Submitted & © by Wayne Gayler
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Good hope cemetery is located from the intersection of State Highways 45 and 58, go 2 miles south on State Highway 58; cemetery is on west (right) side of road
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If you have additional information about Good Hope Cemetery, please email area coordinator.
The following is used with permission from Lois Burdick
This is a series of articles by C. M. "Cap" Holton concerning the early days in what was Helena township. Mr. Holton was one of the pioneers who on September 16, 1893 made the "run" into what was the Cherokee Strip, staked a claim and proved it up by living on the property five years. The articles, (which appear here in a continuous narrative form), were written by Mr. Holton, and published by the Helena Star in 1938. Mr. Holton later was a charter member of the 93'ers Association of Helena which was organized September 16, 1943, the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Cherokee Strip. He passed away June 22, 1966.
The 93'ers Association, which sponsors this historical booklet, began at a dinner in honor of the 93'ers in 1943 and at that time John Zimmerman was elected president; J. W. Hawkins, vice-president; C. M. Holton, secretary-treasurer and Mrs. C. L. Green, corresponding secretary who served until her death in 1952.
Since that time five others have served as Association president. They are: J. W. Hawkins, 1946; M. P. Welch, 1947; A. O. Rollman, 1949; C. M. Holton, 1953; and the present president, Web Glidewell, 1958. W. S. Wagner now served as vice president, and Mrs. Paul Zimmerman is secretary-treasurer, a position she has held since 1953.
In 1953 a memorial gray granite marker was placed on half mile south of Helena at the roadside park. One hundred sixty-four names were on the marker originally and others have been added making the total 176.
The 93'ers Association meet each year during the Helena Free Fair when the Helena businessmen furnish their dinner.
Early Days In What Is Helena Township
Some time ago Mr. Holton remarked that he knew practically every man that staked a claim in this community. Seeing an opportunity to get some early day history that would be interesting to the old timers as well as the younger folks, we appealed to "Cap" to put his recollections on paper.
After several such requests, he agreed to attempt the task from memory. He says he finds his memory has slipped on some of the names and that he had to call on some of the old timers to help him out.
Probably some of the details and names are incorrect. If readers of the articles find points on which Mr. Holton's memory has erred will please so advise him. Corrections will be made gladly. If you have additional information you would like to have included in these articles, feel free to see Mr. Holton about it. The more complete it is, the more interesting and valuable will be the articles in years to come. If you have additional information, articles, etc., please contact area coordinator.
And now to get into Mr. Holton's stories:
Originally what is now Helena township was named Dicks township, and it comprised all of the area of the present township and all the territory east to the county line or what is now Karoma township.
At the time of the opening of The Strip for settlement, there were two highways or trails entering this township. One was known as the Cantonment Trail. It entered The Strip a short distance east of the town of Manchester. Its course was a south-westerly direction,
The following used with permission, Cherokee Strip Volunteer League, "Alfalfa County Oklahoma Cemeteries": Good Hope Cemetery is located in Section 34 Township 24N Range 10W. In the early days the government permitted parcels of ground to be donated for schools, churches and cemeteries. In 1895, Mr. R. E. Gano donated one acre in the SE corner of the quarter for the Church of Christ and two acres just north of it for a cemetery. The first burial was Mrs. Jane Davis, April 1895. In 1915 a new church was built. In the early 30's the church was torn down after a new one was built in Helena. The church site was then turned to the cemetery which is now Block 5.
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