Lawrence County MO Historical Society

This information was sent to the MOGEN mailing list this week and is cogent to visitors to this site due to at least one shared cemetery (Allen Cemetery, pictured from the Barry County website) on the Southern borders of Lawrence County. A copy is provided below:

We in Barry County were chosen for the Oakley Award a few days ago. We were selected because we have been restoring cemeteries and photographing all the cemetery stones in the county. We have started adding documentation notes to the data that we collect so that our posted records have creditability and can be depended on for accuracy. We still have some cemeteries left to do – so we aren’t finished with the project yet. But some of our hard working volunteers submitted information about our project to the Gravestone Studies Association some time last year for their grave studies award that is to be given in June of this year.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Association of Grave Studies, it is a non-profit association and was founded in 1977 for the purpose of furthering the study and preservation of grave markers of all periods and styles. Through its publications, conferences, workshops, and exhibits AGS promotes the study of gravestones from historical and artistic perspectives, expands public awareness of the significance of historic grave markers and cemeteries, and encourages individuals and groups that have similar interests.

Here is the link to Barry County

Here is the link to our cemetery pages. The cemeteries with the little camera next to the name are the ones we have finished photographing – many of which were also restored.

Here is a copy of the message that I received yesterday -

“Dear Donna, It is our pleasure to inform you that the Board of Trustees of The Association for Gravestone Studies has selected you to be a recipient of The Oakley Certificate of Merit. This award is given to groups or individuals who “…foster appreciation of the cultural significance of gravestones and burying grounds,” and it is in recognition of your contributions in research and recording for the MOGenWeb site, and coordinating cemetery projects in Barry County, Missouri.

Congratulations and best regards, Brenda W. Reynolds, Awards Committee”