Burial Place of Oscar Abel, d. 1909

(Descendants of Henry Abel series.)

Oscar S. Abel, born 1871-2 in Georgia, was the son of William and Susan Reid Abel.  Henry Abel was his grandfather.  Oscar's mother died 24 May 1872 and was laid to rest in the Eglantine Square section of Rose Hill Cemetery, in a lot purchased by her husband a week before her death (block 4, lot 12).  In all likelihood, this took place before Oscar turned one year old.

William and Oscar would not be alone for long, however.  William soon married Martha Jane Jones (1851-1933), daughter of William and Julia F. Bailey Jones.  This couple would give Oscar at least seven half-siblings, one being James Benjamin Abel.

When Oscar was about sixteen years old, he had an accident on the job.  Following from the 28 September 1887 edition of the Macon Telegraph (via GenealogyBank).

A Finger Cut Off.
Mr. Oscar Abel, son of Mr. Wm. Abel, had a finger cut off by a lathe at Reynold's foundry yesterday morning.

Oscar married Dora Bullock at Bibb County, Georgia 2 November 1892. The couple moved to Decatur, Morgan County, Alabama within a few years of their union, where Oscar continued his work as an iron moulder.  Though I have no proof of any children being born to Oscar and Dora, I wonder if little Earnest Abel (1900-1902) resting at Decatur City Cemetery was theirs.

Oscar and Dora returned to Macon in Bibb County, Georgia about 1905.  A city directory entry showed Oscar was a molder at Mallary & Taylor Iron Wks.  A short time after, certainly by 1908, Oscar joined the police force.  Then something horrible happened.  Following from the 18 June 1909 edition of Alabama's Montgomery Advertiser (also via GenealogyBank).

POLICEMAN KILLS WOMAN AND HIMSELF

Macon, Ga., June 18. -- About 1 o'clock this morning Officer Oscar Abel of the Macon police force, shot and killed Emma Raymond, in the red light district here, and then committed suicide.  Whether a quarrel occurred before the crime or not cannot be ascertained.  The whole affair is shrouded in mystery.  The officer was dressed in his uniform at the time, and was wearing his badge.

The woman was shot three times in the breast.  Abel lived only a short time after shooting himself twice in the head.

I found nothing in the local newspaper regarding Oscar's funeral or final resting place, but I did come across a scan of a page titled "Interments for Rose Hill and Oak Ridge Cemeteries." There was an entry for Oscar --

Unfortunately, I have yet to determine the source of this scan.  It makes sense, though.  It also makes sense Oscar rests near his mother in Eglantine Square block 4, lot 12.  Neither have a tombstone.  Oscar's father was also placed there upon his death in March 1920.

A sad side note is that William had to attend the funeral of his brother Fred just three months after burying Oscar.

Oscar's wife Dora did not marry again, and eventually left Georgia to land in Columbus, Ohio.  She died and was buried at Union Cemetery there in 1938.