TERRELL CEMETERY

        compiled by Stephenie Flora

 There has been much speculation over the years regarding Terrell Cemetery.  It appears that Terrell Cemetery and the Poor Farm cemetery, located in North Salem, were one and the same. According to reports done by the State Board of Charities and Corrections, most of those who died at the Poor Farm were initially buried at Salem Pioneer Cemetery in a special lot.  Apparently a decision was made at some point to dedicate a cemetery at the farms itself.  The first known interment was in 1896 and the last in 1910.  The 1900 Census shows the Poor Farm with 10 residents, including several who later died there and were buried in various cemeteries in the area.

Evidence of the location of the cemetery has long since disappeared and it is not known whether the burials were relocated or simply lost to time.

  BUCHTER, George
   b.
   d. 06 Dec 1907
  "Buchter--At the home of George Clymers, two miles north of Salem, Friday morning, December 6, 1907, George Buchter, aged 27 years, of tuberculosis.
  He came here about three weeks ago from Astoria, and engaged work at the Clymer farm.  Very little is known of his family, or as to whether or not he has relatives in this city.  It is known, however, that he has a brother in Astoria.  The funeral arrangements have not as yet been completed." [Daily Capitol Journal, Dec 7, 1907 8:4;Death Certificate-Marion Co #5394; George Buchler, male, white, age 27yrs, single, b. OR, d. 06 Dec 1907 2 miles N. of Salem of pulmonary tuberculosis, occupation-dude; buried 06 Dec 1907 Terrell cemetery]

CARTER, Henry
  b. c 1843
  d. 17 Aug 1903
  [Death Certificate-Marion Co #58; Henry Carter, male, white, age 60yrs, single, farm hand, d. 17 Aug 1903 at Salem of insufficiency of nitral valve of heart, buried 18 Aug 1903 Terrel cemetery.]

COMMISKY, Jacob
  b. c1838
  d. 20 Oct 1908
  "Death of a Pioneer--Jacob Comminsky, a resident in the county two miles north of Salem, died of heart failure at 2 o'clock Wednesday morning, and was buried in the Terrell cemetery at 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon.  The deceased was 70 years of age and was an old resident in this part of the country." [Daily Oregon Statesman, Oct 23, 1908 4:2; Death Certificate-Marion Co #8106; Jacob Cummisky, male, age 70yrs, d. 20 Oct 1908 Salem Poor Farm, buried 22 Oct 1908 Terrell cemetery]

COSTIGAN, John
  b.
  d. 25 Aug 1898
  "Died--Costigan--At the county poor farm, north of Salem, Thursday evening, of heart failure, John Costigan, aged 68 years.
  The remains will be interred in the county burying ground this afternoon.  This will make the third grave in the new cemetery at the farm."  [Daily Capital Journal Aug 26, 1898]

DAVIS, James
  b.
  d. 17 Nov 1901
  " Davis' Injuries were Fatal--The Old Man's Attempt at Suicide Proved Successful--Died Sunday Evening at the Salem Hospital--Jimmy Davis, the upholstorer, wh slashed himself with a razor Friday night, while mentally unbalanced, died at the Salem hospital at 6:30 Sunday evening.  It was not thought by the physician in attendance that Davis' attempt on his life would prove successful, but his advanced age, 68 years, was against him.
  The remains will be interred Tuesday morning in the Terrell cemetery, two miles north of this city." [Daily Journal Nov 19, 1901 4:5]

FITZGERALD, Patrick
  b. c1845
  d. 12 Feb 1910
  "Fitzgerald--At the poor farm, Saturday, February 12, 1910, Patrick Fitzgerald, aged 65 years." DOS Feb 15, 1910 5:4 [Death Certificate--Marion county #438; Patrick Fitzgerald, male, white, age 65yrs; buried Poor Farm cemetery]

HANSON, Andrew P.
See: SWANSON, Andrew P.

HARRIS, Sam
  b. 1834
  d. 10 Aug 1904
  "Died--Harris--At the County Poor Farm, two miles north of Salem, Oregon, Wednesday, August 10, 1904, Samuel Harris, aged 70 years, of senile exhaustion." [Daily Oregon Statesman, Aug 11, 1904 4:3; Death Certificate-Marion Co #957; Sam Harris, male, white, 70yrs, single, d. 10 Aug 1904 Salem Poor Farm of chronic cystitis, buried 11 Aug 1904 Terrell cemetery]

HUNT, Henry
  b.
  d. 03 Feb 1900
  "Died--Hunt--At the Marion county poor farm, three miles north of Salem, Oregon, Saturday, February 3, 1900, Henry Hunt, aged 68 years.
  The remains will be interred in the cemetery attached to the institution at 10 a.m. today." [Daily Oregon Statesman Feb 4, 1900 8:4]

