The Oxford Homeschool Network has been cleaning and beautifying the Buckner-Craig-Isom Cemetery (Old Taylor Road, two miles south of Highway 6), burial site of some of the original settlers of Lafayette County. Included in this graveyard is John J. Craig, who donated part of the 50 acres of land to the Lafayette County Board of Police for a county seat, which became the town of Oxford. In addition to the 11 family graves, there are also many rock-marked graves of migrant workers, thought to be Italian or Swiss, who died in a nearby train wreck.

As part of a community service and hands-on learning project, the Oxford Homeschool Network has cleared the dense overgrowth from the graves, spread mulch, repeatedly cleaned up an inordinate amount of roadside litter, and planted daffodils. They have also planted 10 mums and two flats of pansies donated by Jones Nursery and a half flat of pansies donated by the Garden Center.

Anne Percy, who is currently writing a history of Oxford, spoke to the students about the early settlers. Percy received a master’s degree in Southern Studies in May 1994.

The cemetery was donated to the Center for Study of Southern Culture by the David Reese Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1990.

HILARY SHUGHART

Photo: Students cleaning the Buckner-Craig-Isom Cemetery near Oxford are Frank Shughart (left) and Dylan Reithel.