History of Red Rock Cemetery

Canadian County, Oklahoma

© 2003-07 Carolyn Barker

Land Obtained

Levi M. Phillips participated in the land run of April 19, 1892, which opened the western half of Canadian County for settlement. On April 26, 1892 he filed on the south ½ of the northwest ¼ and lots 3 and 4 of Section 2 – Township 12 – Range 9. He received his final receipt on September 8, 1894.

A small church was built and people buried in the little cemetery before Levi M. and Hannah Phillips gave a Quit Claim Deed to the Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church for two acres for church purposes and a cemetery.

On March 18, 1920 Sylvester Smith and his wife, Minnie M. purchased the land homesteaded by Mr. Phillips. Mr. and Mrs. Smith then deeded the same two acres to the Trustees of the Red Rock Methodist Episcopal Church on Oct 21, 1921.

The Smiths sold an additional half-acre to the Church Trustees on May 16, 1945. Again the cemetery needed more room for burials. By this time Homer Miller had purchased the farm on this section. On February 2, 1979 he donated the land where the new addition to the cemetery is now located, which is the east side of the cemetery.

Church Started

The Oklahoma Herald Newspaper of November 25, 1892 reads, Brother Roberts has organized a Methodist Church Society at Red Rock Springs and they expect to build a church and have it dedicated before conference. This is creditable to Rev. Roberts and praiseworthy for the good people near Red Rock Springs who are so enthusiastic for good. They have regular service and prayer meeting at the residence of L. M. Phillips every Thursday night.”

This indicated that as soon as the people in the area had taken care of their physical needs, they began to think of their spiritual needs. So they turned their attention to organizing a church in which to worship.

Other rural Methodist churches were started near this area. But Red Rock is the only country Methodist Church is this part of the county that is still in existence today.

Red Rock Cemetery

The cemetery is south of the church. There is no gate or fence.

The first recorded burial in the Red Rock Cemetery was a one-year-old boy, Claude Saunders, who died in May 1893. The second person interred was a 29-year-old man, J. Clayton Hanan on August 8, 1893. A few weeks later, a six-month-old boy was buried.

In the early days, the men in the local community dug the graves in the morning. Went home for their noon meal, changed clothes and attended the funeral services. Afterwards, they changed their clothes and filled in the dirt around the casket.

There are about 700 burials in this peaceful cemetery, located ten miles west of El Reno just off of old Highway 66.

There are as many different causes of death as the ages and number of people interred in this place. The Calumet tornado of 1912, house fires, drownings, car wrecks, and even murder are some of the reasons. An ex-slave has been put to rest in this serene place and is the only known black person buried here.

The lovely cemetery is still be used for the final rest place today.

Red Rock School

The Red Rock School, District # 71 was across the road west of the cemetery. It served the first through 8th grades in this community. The building constructed in 1903 was used for the entire period of the school’s existence, 1903 - 1947. It was taken down in the late 1990s.