Compiled by Sherry (Woods) Kaseberg
DeMoss Family Cemetery, 1965 Survey with Notes & updated 2010.
The DeMoss family cemetery on private land was established by George and Henry DeMoss near DeMoss Springs. Located in Grass Valley Canyon, it is next to a large bluff the family called Echo Rocks in T1S, R17E. In 1913 the extended DeMoss family owned land in several sections. The family was widely known for their missionary music, composing and entertaining as The DeMoss Family Lyric Bards in America and abroad. The family laid out the now-abandoned Prohibition town of DeMoss Springs in 1900, and named the streets for composers and poets, the present location of DeMoss Springs Memorial Park on Highway 97.
The Observer, 26 December 1902 reported that the DeMoss Bros. donated an acre for cemetery purposes and that the grounds would be fenced. No trespassing, please.
“The Lyric Bards dedicated the cemetery…Photographs were taken by Raymond Photograph Gallery. George later planted a tree at the cemetery to honor his mother. At the time of her death, it was not possible to take her home. Elizabeth is buried in the Bonebrake family cemetery in Roseburg…” An 1888 photograph of James, Minnie, Henry, Lizzie and George with musical instruments was taken at the dedication of the cemetery at DeMoss Springs Ranch. ~ Sweet Oregon, The DeMoss Family Lyric Bards.
Sherry Kaseberg recorded gravestone inscriptions in 1965. Additional information was provided by Chris Sanders’ transcribed Sherman County newspaper obituaries; Sweet Oregon, The DeMoss Family Lyric Bards by Elbert O. DeMoss 1995; Emma Jean (Eakin) Smith, and John “Curly” and Vada DeMoss, 1999.
Ownership in 2017: DeMoss Springs Ranch, LLC.
SITE KEY| Surname | Name | Birth & Death | Notes |
| DeMoss | John Elvin “Curly” | 9 September 1918-2010 | Son of John and Etha (Dugger); husband of Vada J. Gammell; father of John E., Jr. and Janice Marie; farmed near DeMoss Springs N of Moro |
| DeMoss | Vada June | 22 June 1926- | Daughter of Arthur & Ida Mary Gammell; wife of John E.; mother of John E., Jr. and Janice |
| DeMoss | John E., Jr. | ||
| Albert | Paul L. “Pete” | 22 April 1914-3 September 1993 | Father of Carol DeMoss; aka Pete [ODI#18462] |
| Albert | Robert E. “Ed” | 16 June 1942-19 October 1995 | Son of Paul; brother of Carol DeMoss; buried near a tree. |
| Davis | Rev. Charles B. | 13 June 1837-28 November 1902 | Husband of Elizabeth S. (DeMoss); clergyman; father of 10 children, including Emma Ida Mae, Alta Iowa, Peter Waldo, Mamie Aurelia, Mary L. & Talmadge O.; died Salem, OR [SCO, 5 December 1902: Rev. Davis, many years a resident at DeMoss, was buried there Monday; death occurred in Salem; GVJ, 19 December 1902: Memorial resolution by lodge for Rev. C.B. Davis who died in Salem, OR 28 November 1902] |
| Davis | Mrs. | -1911 | Elizabeth S. DeMoss, wife of Charles B.; mother of Emma Ida Mae, Alta Iowa, Peter Waldo m. Lizzie Irene DeMoss, Mamie Aurelia m. George Grant DeMoss, Mary L. & Talmadge O.; buried at DeMoss [SCO, 3 November 1911] |
| DeMoss | Elizabeth | 31 August 1804-7 September 1893 | Daughter of Mollie Stuart; wife of Peter DeMoss (1787-1853) and J. Funkhouser; mother of James M. m. Elizabeth Bonebrake & Julia Shatto, Elizabeth S. m. Rev. Charles B. Davis, Lucinda m. E. Shatto, Mary A. m. George C. Davis and Peter |
| DeMoss | Rev. James Macalroy | 15 May 1837-17 January 1912 | Born IN, son of Peter and Elizabeth (Stuart); IA to MO 1862; wagon train to OR 1862; United Brethren minister; missionary pioneer in Baker and Union Counties, OR, revival meetings, music lessons, officiating at funerals and weddings; operated a bridge and stage stop at North Powder, OR; to Forest Cove and Mt. Fanny; to Sherman Co., OR 1883; m1 Elizabeth A. Bonebrake 1858, parents of Henry S. m. Julia Hall of Union County, George Grant m. Mamie Aurelia Davis, Lizzie m. Peter Waldo Davis, Louella d. 1863, Minnie Viola m. Martin Cochran, May 1871-1996 and James Markwood 1863-1869; m2 Julia E. Shatto 1889; parents of John Monroe DeMoss and Ruth (DeMoss) Haskell. [SC:FTR #4-1; TO, 19 January 1912; GVJ, 26 January 1912, James M. DeMoss died at home DeMoss Springs 17 January 1912, 74y 8m 2d; born IN 15 May 1837] |
| DeMoss | George Grant | 28 May 1866-20 February 1933 | Son of Rev. James M. and Elizabeth (Bonebrake) DeMoss, born Union County, OR; m. Mamie Aurelia Davis 1899 Omaha, NE; settled in Sherman County, OR 1883; father of Elbert Talmadge; brother of Henry, Lizzie, Minnie, May, Louella, James; died CA [SCO, 10, 17 & 24 March 1933] |
| DeMoss | MamieAurelia | 15 April 1879-25 August 1952 | Daughter of Charles and Elizabeth (DeMoss) Davis, born IA; died Lane County, OR; wife of George G. DeMoss [ODI#8921] |
