USA > Illinois > Ogle County > Mount Morris > Mount Morris : past and present, an illustrated history of the village of Mount Morris, Ogle County, Illinois > Part 24
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44
TORNADO OF MAY 9, 1918
T "WENTY years after that devastating tornado of May 18, 1898, Mount Morris was visited by another twister, this time about a half mile closer to town. It occurred on Thursday, May 9, 1918, and travelled in a northeasterly direction and just missed Mount Mor- ris on the south. If this tornado had veered a half mile farther to the north, the amount of ruin and death in the town would have been appalling. As it was, no one was injured, but con- siderable stock was killed and many buildings damaged or wrecked. As the tornado approached Mount Morris, it
struck the farm of Henry Deeter, south- west of town, and destroyed all of the farm buildings except the house. A path was torn through the timber on the Coffman and Watts farms, and at the McClure farm, just south of town, the end of the barn was blown out, and the windmill wrecked, while the large shade trees were uprooted or broken down. Farther along, the windmill and silo on the farm of Walter Koontz were blown down and two head of cattle killed. A little farther down the road, at the farm of John D. Miller, both of his barns were destroyed and part of the house wrecked. A short distance farther on, the large barn and imple- ment house at the experimental station was completely demolished. On the Lohafer farm, just east of town, the large barn was destroyed and thirteen cattle killed. Three miles northeast of town, on the farm of Harvey Griswold, the tornado swooped down and de- molished most of his barns and out- buildings. It then passed on in the direction of Byron.
Chapter 12 CEMETERIES
T HE VILLAGE of Mount Morris has two cemeteries, one known as the Plainview Cemetery or the "Old Cemetery," situated in the southwest corner of the corporation, and the other, Oakwood Cemetery, nearly a mile west of the corporation limit.
Plainview Cemetery contains about five acres, and like most of the remain- der of the land now covered by the village, was at one time the property of Rock River Seminary. The seminary authorities set it aside and donated the ground to the community for a public cemetery.
This cemetery was consecrated on the 2nd of February, 1842, when the first burial took place-that of a little child, the daughter of Captain Nathaniel Swingley. The words of consecration were pronounced by Rev. Thomas S. Hitt, as follows: "Here is our Mach- pelah, the entrance gate through which we pass the subterraneous road to heaven. Here the rich and the poor meet on a level. Today Mary Eliza, sweet morning flower, retires from all the ills of life, and takes possession first. Followed by the aged and the young, soon shall we see the willow and the epitaph tacitly saying: 'See where she sleeps.' Here in peace shall rest the teacher and the student, the minister and his hearers, relatives and their friends, whose graves shall be ap- proached in after times by bereaved, weeping friends, saying in the language of Scripture, 'Where have they laid him?' Then from the polished marble erected where we now stand shall come the response: 'Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.' 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.'"
This cemetery is situated on rather
low ground, and for many years was not in good condition. It is said that often men were stationed at a newly-made grave, to bail out the water, which flowed in from the saturated soil, so that when the funeral procession ar- rived at the grave, the interment would not seem so much like a burial at sea. This condition was remedied later when the land was thoroughly tiled and an excellent drainage system thereby
effected.
Plainview Cemetery is the property of no individuals, stock company, or corporation, but is what might be called public property of the community. It being public property in that sense, there was naturally no one in authority and as a consequence, when people died and were buried there, no record of any kind was kept of it other than what can now be obtained from inscriptions on the tombstones. A great many are to be found marking graves of Mount Morris citizens who died during the fifties and sixties, but stones bearing dates earlier than 1850 are not very plentiful, those remaining being small and discolored by age.
The lack of a record of the burials in this cemetery makes it difficult to de- termine accurately the number of bodies now lying buried within the limits of the grounds. Many bodies were removed to Oakwood Cemetery, and doubtless many graves are un- marked. It is probable, however, that over 500 bodies have been buried there.
When improvements of any kind were found necessary at the cemetery, the funds had to be raised by subscription. With no officers of any kind, work of this sort was often sorely neglected. Finally, however, a number of people who had relatives buried there, came together and formed an association,
261
262
MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT
elected officers and proceeded to con- duct the affairs of the cemetery in a business-like manner. A sum of money was gathered together, with which, be- sides other improvements, N. E. Buser was engaged to properly survey and plot the cemetery. Since that time the affairs of the cemetery have been han- dled systematically.
