Green Island Burials
Located at the Northeast tip of Green Lake in Section 29, Township 23, Range 14, in the Southeast corner of Washington County, there was once seventeen graves. They were buried here prior to 1905. During flood stage the Caney River sometimes backs up Lacy Creek and then breaks over and forms a new river channel across section 33 forming an island of some size. After the waters go back down there is a body of water left which is called Green Lake for the Green family who at one time farmed the area. A ford across the river just above the falls on the Caney at the Northern tip of Green island was used extensively in pioneer days. Once a wagon tried to ford the river during high water and one man and two children were drowned. They were buried on Green Island where others had been buried before.. It is said that a man who died of pneumonia was the first to be buried here. A popular picnic ground and swimming hole where the young folks gathered on Sunday afternoons was located here. The water was deep though and drowning did occur. Mrs. C.C. Matthews, a pioneer resident said her mother almost drowned at this place once. The Woodruffs lived on the ford, just above the falls on the Caney. A man by the name of D. Jackson reported to Edgar Weston many years ago that there were at one time 17 graves on the Island. Mr. Cecil Matthews has continuously lived in the area since 1905 and says there have been no burials there since he lived there.