JONES, Samuel
  b. 1838
  d. 29 Dec 1904
  [Death Certificate-Marion Co #1383; Samuel Jones, male, white, 66yrs, single, b. England, laborer, d. 29 Dec 1904, Salem Poor Farm of tuberculosis, buried 30 Dec 1904 Terrell cemetery]

KENNEDY, James Alexander
  b.
  d. 17 Jun 1906
  "James Kennedy--The funeral of James Kennedy, who lived two miles north of the city, took place at 2 o'clock this afternoon from his late residence.  He died yesterday at the noon hour of dropsy, at the age of 55 years.  He leaves no family, his wife having preceded him some years ago." [Capital Journal June 18, 1906 8:4]

MCCRUM, William
  b.
  d. 26 Feb 1902
  "M'Crum--At the Marion county Poor Farm, three miles north of Salem, Oregon, Wednesday, February 26, 1902, Wm. McCrum, aged 45 years of dropsy.
  Funeral services will be held at the Poor Farm at 2 o'clock this afternoon and the burial will take place in the county burying plot." Daily Oregon Statesman, Feb 28, 1902 6:1

MILES, James
  b. c1829
  d. 02 Jul 1908
  [Death Certificate-Marion Co #7361; James Miles, male, white, age 79yrs, widower, b. Ireland, laborer, d. 02 Jul 1908 2 miles N. of Salem of exhaustion and cancer of face, buried 03 Jul 1908 Terrell cemetery]

MOHAMMED, Ali
  b.          c 1850
  d. 13 Aug 1900
  "East Indian Buried--The East Indian, Mahomet Ali, who died at the Salem hospital Monday from the effects of injuries received near Brooks, was buried today in the Terrell burying grounds north of the city.  The remains were taken from the Rigdon & Clough undertaking establishment, where they were prepared for burial and brief services were conducted at the grave by Rev. John Parsons.
  No inquest was held over the body, Coroner Lane looked into the matter and decided that as no definite information as to how the man came to his death was available there was no chance of developing anything by an inquest and it would be useless expense on the county to hold one." DCJ Aug 14, 1900 4:3

MORTON, Frank
  b.
  d. 29 Aug 1900
  age 32yrs

NELSON, Chris,
  b.
  d.   Jul 1906
  "His Last Pipe--Unknown Man Found Dead--Cause a Mystery.  No Marks of Identification on Body--Small Vial of Sulphate of Morphine Tablets in Pocket--Was Inquiring For Work in Salem Recently--As Conrad Dillman, the second hand man, and his boy were taking a stroll on Sunday afternoon along the river north of the city, they happened on to the dead body of a many lying under a tree, on the tract of land owned by Mrs. Dr. Ford-Warren northwest of the county poor farm.
   Word of the ghastly find was telephoned to Coroner Clough, who immediately proceeded to the scene.  The body was in a reclining position, one leg drawn up in the manner of a man resting, or going to sleep, the left arm across the body, the head leaning partly to one side and a pipe lying as through dropped from the mouth after the man went to sleep, all indicating that death came without a struggle.
   There was not a scrap of paper or a single clue by which the identity of the unfortunate man could be established.  The only possession discovered were the pipe, a jacknife, matches in every pocket and a drahm bottle of sulphate of morphine half used up.  Whether this last tells the tale of death, or whether it came through heart disease or apoplexy, can only be surmised.  The hot weather had brought rapid decomposition and its ravages had sadly disfigured the features, making a lothsome sight.  Mr. Clark, a farmer living in the neighborhood, recognized the body as that of a man who called his house last Friday morning and asked for work, but when work was offered him did not seem inclined to accept it.  He was apparently about 50 years old, five feet, eight inches tall and would weight about 150 pounds.  He wore a blue stiped working shirt, gray pants and vest and brown coat.  His hair and moustache were sandy.  A man of similar appearance was in the city one day last week inquiring at a labor exchange for work.  The man said he was from Fresno, Cal.  
   No inquest was deemed necessary.  The cornoner and others believe the man was of German extraction.  The remains were prepared for burial by Cornoner Clough and were interred in the county burial ground on the poor farm yesterday." [Oregon Statesman, July 17, 1906 6:3]
   "Was Not Tramp--Man Found Dead On Sunday Evening Was Chemawa Farmer--Name Was Chris Nelson and He Left Home Thursday Morning--Believed To Have Taken Overdose of Drug Found On The Body--By means of the knife, pipe and other minor articles found on the corpse of the man found dead under a tree, in a grove near the county poor farm Sunday night the identitiy of the unfortunate man has been established.  The dead man was Chris Nelson, a farmer who resided near Chemawa with his family of a wife and four children.
   He left home Thursday morning last week, and remarked that he was going to take the train for Salem to get work in a hay field.  Nothing more was seen or heard of him until the family saw the description of the dead man in the local papers and recognized it as that of the husband and father.
   Mrs. Carl Beaty, a nieces of the deceased came to the city yesterday morning and identified the articles found on the corpse as those belonging to her uncle.  The remains have already been given interment by Cornoner Clough but the family will have them disinterred and reburied in the family plot in City View cemetery.
   Mr. Nelson, who is about 50 years of age has been in eastern Oregon for the past year, engaged in farm work and only returned home recently.  He was in search of work here but complained of being ill and could not find the character of work to suit him.
   A day or two before his disappearance he came home with three vials of morphine sulphate, such as was found on his body, and told his family he had found them in the road.  He had been acting rather queer since returning from eastern Oregon but his relatives did not know what was the trouble.  Since he procured the morphine sulphate, however, they are inclined to the belief that he had acquired the habit away from home and concealed it from them.
   His children consist of three boys and one girl ranging in age from 7 to 16 years.  He leaves no property except a team of horses, wagon and harness, some cows and household goods and carried no insurance." [Daily Oregon Statesman, July 18, 1906]
   "Funeral of Chris Nelson--The funeral sevices of Chris Nelson, the man who died in the woods near the river bank north of Salem last Sunday, will be held tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon at two o'clock, at the residence of Mrs. Carl Beaty, just north of Chemawa and friends of the family are invited to attend.  Rev. N.J. Crawford, former pastor of the United Brethern church of this city, will conduct the services.  Owing to the late discovery of the body and the hasty burial by the authorities, the immediate removal of the remains to a proper place of burial will not be possible." [Daily Oregon Statesman, July 21, 1906 4:4]

