The enslaved of the Keithly Plantation were buried on a small one acre known today as Sage Chapel Cemetery. The owner of the adjoining land was a German emigrant and abolitionist Arnold Krekel who came to America in 1832. On January 11, 1865, Krekel would be the President of Missouri’s Constitutional Convention who would sign the Missouri Emancipation Proclamation that freed the enslaved that were buried at Sage Chapel Cemetery and across the entire State of Missouri. Today, this beautiful graveyard still exists in the City of O’Fallon, Missouri and is being placed on the National Register of Historic Places. This is the research behind the story, and some of the stories that come from that research.

Dorris Keeven-Franke has been researching history her entire life. Born in St. Louis, she resides in St. Charles and writes about the history of Missouri. She loves to share the stories of all the people, of all colors, cultures and countries. She is Director of Missouri Germans Consortium, Curator at the St. Charles County Veterans Museum, and an archivist at the Bellefontaine Cemetery and Arboretum. She is author of several books and is currently working on stories of the African-Americans and the German abolitionists.  

 

Music by composer, musician and producer Alvin Alexander

Song - Sweet Mello Spice