▁rel ieve ▁crow ded ▁conditions ▁at ▁W aco ' s ▁main , ▁First ▁Street ▁C emetery , ▁the ▁c emetery ▁was ▁built ▁on ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁an ▁abandoned ▁horse ▁racing ▁track . ▁ ▁Many ▁inter red ▁remains ▁from ▁other ▁early ▁local ▁gra vey ards ▁were ▁moved ▁here ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁better ▁maintenance ▁of ▁these ▁grounds . ▁Since ▁ 1 8 9 8 , ▁the ▁Oak wood ▁C emetery ▁Association , ▁a ▁private ▁group , ▁has ▁operated ▁this ▁tract , ▁although ▁the ▁land ▁remains ▁the ▁property ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁The ▁board ▁of ▁direct ors ▁of ▁the ▁association ▁consists ▁of ▁women ▁only , ▁as ▁provided ▁in ▁the ▁original ▁by - la ws . ▁ ▁The ▁c emetery ▁is ▁character ised ▁by ▁tree - lined ▁streets , ▁large ▁monuments ▁and ▁ang els . ▁ ▁Notable ▁bur ial s ▁ ▁William ▁Cow per ▁Bran n ▁( 1 8 5 5 – 1 8 9 8 ), ▁Cr us ading ▁journalist , ▁and ▁play w right . ▁Editor ▁of ▁the ▁Icon oc last . ▁ ▁R uf us ▁Columb us ▁Bur les on ▁( 1 8 2 3 – 1 9 0 1 ), ▁President ▁of ▁Bay lor ▁University ▁twice , ▁ 1 8 5 1 – 1 8 6 1 ▁and ▁ 1 8 8 6 – 1 8 9 7 . ▁ ▁Richard ▁Co ke ▁( 1 8 2 9 – 1 8 9 7 ), ▁Tw ice ▁elected ▁Governor ▁of ▁Texas , ▁United ▁States ▁Senator . ▁Co ke ▁is ▁buried ▁near ▁his ▁“ friend