| DeMoss | John Monroe | 1896-1988 | Husband of Etha Mae Dugger; father of John E. “Curly,” George H., Donald Rayburn & Delbert Carlyle [TDC, 13 September 1988] |
| DeMoss | Etha Mae | 1897-1991 | Wife of John Monroe DeMoss, m. 1916; born Grass Valley area, daughter of George W. & Nancy J. (Smith) Dugger; mother of John E. “Curly,” George H., Donald Rayburn & Delbert Carlyle; sister of Garfield J., Leroy, William H., Isabelle, Marion and A.J. Dugger |
| DeMoss | Delbert Carlyle | 21 May 1922-6 August 1932 | Son of John & Etha; brother of Donald, John and George; lived Eugene for four years; died Eugene, OR [SCJ 19 August 1932; ODI#311] |
| DeMoss | Donald Rayburn | 8 October 1917-27 March 1993 | Son of John & Etha; father of Thomas Rayburn and Arlean Mae |
| DeMoss | Elbert T. | 25 July 1904-20 March 1962 | Son of George and Aurelia; father of Louis & Elbert, Jr. |
| DeMoss | Henry S. | 4 February 1860-2 June 1937 | Born IA, son of James & Elizabeth (Bonebrake) DeMoss; m. Julia Hall of Union County, OR 1901; father of Homer B., Beulah & Evelyn; brother of George G. DeMoss, Minnie DeMoss Cochran and Lizzie DeMoss Davis; ½ brother of Ruth and John M. DeMoss; member of the famous DeMoss Lyric Bards; made 60 annual tours in the US and Europe; proficient with many instruments, studied music in the US and abroad; lived DeMoss Springs when not traveling, for a time lived at Silver Lake with son Homer, and in Eugene; died Lane County, OR. [SCJ, 4 & 11 June 1937; ODI#281] |
| Haskell | Mary Emma | 27 January 1915-31 January 1915 | Daughter of Ruth (DeMoss) Haskell |
| Huber | Michael | 1919-1973 | Husband of Mary Jo |
| Lane | Steve | – August 2000 | Son of Arlean (DeMoss) and David Lane |
| Lane-Schilling | Arlean Mae | 9 December 1943-5 March 2002, 58y | Daughter of Donald R. and Irma Mae (Morgan) DeMoss; m. David Lane 16 June 1962; mother of Gary, Larry, Mark & Steve; m2nd Gene Schilling February 1986 |
| Shatto | Lucinda | -12 February 1915, 83y | Daughter of Peter and Elizabeth DeMoss; died at the home of her nephew at DeMoss Springs; wife of a frontier minister; 3 brothers were ministers in the United Brethren church and a son in the Congregational ministry. [SCO, 19 February 1915; ODI#671] |
| Shatto | Roland | Son of Lucinda (DeMoss) Shatto; brother of Julia Emma (Shatto) DeMoss | |
| Sandoval | Carolyn M. | 1945-1971 | Daughter of Mary Jo Barnwell and Michael Haber of Santa Clara, CA; sister of Larry Stigers |
| Stigers | Larry D., Sr. | 1950-1993 | Son of Mary Jo Barnwell; brother of Carolyn Sandoval |
| Stigers DeMoss Huber Barnwell | Mary Jo | 1924-1997 | Widow of Elbert DeMoss; mother of Larry & Carolyn Stigers |
| Unrelated, this family lived near the cemetery on the DeMoss farm for several years. | |||
| Meyers | Lloyd M. “Bud” | 16 October 1927- | Father of Sue. |
| Meyers | Virginia L. | 12 November 1923-8 January 1980 | Mother of Sue. |
| Nutt-Langston | Clyde Orville | 24 November 1977-4 July 1994 | Son of Orville & Susan Nutt, died Sherman County, OR [ODI#14075] |
| Nutt | Orville Clyde | 1913-2 November 1981 | Husband of Sue (Nutt) Langston; died Baker County, OR. [ODI#18128] |
The Observer:
· 3 December 1896: Minnie DeMoss Cochran died 1 December 1896 Wheatland, CA, remains to be brought to Moro for burial.
· 10 December 1896: Minnie DeMoss Cochran funeral from Presbyterian Church, Rev. J.M. Morrison officiating.
· 5 October 1900: Uncle William DeMoss died in Iowa 24 September, age 73 years, was manager of the Lyric Bards through Europe and America for 7 years.
· 19 September 1902: Died. Amanda Andrus, sister of Rev. S.T. Andrus of DeMoss Springs. [Daughter of Hiram Delay Andrus and his 2nd wife Mary Elizabeth Phipps of Grey County, Ontario, Amanda Rachel Andrus was born 13 August 1871 Grey County, Ontario, Canada, died 16 September 1902 in Oregon. She was a half-sister to Louise Jemina; sister to William Robert, Mary Emily, Samuel Thomas, Hiram Phipps d. Salem, OR, George Harris d. Pembina County, ND and Reuel Octavius died Canby, OR.]
· 14 March 1913: Grandma DeMoss, memorial service held M. E. Church in Moro; made Moro her home, then Barton, Clackamas County, OR where she died.
Wasco News:
· 20 October 1898: George Davis died at his home at DeMoss Springs last Monday.
Moro Leader:
· 19 October 1898: George Davis, aged about 85y, died 17 October 1898 at DeMoss Springs; funeral by Rev. Morrison at Moro.
Grass Valley Journal:
· 21 October 1898: George Davis died at DeMoss Springs 17 October, about 85y.
You cannot go to the cemetery and ask to be enlightened on matters of this kind, though it would ease my mind considerably if you could. – William Maxwell, Ancestors: A Family History