Tag Archives: Oakdale Memorial Gardens

Davenporters of Note: Leedon Hart

Leedon Hart was born on March 4, 1838 in Gallatin, Sumner County, Tennessee, to Anderson Hart and Parthena Jefferson. During the Civil War, he served in Company B, 60th Infantry of the U.S. Colored Troops. He married Juda Hart, his … Continue reading

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The Mysterious Orphaned Limb of Oakdale Memorial Gardens

There are many mysteries to be found and puzzled over in our local cemeteries. The one that we are asked about most often is a simple headstone found at the end of a very long row in the Iowa Soldiers’ … Continue reading

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The Mystery of the Orphans’ Monument

Standing like a sentinel over the headstones in the Orphans’ Section in Oakdale Memorial Gardens Cemetery is a large granite monument, surrounded by mystery. Starting in November of 1865, Orphans from the Iowa Soldiers’ Orphans Home (later renamed the Annie … Continue reading

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Solving the Mystery of Rebekah Wentz

Sometimes in genealogy, it seems that people have disappeared into thin air. That appeared to be the case of Rebekah (Rebecca) McMurtrey Wentz, widow of Colonel Augustus Wentz. When we featured Colonel Wentz in our blog post of November 11, … Continue reading

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A Genealogist’s Walk: Oakdale Memorial Gardens

Favorite haunts of genealogists and local historians seem to be indoor locations a great deal of the time. We feel at home in local libraries and history centers pouring over books, faded documents, and microfilm until our eyes feel dry and … Continue reading

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