By Pat Atchison
Chapter I: Fatal affliction
Thus reads the local obituary in the Arizona Journal Miner, Thursday, March 7, 1912, of one interred in Citizens Cemetery, Sheldon Street, Prescott: "James Doak, a recent arrival from Phoenix, suffering with chronic rheumatism, passed away yesterday. He was a large real estate owner of Kansas City, and was aged about 55 years. He leaves a wife and son in the above city, and the latter is en route to take the remains home for burial, which are being prepared for shipment by Lester Ruffner."
Mr. Doak's obituary, which later appeared in the Kansas local newspaper, also reports that rheumatism supposedly caused his death on March 5, 1912. It states that he was to be temporarily interred in Prescott. It also reported that "Mr. Doak left here (Tonganoxie, Kansas) last June and went to Colorado for his health, and lived a while in Texas, New Mexico, and the past few months in Arizona. For a number of years his health had been bad, but he seemed to get over his attacks of sickness until the one came that took him away."
Although both obituaries report that rheumatism was the cause of death, a more authoritative source states that he suffered with heart problems and died from those problems at the County Hospital in Prescott.
James Doak was born on May 15, 1848 in Glasgow, Scotland, to Irish parents who were fleeing Ireland's potato famine. Life in Scotland was not satisfying to his parents so they moved to the United States while James was a child. As a young man, he established himself in Kansas, marrying Miss Jennie Enochs in 1874. Nine children were born to this union.
James owned a farm outside Tonganoxie, Kansas, for most of his adult life. He also engaged in other careers, such as railroad building. He and his family enjoyed periods of affluence and survived times of hardship as well.
At the time of his death, his wife was living in Kansas City. Three sons and two daughters also survived him.
Chapter II: "Adopt a Pioneer Gravesite Project"
In 1997, approximately one year after the Prescott Cemetery Association began its "Adopt a Pioneer Gravesite Project," a call was received from a lady who stated that she and a friend wanted to participate in the program. As is the custom, the prospective adopter was asked for input as to the gravesite to be adopted. She was asked if she and her friend would be interested in adopting a child's grave or one of a woman or a miner or a person with her surname. It was at that point that she laughed and said that she had a rather unusual surname and we most likely wouldn't have a person with that name. "It is D-O-A-K," she said. In looking on the list of over 2,500 people, there was the name, James Doak!
Donna Doak was delighted! She and her friend were quick to complete the adoption and begin caring for the gravesite. That was in July of 1997. The grave was unmarked, so a small metal mortuary marker was placed at the site.
Although Donna's friend moved on to other projects, Donna remained faithful in caring for James' gravesite. She did research trying to find a link between her family and James' family but no link was ever found.
At the beginning of the 2003-04 fiscal year, Donna returned her membership form. She included a note asking that she be placed in the "Friend" category. She stated that she was quite ill and could not care for the gravesite any longer.
In November 2003, Donna's obituary appeared in the local newspaper. She leaves this writer with so many happy memories.
Chapter III: A relative arrived on the scene
Some volunteers were working on a project near the front of the cemetery in early May of 1998. It was a nice day and is was no surprise to see visitors looking at the headstones.
When the volunteers asked if the visitors were looking for a particular burial site or had any questions, the man asked if there was a James Doak interred. Doak: there was that name again!
Since it was an adopted site and had been located and marked, the volunteer knew of it. They talked while walking to the gravesite. It was discovered that the visitor, Jim Sanford, is the grandson of James Doak. He is the son of one of James' daughters who was only 13 at the time of her father's death. No other family member had ever visited James' gravesite. It was a very moving moment.
Mr. Sanford made contact with the adopter, Donna Doak. After communicating several times, they were unable to find a link between their two Doak families.
Two years later, Mr. & Mrs. Sanford revisited the cemetery. In anticipation of the trip, Jim had approached the association about installing a grave marker. The project was approved. Jim purchased the stone in Kansas and kept it in his backyard for a time (much to the amusement of his friends). He then put it in his car trunk and drove to Prescott. It was a wonderful day when Jim and the volunteers permanently set the marker on James' gravesite. After eighty-eight years, James Doak was given final dignity.
Jim Sanford stays in touch and remains a member of the Prescott Cemetery Association. He and his wife are planning another visit to Arizona within the next couple of years. They will, of course, pay a visit to Citizens Cemetery and the gravesite of grandfather, James Doak.
Pat Atchison is the President of the Prescott Cemetery Association and a volunteer at Sharlot Hall Museum.
If you are interested in adopting a gravesite through the "Adopt a Pioneer Gravesite Project" in Prescott, please contact Pat Atchison through Ryan Flahive, Archivist, at the Sharlot Hall Museum, 928-445-3122.
Sharlot Hall Museum Photograph Call Number:(James Doak) Reuse only by permission.
The gravesite of James Doak is located in the Citizens Cemetery on Sheldon Street across from the Yavapai College entrance. The site is near the upper end of the cemetery to the right of the access road.