Hope Cemetery
While Hope Cemetery is smaller than St. Francis Catholic Cemetery many of the the grave markers within it could also tell stories about the frontier period. Two stories, one tragic, reflect local events during the late 19th century.
While Hope Cemetery is smaller than St. Francis Catholic Cemetery many of the the grave markers within it could also tell stories about the frontier period. Two stories, one tragic, reflect local events during the late 19th century.
St. Francis Catholic Cemetery, located 1/4 mile east of St. Francis Catholic Church in St. Paul, was just that—a Catholic Cemetery. As settlers moved into our area many were of Protestant faiths. As harsh as it sounds today, Protestant settlers were not allowed to be buried in St. Francis Cemetery. For a few years settlers were buried in small cemeteries scattered around the area or at family homes. In 1874, Hope Cemetery was established one mile north of St. Francis Catholic Church. Over time, many graves were relocated from smaller graveyards or home plots. However, it is believed that several unmarked graves still exist within the city limits of St. Paul.
Hope, like St. Francis Cemetery, is still active and well maintained. It also contains the graves of many settlers, Civil War veterans and prominent people. Two stories, related to markers within Hope, are relayed here because they talk about the times; and they point out that Osage Mission was indeed a frontier town.
Hope, like St. Francis Cemetery, is still active and well maintained. It also contains the graves of many settlers, Civil War veterans and prominent people. Two stories, related to markers within Hope, are relayed here because they talk about the times; and they point out that Osage Mission was indeed a frontier town.
Dr. George W. McMillin.
There is a long-running rumor that a doctor who attended to President Lincoln, on the evening of his assassination, is buried in Hope Cemetery. Based on research done by the local museum and myself, it is probably true. However, Doctor George McMillin’s importance to the local settlers might have exceeded his part in treating President Lincoln.
By the time Dr. McMillin arrived at Osage Mission in 1869 he had distinguished himself as a physician, a U.S. Cavalry surgeon and contract surgeon-in-charge of the United States General Hospital in Ashland, Kentucky. Upon his arrival at the Mission Dr. McMillin served the community and settlers with a passion similar to his previous duties. As a leading figure in the Settler's League he spent heavily from his private fortune to gain a favorable resolution to an attempt by the railroads to gain possession of settler's property. His local legacy is loyalty to our ancestors.
But it was an event on the evening of April 14, 1865 that secured a spot in history for Dr. McMillin. He was among a group of military officers and surgeons in the audience the evening of President Lincoln's assassination. According to Dr. McMillin's obituary in the March 26, 1884 Neosho County Journal: "...the doctor sprang to a column, up which by the help of some of the officers, he clambered into the box where the president lay, being the first surgeon there, and at once saw and pronounced the wound to be mortal: and then assisted in removing the sufferer from the scene of his martyrdom." (He passed on March 20.)
There is dispute as to whether it was Dr. McMillin or Army Surgeon Dr. Charles Leale who initially pronounced the wound as fatal. However, research has confirmed that McMillin did arrive at Camp Stoneman (Washington D.C.) approximately four weeks prior to the assassination. His stature as an officer and surgeon makes it likely that he would have been among the doctors present at Ford Theater on that evening. By all accounts, both McMillin and Leale were only two among a group of surgeons present at the time of Lincolns death. (See the "... Reference Information:" section below for a published article about the assassination.)
Doctor McMillin’s stone is about seventy feet north, northwest of the central flagpole.
There is a long-running rumor that a doctor who attended to President Lincoln, on the evening of his assassination, is buried in Hope Cemetery. Based on research done by the local museum and myself, it is probably true. However, Doctor George McMillin’s importance to the local settlers might have exceeded his part in treating President Lincoln.
By the time Dr. McMillin arrived at Osage Mission in 1869 he had distinguished himself as a physician, a U.S. Cavalry surgeon and contract surgeon-in-charge of the United States General Hospital in Ashland, Kentucky. Upon his arrival at the Mission Dr. McMillin served the community and settlers with a passion similar to his previous duties. As a leading figure in the Settler's League he spent heavily from his private fortune to gain a favorable resolution to an attempt by the railroads to gain possession of settler's property. His local legacy is loyalty to our ancestors.
