Historical Marker

Scranton Cemetery

SETTLED IN THE 1870s, THE SCRANTON COMMUNITY GREW TO INCLUDE A POST OFFICE, STORES, A COTTON GIN, BLACKSMITH, SCHOOL AND ACADEMY. IN OCT. 1896, JOSEPH JACKSON RAY AND SARAH FRANCES (MORGAN) RAY DONATED LAND FOR A BAPTIST CHURCH AND GRAVEYARD. THE EARLIEST BURIAL HAD ALREADY OCCURRED IN JULY, THAT OF ALVIN SPRAWLS, INFANT SON OF H.B. AND M.E. SPRAWLS. A CEMETERY ASSOCIATION FORMED IN 1968. THE SCRANTON COMMUNITY CENTER HOSTS FUNERAL SERVICES, VISITATIONS, AND AN ANNUAL SCRANTON HOMECOMING. DOZENS OF MILITARY VETERANS DATING FROM THE CIVIL WAR ARE BURIED HERE, ALONG WITH EARLY SETTLERS, EDUCATORS, AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS. THE CEMETERY IS A TESTAMENT TO THE PIONEERING MEN AND WOMEN OF THE COMMUNITY.