Shaver Campground Church & Cemetery

Last Saturday, we visited the Shaver Campground Church and Cemetery near Oxford. A large cemetery that lies up the hill from the old church-building, Shaver Campground hosts the graves of many early settlers. Here lies Benjamin Franklin Taylor, a member of Company B 21st Arkansas Infantry during the civil war...and whose name is among those who were members of the Arkansas (Mill Creek?) Peace Society. Note - It has since been brought to our attention that there was another "Benjamin Franklin Taylor" from Searcy County and he is the man who was a member of the "Peace Organization Society. He later joined the Union Army. (Correction provided by Benjamin Franklin Taylor's GGGGreat Grandson, Tony Brewer)
There are many of the Lawson family at rest here, as well...including Joseph (Joel) Lawson (another Civil-War vet) and others of his family pictured here.
We are intrigued by the name of this place, Shaver Campgound. We have been discussing whether or not this might have been a recruiting place for those who joined the army of the CSA from Izard County, the 7th Arkansas Regiment (The Bloody Seventh). The 7th Arkansas was made up of the Izard County Volunteers and was put together by Col. Robert G. Shaver, a scrappy and beloved commander. Here is another link to an article about Col. "Fighting Bob" Shaver you MUST read!

Note: Next Saturday, September 13, 2008, there will be a Memorial Service and Grave Marker dedication to honor CSA Captain Harvey Baxter Landers at the Old Jeffery Cemetery near Mount Olive. According to this week's The Melbourne Times, Captain Landers was a member of the 7th Arkansas...enlisting at Lunenburg. We plan to attend this event and hope you will also considering doing so.