But it was an event on the evening of April 14, 1865 that secured a spot in history for Dr. McMillin. He was among a group of military officers and surgeons in the audience the evening of President Lincoln's assassination. According to Dr. McMillin's obituary in the March 26, 1884 Neosho County Journal: "...the doctor sprang to a column, up which by the help of some of the officers, he clambered into the box where the president lay, being the first surgeon there, and at once saw and pronounced the wound to be mortal: and then assisted in removing the sufferer from the scene of his martyrdom." (He passed on March 20.)
There is dispute as to whether it was Dr. McMillin or Army Surgeon Dr. Charles Leale who initially pronounced the wound as fatal. However, research has confirmed that McMillin did arrive at Camp Stoneman (Washington D.C.) approximately four weeks prior to the assassination. His stature as an officer and surgeon makes it likely that he would have been among the doctors present at Ford Theater on that evening. By all accounts, both McMillin and Leale were only two among a group of surgeons present at the time of Lincolns death. (See the "... Reference Information:" section below for a published article about the assassination.)
Doctor McMillin’s stone is about seventy feet north, northwest of the central flagpole.
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The Scott Family Stone.
The Scott Family stone reminds us that problems were occasionally solved with violence, even in our town. Young Frank Scott was shot to death at the intersection of Main and County (Central) Streets on September 20, 1883. Will H. Mouser was arrested, charged with the crime, and later cleared in a district court trial. Newspaper accounts report that Mr. Mouser was subsequently called before a city government grievance meeting and told to leave town! Frank Scott’s stone, which is located about seventy feet south of the central flagpole, is pretty easy to spot. Even with the top broken off, it stands more than six feet tall. The size of the stone might reflect the prominence of his family. His father, John H. Scott was the founding editor of the Osage Mission Journal. Scott came to Osage Mission with some varied experience in the newspaper business and started the Osage Mission Journal in August of 1868. After a few years of struggle the paper took off. While it had several owners and a few name-changes, it became one of the long-running pioneer papers in Kansas (It closed as the St. Paul Journal in 1961). |
The Scott stone is unusual for both its size and design. With the top broken off, it stands well over six feet. Also, an inscription proclaims that young Frank Scott was “Assassinated.” Also interesting is the object in the hand on Frank Scott's inscription (photo below). I don’t know what it is; but after participating in some youth tours of the cemetery I have seen youngsters staring at it. Is it some kind of frontier-era smart phone? The tragedy did not end for the family after the death of John and Orra Scott’s son. In January after Frank’s death, (January, 1884) John Scott purchased the Fredonia Times and left Osage Mission. His stay in Fredonia was short. In August of 1885 he sold the Fredonia Times and moved to Cherryvale where he died the following month. John Scott is also buried in Hope Cemetery. John, Frank and Orra Scott's names are inscribed on the same tombstone. |
Go to: St. Francis Cemetery Catholic Cemetery - or - Places
Some Reference Information:
- Hope Cemetery Records, Main Volume, compiled by George M. Paine (This is the main volume that was published in 2001. Mr. Paine and his wife have kept the records up to date with the addition of three addendum's to date.)
- Neosho County Newspapers, W. W. Graves, 1938 (Frank Scott's work with the Osage Mission Journal)
- The information regarding Dr. McMillin's stationing at Camp Stoneman (Washington D.C.) was found on a Civil War website that has been discontinued. There are brief mentions of Dr. McMillin (or McMillan) as a surgeon or Colonel at other sources.
- In 1925 The Spanish American Institute Press reprinted a Daily Morning Chronicle (Washington D. C.) article about the assassination of President Lincoln. The document was published in a pamphlet format. Page 11 of the document mentions both Doctors McMillin (spelled McMillan) and Leale as being among the attending physicians at the Peterson house where the president died (Page 15 on Scribd viewer). The document is provided below. This document is available from various internet sources including the Hathi Trust Digital Library and The Lincoln Financial Foundation Trust Collection.
- All photos were taken by R. Brogan.
