On the sunny, brisk morning of Dec. 23, 2011, 29 descendants and extended family gathered at Hopeful Primitive Baptist Church to celebrate their heritage and honor John and Elizabeth Oakley.
John Oakley appears in the 1830 census, living in Fayette County. It is believed that he and Elizabeth came from South Carolina.
At that time, Fayette County was much larger than it is today and the area they settled is now that part of south Fulton that was once old Campbell County. The land stayed in the family for over 150 years.
John and Elizabeth had three children, James Madison, Martha Oakley (Bailey) and Sally (Sara) Oakley (Bishop).
James Madison continued to live on the land, married and raised a family of four children: John D. Oakley, who moved to Texas, James Andrew Oakley, Berthire Oakley (Carden) and William Brewer Oakley, who remained on the farm until his death in 1932.
William and his wife Susan McGarity Oakley had 11 children, nine living to adulthood: Mae Glass, Andrew, Genia Stewart, Lois, Jewel Cochran, Dewitt, George, Herman and Ruby Thompson.
It was Ruby’s wish that the unmarked graves of John and Elizabeth be marked in some appropriate way. With the help of her sons, Andy and David, the plan was made.
However, Ruby could wait no longer and at age 95, she died on Nov. 4, 2011.
Elizabeth is buried in an unmarked grave at Hopeful and John is buried in an unmarked grave near the corner of Lees Lake Road and Lees Mill Road, the original site of the Primitive Baptist Church.
The memorial service was based on the meaning of family, God’s plan for families and the present being the link between the “passed” and the future.
It was delivered by Nathan McDade, son of Debbie Buckner, grandson of Abner Oakley, great-grandson of Dewitt Oakley, great-great-grandson of William Oakley, great-great-great-grandson of James Madison Oakley and great-great-great-great grandson of John and Elizabeth.
Nathan and Erin’s little daughter, Addie Grace McDade, is the youngest member of the family at 5 months. Nathan is associate pastor of Mountain Christian Church in Joppa, Maryland.
It was a most meaningful occasion, giving those present a real feeling of being linked to the “passed” and a marker to be proud of as a link to the future. Ruby would have been pleased.
Written by Anne Drake, special to The Citizen
