EDITOR’S NOTE: The Town of Gore is honored to introduce Paul Eichling, who will be sharing his Gore History Tidbits with our community. Eichling has a long and distinguished history of service to Gore, serving as town treasurer for 29 years, providing 31 years of dedication to Gore Public Schools, and is a member of Gore United Methodist Church where he has played the piano since 1960. His love for history was inspired by his father, who often taught lessons through stories of the past and began a collection of historical photos that Eichling continues to preserve and expand. His family first settled in what would later become Gore in the late 1800’s. If you would like to read a complete history provided by Eichling, pvisit the Town of Gore website at townofgoreok. gov.
The Gore Cemetery is a tract of land given by deed to the Town of Gore from the Cherokee Nation in 1906. From early land plats it consisted of five acres. The present day sign and gate was built by Ray Henry. Henry’s wife, Vernon Henry, a long-time town trustee, kept the gate painted white. Ronald Henry Cossey and his son have repaired and painted the gate recently. The Cosseys are new residents of Gore. His wife died in 2024.
To my knowledge the cemetery has been known originally as the Holt Cemetery. William Lovely Holt (1806-63) moved into the area and occupied the Trading Post formerly ran by Walter Webber who was killed on April 11, 1834. The post was at this time known as Holt’s Landing and many boats were reported coming up the Arkansas River to the trading post and beyond to Fort Gibson. William Holt reportedly died in the Battle of Webbers Falls and was buried by the river.
If this is true, then the first burial may have been Holt. Daughters of Holt buried in the cemetery include Mary Elizabeth Morgan Campbell, Eliza M. McCorkle, Nancy Ann and Arabella Gibbs Hair. William L Holt’s wife was Nellie Elizabth Miller (180977).
Dr. William Wallace Campbell (1836-1903) came to the Illinois District of the Cherokee Nation in about 1866. He married William L Holt’s daughter, Mary Elizabeth Holt, widow of Rufus Montezuma Morgan. Dr. Campbell had a large medical practice on both sides of the river. He established the Illinois Drug Company and in his store was the post office. I have letters addressed with both addresses Illinois Station and Campbell, Indian Territory. Sometime during all of this, the name of the cemetery was changed to Campbell Cemetery. Today it is known as the Gore Cemetery.
The cemetery is administered by the Gore Cemetery Association appointed by the town council. The rules were made and approved by the town council in May 1990. The most expensive part of the upkeep of the cemetery is the annual mowing. Each year the association sends out a request for funds to defray the cost. The town council has always been very helpful with fence upkeep and dirt displacement, when needed.
One of the best ways a person can view burials is to search your computer for Gore City Cemetery, Gore Okla. There are several sites but my favorite is the one with Find A Grave. It has a search button but the listing is alphabetical. There are all kinds of pictures and personal information on many of the people, and by joining Find a Grave, you can create your own family if you wish and if they are not already covered.