The cemetery is at present in very good condition but most burials are now made in the new cemetery west of town. The present officers and direc- tors of Plainview Cemetery are Frank Baker, president; Harry Longman, vice- president; Mrs. Elva Cripe, sec .- treas., Fred Long, Katherine Miller, Viola Findley, Harry Sprecher, Fred Watts, Minerva Dickenson, Nelson Bruner, members of the board.
Because of the fact that no definite record was kept in the early days of burials made in Plainview Cemetery, the only way to secure a fairly accurate list was to go to the cemetery and copy the names and dates from the head- stones. This has been done but in many cases the elements have almost entirely obliterated the lettering from some of the gravestones. Doubtless in the early days there were many burials where no gravestones were erected and the graves entirely lost sight of.
However, the following list is as com- plete as it is possible to make it, al- though this list does not include the names of infants. The names are listed in the order in which the burials were made:
Jacob Ziegler Nov., 1843
John Mertz.
1844
Louis Haller Oct., 1845
John Fear. March, 1845
Susan McNutt. March, 1845
Cynthia Ann Neff April, 1845
J. C. Robinson. June, 1845
Catharine Yontz. Aug., 1845
William Moats Sept., 1845
May, 1846
Ann Maria Wolgamalis.
July, 1846
Ruanna Mumma.
Oct., 1846
Charles Haller
.Dec., 1846
Julia A. Hays.
April, 1847
Mary Adams.
March, 1848
James Coffman.
April, 1848
Susannah Hanes. Feb., 1849
Margaret Glasgow
March, 1849
Robert H. Wilson.
May, 1849
David Wachtel. Sept., 1849
Jacob Knodle.
Jan., 1850
Elizabeth Hays.
May, 1850
John Stuart. May, 1850
Sarah Blair
Sept., 1850
Sarah Ann Funk. Jan., 1851
Matilda Hamilton. Jan., 1851
Jones Palmer .Nov., 1851
David Hess. .Dec., 1851
Clara Minick. 1851
Christiana Price.
Jan., 1852
Michael Swingley
.Jan., 1852
Mary Danel.
March, 1852
Susan Beebe
April, 1852
Elizabeth Parmer
Aug., 1852
John Price.
.Nov., 1852
Daniel Coffman
Oct., 1852
Livonia Carroli
March, 1853
John Ankeney.
June, 1853
George Joseph. Aug., 1853
Rev. Spencer Mattison . Nov., 1853 James B. McCoy 1853
Louisa Murphy .Jan., 1854
George Hanna
. July, 1854
Elecat Crofts
Aug., 1854
Susan Isenhart.
.Sept., 1854
Mary Catharine Cook.
Oct., 1854
H. Donaldson
.Oct., 1854
Louisa Tozer. Jan., 1855
William Davis.
Oct., 1855
Margaret McNutt.
Oct., 1855
Melinda Powell.
Oct., 1855
Anna Davis .. Dec., 1855
Mary Emma Duke. Jan., 1856
Catharine Newcomer. March, 1856
Mary Eugenia Mattison March, 1856
Susanah Ludy. June, 1856
Catharine Togkey Aug., 1856
Mary Hill. .Aug., 1856
Susan Malone. Jan., 1857
Mary Crawford.
.Feb., 1857
Sarah Newcomer
May, 1857
Isabella Heller July, 1857
Ann M. Knodle Dec., 1857
William H. Fouke. .Feb., 1858
Elizabeth Hedrick April, 1858
Mary Ann McNutt. Nov., 1859
Margaret Hedrick. Jan., 1859
Michael Stonebraker Oct., 1859
Mrs. D. Palmer Jan., 1860
Eliza Palmer Jan., 1860
Mrs. C. Alden. April, 1860
Elcy Waggoner June, 1860
Salinda Cohoes 1860
Margaret Gaffin July, 1861
Rachel Ann Watts.
July, 1861
Mary Petrie. .
Jan., 1862
Barbara Sprecher March, 1862
Velara Sprecher Dec., 1862
John M. Smith Jan., 1863
Eleanor Miller March, 1863
Eli Thompson.
