It took more than a year to get the historic marker for the late U.S. Deputy Marshal Chris Madsen who is buried in Canadian County.
Madsen is remembered as the stout, frontier lawman who wore a thick mustache, one of the original guardsmen of territorial law before Oklahoma became a state.
Darrell Long, secretary of the El Reno Masonic Lodge #50, said due to COVID-19, and a backlog for gravestones, the marker took longer than expected to be made by Southwest Monument of Oklahoma City.
U.S. Deputy Marshal Chris Madsen is buried at Frisco Cemetery in rural farmland northwest of Yukon.
Madsen has been buried at the cemetery, located along Britton Road between Frisco and Richland roads, since 1944.
About a year ago, the local cemetery association came up with the idea to build a monument to Madsen.
Jean Kyle, cemetery association member, said she recently became interested in honoring Madsen. Madsen is buried next to his wife Maggie.
Kyle’s memories of Madsen go back to when she was a girl growing up in the area of Canadian County near Britton Road.
One year a fire destroyed a neighbor’s family home. It was Madsen who came to their help.
Madsen had moved to Logan County, but he frequently visited his late wife’s grave. And he came down to visit Kyle’s family after the fire.
“I always admired him,” Kyle said.
Madsen lived from 1851 to 1944.
Members of the El Reno Masonic Lodge heard about the desire to build a monument to Madsen, and they came through with the job.
At 2 p.m., Thursday, June 10 at Frisco Cemetery, . El Reno Masonic lodge #50 members will dedicate a support headstone for Madsen, with Guest presenter Most Worshipful Robert Davis Grand Master of the state of Oklahoma.
All masons and the public are welcome and we are expecting a nice turnout for this event.
The Frisco Cemetery is located at 14200 W. Britton Road.
