Over the years the Jacksonville Cemetery has grown in size with most Sections adding to their property at one time or another. Some of Oregon's earliest pioneers can be found resting under the canopy of the Madrones, in Jacksonville's Pioneer Cemetery.

There are many wonderful and interesting stories of those buried in the cemetery. Pioneers, men, women and children who made their way to Oregon, leaving behind their homes, most belongings, family and friends. It was a very difficult trip and was not an easy life after arriving at their destination. Most found a better life and some even became quite wealthy. There are farmers, ranchers, merchants, lawyers, judges, woodworkers and builders, doctors, teachers, newspaper editors, men of the church, and then there are the children. Hundreds of infants and young children buried throughout the cemetery whose life was cut short during birth, accidents, illness and epidemics. There are also over 350 Veterans buried in the cemetery with the oldest dating back to the war of 1812.

We also have those who could not afford to purchase a grave site or because of color or their nationality were not permitted to, they were buried in the County Section. This later became known as the Potter's Field.

Today, no matter who they were or where they are buried, all receive the same respect, care and attention from the Cemetery Sexton and our cemetery volunteers.

Below is just a sampling of some of the many stories waiting to be shared by the Jacksonville's Pioneers, who take a well deserved rest in Jacksonville's Historic Cemetery.

Cornelius Beekman - In 1863 he was named agent for Wells Fargo and Company when they completed their route to Portland. That same year he opened his own bank, which is said to be the first bank in Southern Oregon and only the second bank in all of Oregon. Honesty and integrity meant everything to Cornelius Beekman. It is said that he handled as much as 15 million dollars of gold during his career and never lost so much as an ounce of it. Mr. Beekman became one of the Rogue Valley's wealthiest men with investments in mining operations, purchasing warrants, and investing in real estate. The Beekman Family is buried in Block 444 in the Masonic Section. The family home and the bank still stand in Jacksonville today.

Peter Britt - Born in Switzerland in 1819 and trained as a portrait painter, Peter immigrated to America in 1845 and trained as a photographer. He made his way west to Portland then headed south to Jacksonville arriving with a mere $5 in his pocket. Peter tried mining and hauling freight between Jacksonville and Crescent City which provided him with a steady income. He continued with photography and portrait painting on the side. Many of his early photographs of Jacksonville have been preserved to this day. He is credited with taking the very first photograph of Crater Lake in 1874, and that photograph helped convince the United States government to make Crater Lake a national park. Peter invested in mining operations and real estate and his horticulture interests flourished. He planted grapes and marketed his own wine under the name of Valley View Vineyards. He planted orchards and was growing exotic flowers and plants including a banana tree, a palm tree, and cactus in his yard. The Britt Music Festival, a big summer attraction in Jacksonville, is named in his honor. The Britt Family is buried in Block 129 in the City Section.

Jane De Roboam Holt - from Bordeaux, France, ran the Franco-American hotel in Jacksonville. Locals referred to her as Madame De Roboam and after her marriage to George Holt, a brick layer from England, she was called Madame Holt. She was known for her singing, her stories and her general exuberance for life. Soon after their marriage George started building her a beautiful two-story brick hotel to be called the U.S. Hotel on the corner of 3rd and California Streets in Jacksonville. On October 1, 1880, President Hayes, his wife Lucy, General William T. Sherman, and the President's physician and his wife were overnight guests at the new hotel. Legend has it that the next morning Madame Holt presented her bill to President Hayes and he was shocked at the amount for a one night stay. He is said to have pointed out to her that the Palace Hotel in San Francisco was only $6 per night. Failing to change her mind, it has been said that President Hayes then told her he did not wish to purchase the hotel but merely to pay for a night's stay. Legend has it that Madame Holt got her asking price. The U.S. Hotel, while no longer a hotel, still stands at 3rd and California Streets. Madame Jane Holt is buried in Block E8 in the Catholic Section.