Cathryn have ensured that 122 people, including 13 veterans, are not lost to history. 

“Their lives are inspiring and enduring, and truly reflect the history of the Edmond and Arcadia areas in ways not often shared,” Andrea said. 

Sherrod added, “Gower Memorial Cemetery was and is a beacon of hope for people of all races and creeds and lifestyles. It is proof that…Americans can appreciate each other as equals and recognize the importance of diversity. This is not just my heritage and legacy; it is ours.” 

Both Andrea and Cathryn have received Edmond Heritage Awards for their historical research, and the Outlook Magazine article that inspired this project won a national award. 

Gower Cemetery Research: cordeliasteennsdar.weebly.com/gower.html.