June, 1863
Henry Thomas
July, 1863
Annie E. Barnett
Oct., 1863
Mary Dean
Nov., 1863
Lias Adams. Nov., 1863
Elizabeth Grubb Jan., 1864
John H. Wilson .. March, 1864
Catharine Thomas. March, 1864
David Coffman. April, 1864
A. Hedrick .Dec., 1864
Thomas Haller 1864
John Winders. 1864
Eliza McDoneld. March, 1866
Annie E. Allen. April, 1866
Eliza Sprecher. .July, 1866
Clarissa Robinson
263
CEMETERIES
In MEMORY
MARY
Memoriam
A GAINST the eternal silence of a tomb, even cold hard stone seems eloquent:
"I was cut from a block of snow-white marble. An Easter lily was carved on my face; an urn upon summit.
"I was purchased by a broken-hearted young man who gave a price for my beauty which he could scarcely afford.
"Beneath me lies the body of his young bride, laid there many years ago, and all this time I have held her name up to the my world.
"Not so long ago they laid a worn body beside her; old, beaten by life-from wandering here and yon in search of a love that knows no second mating-ever trying to fill the empty void with fads and hobbies and travel.
"People called his life a failure. Over him they placed an in- expensive wedge-shaped granite block and on it simply the name of the young man who purchased me.
"Flecks of gray-green moss mar my surface, cracks are upon my edges. The winds and rains of years have worn shallow the beloved name upon my breast, yet unwavering I stand, white against the bright June grass, piercing the soft blue cloud- flecked sky-man's pathetic link 'twixt earth and heaven. But no one now even stops to read her name.
"Many years will come and go, yet shall I stand and keep my vigil-yes-until, like the snowdrifts by a roadside, time shall melt even me to a shapeless form."
Written by Maud McClure while collecting material for this book in Plainview Cemetery. The stone referred to is over the grave of her Uncle Robert Allen's wife.
264
MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT
Nancy Coffman. Aug., 1866
Elizabeth Malone. .Jan., 1880
Susan Coffman.
Sept., 1866
Sarah Coffman. Jan., 1880
Ann Coffman. Nov., 1866
William Hamilton.
April, 1880
Catharine Routzan.
.Dec., 1866
Ruben O'Dell.
.July, 1880
Mariah J. Wagner
Jan., 1867
Mary Worland.
. Oct., 1880
Alvira Williams.
July, 1867
Edward Davis.
Nov., 1880
Lucius Smith.
Oct., 1867
Samuel Henry.
1880
Charles Funk
July, 1868
Ann Hedrick.
July, 1868
Leander Skinner.
April, 1881
Anna McCreery
Aug., 1868
Phillip
Spreche
Sept., 1881
Katharine Skinner.
Aug., 1868
Samuel Powell
Jan., 1882
Isaac Crawford.
Jan., 1869
Daniel Palmer.
1882
Maria Wagner.
Jan., 1869
Calvin Coffman.
. May, 1883
Henry Waggoner
March, 1869
Rose Davis.
. Dec., 1883
Volney Smith.
April, 1869
Mary Sprecher
March, 1884
Hadassah Sprecher
June, 1869
Franklin Hedrick
April, 1884
David Yeakle.
.Sept., 1869
Elizabeth Fridley
.June, 1884
James B. Webb
1869
David Gloss.
June, 1884
Mary Swingley.
Feb., 1870
Abraham Gaffin.
.July, 1884
David W. Pike.
March, 1870
Andrew Newcomer
May, 1885
Ann Myrts.
Sept., 1870
Jennett Blair.
Dec., 1885
Mary Ellen Stuart.
Oct., 1870
Mary Ellen Smice
Jan., 1886
Hugh Linn.
1870
Isaac H. Allen.
May, 1886
James B. McCoy
Jan., 1871
Wm. F. Fish.
May, 1886
Cyrus Wilson.
March, 1871
Lucinda Wetsel.
Sept., 1886
William Hedges.
Aug., 1871
Wm. J. Skinner
1886
Sarah Powell.
Aug., 1871
Peter Glasgow. March, 1887
Emily Leek.
March, 1887
Mary Gloss.
Nov., 1871
Susan Miller
March, 1887
Albertye De Vrize
.Dec., 1871
Henry Neff.
June, 1887
John Fish.
Aug., 1872
Amelia McNett.
