Sprague Cemetery – Clackamas County, Oregon
Sprague Cemetery – Clackamas County, Oregon
The Sprague Cemetery is one of those frustratingly hard to research cemeteries. Like many small, family cemeteries created in the early days of settlement, information is hard to find. Even worse, lack of care has made the cemetery itself hard to find.
This cemetery is on the Alfred Sprague’s Donation Land Claim (OC #4985). Alfred Sprague arrived in Oregon in Sept of 1852 and settled his claim on Feb. 14, 1853. An acre of land was set aside for the cemetery, all of it is now overgrown and on private property, hidden in bushes on South Lyons Road in Clackamas County.
By 1991, an cemetery inventory compiled by Lucille Geigle had only 11 grave sites listed. Today, the remaining grave maker, lists 2 names, Alfred and Statira.
Interments
A complete list of burials in Sprague Family Cemetery is supposed to be in the 1937 copy of “Oregon Cemetery and Burial Records, Clackamas County” (two volumes.) It is out of print, and only one copy seems to exist at the Oregon City Library. If you have a copy of this book and can provide a link to this page, please comment below!
Sprague, Alfred Lloyd Born: 1822*, Died: March 11, 1907, 85 yrs.
Sprague, Alfred Lloyd Jr.(L.S.) Born: 1874, Died: March 1, 1895, 20 yrs. 10 mos.
Sprague, Arthur Clyde Died: March 23, 1942, 65 yrs.
Sprague, Bertram Floyd Died: Jan 21, 1942, 71 yrs
Sprague, Clyde Arthur Born: May 5, 1876, Died: Mar 23, 1942
Sprague, Floyd Bert Died: Jan. 1942, 72 yrs.
Sprague, John L. Died: Jan. 10, 1867, 10 yrs. 4 mos. 4 das.
Sprague, Infant son of Frank and Anna Sprague Died: Bet. 1905-1911, Stillborn
Sprague, Mark D., Died: Oct. 13, 1924, 69 yrs.
Sprague, Mark G., Died: Nov 13, 1924, 65 yrs 4 mos 5 das
Sprague, Sanford E., Died: May 12, 1895, 43 yrs. 8 mos.
Sprague, (Goff) Statira, Born: 1822(?), Died: Dec. 7, 1905, 75 yrs. (Wife of Alfred; Born Ohio)
Wallenstein, S., 55 yrs.
Wallenstein, Archie Died: 1942, 10 mos.
*Wallenstein, (Sprague) Hallie May Died: March 7, 1893, 13 yrs. 8 mos. 22 das.
* Walking Through the Cemeteries by Lucille Geigle in 1991 has Alfred Sprague born in October 1819.
Wow I lived literally right there for 30 years. I never heard of this. I know the Redland Cemetery is on the other end Lyons and Redland Rd. There used to be a little cabin on Sprague that was really old. Lots of Hazelnut and Pear orchards through there.
I am doing to find these volumes. Cannot find them anywhere
Me either! Both physical copies I know of are at the Oregon City Library. The historical society over there may have them too.
Rick are you a relative of the Sprague family? So a few years ago several members of the family came out and cleaned up the cemetery but things grow back quickly. I have a question for you though. I just found out that the cemetery is listed as being at our address. I don’t think it is included in our lots with the county assessor though. If a cemetery is listed at your address are you supposed to be the one who maintains it? I always thought it was on our neighbor’s property because it is on the other side of their driveway. I would not have known this but a couple weeks ago a family member who had not seen the cemetery came to our house in search of it and I told him where it was located because you definitely cannot tell it is there from the road.
Hello Julie, I am not related to the Sprague family at all. Merely someone who wants to document history before it is gone. Generally whoever owns the land a cemetery is on should maintain it and has to provide public access (by request) to the cemetery. I would contact the Tax Assessors office to find out for sure who’s land it is on.
Thanks for your help on this. As you can tell nobody ever told us this was part of our property which we bought in 1979.