Sod School House Cemetery

A Life Measured in Four Years

June 8, 2026

*Photo by Sod School House Cemetery Secretary, Melanie Hubbard 2026*

There is a lovely white monument at Sod School House Cemetery marking the resting place of Florence Leola Coulter.

Florence was born on December 8, 1894, to Jackson Asberry “Berry” Coulter and Emma Adeline Stansberry Coulter. Less than four years later, on November 4, 1898, she was gone.

Little is known about Florence’s short life, but her monument remains as a lasting reminder that she was here and that she was loved.

Research shows that her parents later remained in Kiowa County, where Berry Coulter acquired an 80-acre farm and raised a family. The 1910 census records them there, carrying on after the loss of their firstborn daughter.

More than 125 years later, Florence’s white monument still stands at Sod School House Cemetery, preserving the memory of a child whose story might otherwise have been forgotten.

Andrew J. Johnson and the Flowers That Remain

May 31, 2026

*Photo by Sod School House Cemetery Association*

Andrew J. Johnson arrived in Oklahoma Territory by horseback in 1892 and became part of the generation that helped build western Oklahoma. His legacy still lives on in Cordell, where the A J Johnson’s Addition bears his name.

In 1902, his life was cut short when he was shot and killed at just 35 years of age. He left behind a wife, family, and a future that would never be realized.

Today, his monument stands at Sod School House Cemetery surrounded by iris and nightshade. The flowers have likely returned each spring for more than a century, long after those who planted them have passed away.

Standing beside the grave, it is difficult not to wonder who first planted the iris. Was it his wife? A child? A grieving family member hoping that something beautiful would remain?

More than 120 years later, the answer has been lost to time, but the flowers remain.

Sometimes history survives not only in records and newspapers, but in the living things left behind.

Historical information compiled from cemetery records, local newspaper accounts, Find A Grave memorials, and family research.

Share Family or Grave Information

May 24, 2026

Scan to submit family connections, burial information, or marker condition updates and receive future communications regarding Sod School House Cemetery preservation efforts.

Website: sodschoolhousecemetery.org

Email: sodschoolhousecemetery@gmail.com

Facebook: Sod School House Cemetery

Memorial Day Weekend

May 23, 2026

Memorial Day Weekend

This Memorial Day weekend, we pause to remember and honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. Their sacrifice and dedication will not be forgotten.

A New Way to Help Preserve Sod School House Cemetery

May 19, 2026

Sod School House Cemetery now has the ability to accept both one-time and recurring online donations in support of ongoing preservation and restoration efforts.
Donations help support cemetery maintenance, headstone repair, fencing and infrastructure preservation, cemetery mapping efforts, and the long-term preservation of historical records for future generations. We are grateful for the continued support of descendants, families, and the western Oklahoma community as we work to preserve the history and future of Sod School House Cemetery.

Support Preservation Efforts

Memorial Day at Sod

May 16, 2026

Representatives of Sod School House Cemetery will be present at the cemetery on Memorial Day and would welcome the opportunity to meet descendants, family members, and supporters connected to the cemetery.
As part of ongoing preservation and restoration efforts, we are currently gathering contact information to help preserve cemetery records and reconnect families with the history of the cemetery.
Visitors are encouraged to stop by and share their connection to those buried at Sod School House Cemetery. We would also be happy to collect contact information from individuals interested in receiving updates regarding future preservation and restoration efforts.
Those unable to attend Memorial Day in person may still submit information before or after the event by using our Sod School House Cemetery Historical Information & Contact Form.
Thank you for helping preserve the history and memory of Sod School House Cemetery.

Sanford A. Younglove

May 16, 2026

Somewhere near Cordell, Oklahoma, a veteran named S. A. Younglove was buried and slowly forgotten.
Local accounts say he died in a building on the square in Cordell and was buried at Sod Cemetery. Yet today, there is no headstone, and his name does not appear on the original cemetery roll.
that mystery is what started this search.
Who was S. A. Younglove? Was there once a marker that disappeared over time, or was he buried without one at all?
As a veteran, he served his country and deserves to be remembered. I’m beginning the search for records, newspaper articles, family connections, and anyone who may know more about his life and burial. My hope is to learn his story and, if possible, help place a proper headstone at his grave.
If you have information about the Younglove family, Cordell history, or Sod Cemetery, I would love to hear from you.
Every veteran deserves to be remembered.

Helping Families Reconnect with Their History