O'KEEFE, James
  b.
  d. 19 Apr 1896
  "O'Keefe--At the residence of Mrs. S.E. Ford, at 9:12 a.m. Sunday, April 19, 1896, James O'Keefe, aged 28 years, of consumption.
  The parents of the deceased reside at Waterford, Iowa, and a brother in San Francisco.  Last December he came to Salem from the poor farm and has since stopped at Mrs. Fords.  He has resided in and about Salem for about thirteen years.
  Funeral services were held at the residence of Mrs. Ford, corner Chemeketa and Front, this afternoon at 3 o'clock, burial at county poor farm." [Daily Capital Journal Apr 20, 1896 4:6]

PERRY, Pierce
  b.
  d. 25 Aug 1906
  "Perry--At the family home, two miles north of Salem,Oregon, Saturday, August 25, 1906, Pierce Perry, aged 60 years of paralysis.
  Deceased leaves a wife and one child to mourn his demise.  Funeral was held Sunday at 2 p.m. and burial was had in Terrell cemetery." [Daily Oregon Statesman Aug 25, 1906 4:7]

PILLESTER, Theodore
  b.
  d. 29 Aug 1900
  "The Solution of the Mystery--Drowned Man was Theodore Pillister--His Brother Comes From Damascus To Take The Body Home--Charles Morton Alive and Well--The mystery of the identity of the man found drowned in the Willamette and buried here yesterday is solved.
   The dead man was Theodore Pillester, whose disappearance from the steamer Eugene, near Lincoln has been fully set forth in the Journal.
   Undertaker Rigdon heard last night from Pillester's brother who was then at Oregon City, and that gentleman with a companion came up today by wagon to take the body home.
   It seems that the man Frank Morton, is the son of Richard Morton, one of the Clackamas county commissioners, and is alive and well at his home at Damascus.
   Morton and Pillester were friends and worked on a threshing crew with him and the book found in the pocket of the drowned man was given to Pillester by Morton shortly before the former started for Salem.
   Part of this information comes from Sheriff J.J. Cook of Clackamas county, who communicated with Undertaker Rigdon this morning.
   The dead man's brother was expected to arrive in this city about 3 o'clock, and Rigdon & Clough went down and disinterred the body yesterday [at Terrell Cemetery] and brought it to their establishment on court street await the arrival of the brother who will take it to Damascus for burial." [Daily Capital Journal, Sep 7, 1900 3:3]

RIVET, J. Fabian
  b.
  d. 22 Mar 1909
  "Rivett--In this city, 10:30 p.m. Sunday, March 22, 1909, J. Rivett, aged 65 years.
  Deceased was a resident of St. Paul, Marion county, coming from that place Saturday and dying the next day.  He was unmarried.  He was formerly well known in this city, having been employed by the Salem Truck and Dray company." [Daily Oregon Statesman, Mar 23, 1909 5:5; Death Certificate--Marion Co #743; J. Fabian Rivet; male, white, b. France, age 65yrs, d. March 22, 1909; bur March 23, 1909 Terrell Cemetery]

SKIRK, John
  b.
  d. 05 Aug 1902/1903

SMITH, Charles
  b.
  d.  7 Feb 1903
  "Smith--At the Salem Hospital, Sunday, February 8, 1903 at 2:30 a.m., Charles Smith, aged 70 years, of bowell complaint.
  Deceased was sent to the hospital about ten days ago, it is reported, at the expense of the county.  He had no relatives in this part of the country, so far as is known, and belonged to no lodge or society.  He worked last summer in the Capital Oyster House, and though poor, generally managed to earn enough to pay his way.  He was a man of high education and it is said comes of a wealthy family residing in Wisconsin." OS Feb 10, 1903 2:1
  "Smith--At the Salem Hospital, Saturday evening, February 7, 1903, Charles Smith, aged about 51 years of consumption.
   The deceased was a well known local character, and was a resident of this city since 1885.  He was best known as "Gardner" Smith, since he found continuous employment in lawn and garden work about the city.  Funeral services were held at Rigdon's undertaking parlors this afternoon, and burial was had at the county poor farm." [Daily Journal, Feb 9, 1903 8:5]

SWANSON, Andrew P.
  b.
  d.  6 Dec 1900
  age 66yrs
  "Hanson--At the Salem Hospital Thursday morning, Dec 6, 1900, Andrew P. Hanson, aged 64 years of pneumonia.
  Mr. Hanson came to Salem only a few weeks ago, from one of the coast counties and was a stranger here.  The remains will be buried this morning in the Terrell cemetery two miles north of this city." [Oregon Statesman Dec 8, 1900 8:2]

WALKER, David W.
  b.     Feb 1834
  d.  7 Jan 1902
  age 68yrs
  " Death at Poor Farm--D.W. Walker, an inmate of the poor house died there of old age Wednesday, and was buried today." [Daily Capital Journal, Jan 10, 1902 4:3; 1900 North Salem Pct, Marion Co, OR; David Walker, boarder-county poor farm, b. Feb 1834, 66, single, b. ? OH OH]

WAY, Jesse
  b.
  d. 19 Nov 1907
  "Way--At the Salem hospital, Salem, Or., Tuesday, November 19, 1907, Jesse Way, aged 19 years, of internal injuries.
  The deceased was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Way, of Ashland, Ohio, and has been employed on a farm near Silverton.  Several days ago he was kicked by a horse, receiving internal injuries which caused his death.  The remains will be sent to Ohio for interment." [Daily Oregon Statesman, Nov 20, 1907 4:4; Death Certificate-Marion Co #5407; Jesse Way, male, white, d. 19 Nov 1907; buried County Poor Farm cemetery; 1900 Milton Twp, Ashland Co, Ohio, Jessie E. Way, b. Mar 1888 OH, enumerated with parents Samuel and Maria Way,and sister Daisy E.]

YOUNG, John W.
  b.   Sep 1835
  d. 13 Feb 1901
  age 70yrs
  "The Stranger Identified--J.W. Young the Man Who Died at the Hospital--J.G. Anderson, who formerly lived on his farm four miles above Mehama, but for the past two years has been a resident of North Salem, identified the body of the unknown man yesterday, who drove over an embankment near the Park school last Saturday evening, receiving injuries which proved fatal.  The body has been at Clough & Rigdon's undertaking parlors for two days past awaiting for some one to identify it.  Mr. Anderson called there yesterday and positively identified the man's names was J.W. Young, and that he had known him for several years, having sold him 40 acres of land in 1896, upon which Young resided for three years.  Mr. Anderson said that Young had often worked for him and he knew him very well, and learned something of his family.  According to Mr. Anderson's statement, Young leaves ten children, his wife having died several years ago, in Washington.  Some of the family are in good circumstances, one of the sons being a cashier in a bank in Nebraska, and another the principal of a high school.  Young tried to keep his whereabouts a secret from his family, who were anxious for him to return to them.   There was a mystery about his life and it was said he was a fugitive from the law, and that officers in Colorado were anxious to find him, as he was charged with several crimes.  He was about 70 years old.
  Mr. Anderson is an old soldier, and has lived in this country for a good many years, spending most of the time on his farm between Mehama and Mill City, and is regarded as reliable by those who know him." [Daily Oregon Statesman, Feb 16, 1901 8:5; 1900 Marion Co Census, Howell Prairie, OR; John W. Young, b. Sep 1835, age 64yrs, single, KY KY KY, boarder with Margaret Christenson family, was working as farm laborer]

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