Jan., 1888
Joel Newcomer
Sept., 1872
John Watts.
.Feb., 1888
John Stanger
.Oct., 1872
Benjamin Myers.
April, 1888
Susan Weller.
Dec., 1872
Daniel Sprecher
May, 1888
Mary Ann Fish.
Jan., 1873
William Startzman.
June, 1888
Jesse Kelley
May, 1873
Matilda Bopp
Oct., 1888
Eva Ann Hedges.
June, 1873
Wm. L. Gohoes.
1888
Mary Hedges.
June, 1873
John Startzman.
.Jan., 1889
W. C. Grubb
July, 1873
David F. Miller
June, 1889
Susan Watts
Oct., 1873
Amelia Canode.
Dec., 1889
Nancy Avey
Jan., 1874
Samuel Coffman.
Nov., 1889
Lucy Harris.
Jan., 1874
Edmund Coffman.
Nov., 1889
N. Mattison.
April, 1874
Jeneta Kinsey.
Dec., 1889
Louisa Long
April, 1874
William H. McCoy
May, 1890
John Startzman.
May, 1874
W. S. Blair.
July, 1890
Cathrine Ziegler
Oct., 1874
Mary H. Harmon.
July, 1890
Samuel Hedges.
.Dec., 1874
Samuel Hanes
.Oct., 1890
Ellen Glasgow
Feb., 1875
Mary Davis.
March, 1891
Wm. Sprecher.
Feb., 1875
Susan Shank.
Jan., 1892
John Swingley
April, 1875
Charlotte Sheets
May, 1892
Eliza Newcomer
April, 1875
Caroline Webb.
1892
Emma Easton.
July, 1875
Luther J. Broganier
Oct., 1892
Mary Allen.
Oct., 1875
Samuel Baker.
1892
Laura Jones. Nov., 1875
Joseph Miller
April, 1893
Elizabeth White
Jan., 1876
George Shank
April, 1893
Benjamin Hedges.
Oct., 1876
April, 1893
Mahala Chapline
Nov., 1876
Ellen Knodle.
July, 1893
Daniel Castle
1876
Mary S. Leek.
.July, 1893
Maria Hedrick.
Jan.,
1877
Indiana Neff
.May, 1894
Peter Knodle.
March, 1877
Jacob Rice.
1894
Lucetta Hedges
May, 1877
Ann McAnly.
July, 1877
Eva Allen.
May,
1895
John Jones.
Oct., 1877
William Hays. June, 1895
1895
Mary J. Hedrick
Nov., 1877
Benjamin Hedrick.
.July, 1896
Anna Skinner
Jan., 1878
Stephen Steck.
Aug., 1896
Mary A. McCoy
Feb., 1878
Lewis Hedrick. Aug., 1896
Milton Neff
July, 1878
John C. Coffman
Dec., 1896
John Bear
July, 1878
Clayton Baldwin.
1896
Sarah Thompson
.Dec., 1878
Sarah Henry.
1896
Cordelia Gloss
Feb., 1879
Katharine Coffman. Feb., 1897
Catharine Sprecher
.Feb., 1879
David Miller. July, 1897
Walter B. McCoy
March, 1879
Solomon Davis. Oct., 1897
.
James McCoy
1894
Norman Allsip
Nov., 1877
Nellie Lookabaugh.
Bartholomew McNett
Mazy Dick.
Oct., 1871
I. Frederic Whitman
1880
CEMETERIES
265
Paton Skinner.
1897
Sarah Baker 1910
Ann Amelia Watts .Feb., 1898
Mary Welty Coffman.
1910
Elizabeth Wales.
June, 1898
Ruth Peal.
1910
Fred Baker.
.Nov., 1898
Susan Ridenour.
1910
Carrie Slaughter
Dec., 1898
Isabell M. Adams
Jan., 1911
Mina Crossen.
1898
Rebecca Davis.
Feb., 1911
Paline Gausline
Jan., 1899
Sarah J. Coggins.
May, 1911
Henry Thompson
Jan., 1899
Nancy Burger .
1911
Mrs. Mary Strock
Jan., 1899
John Sprecher
1911
Mrs. C. Unger.
Jan., 1899
Thomas Wressell
1911
William Watts.
Feb., 1899
Chas. Ruhsamen.
1911
Mary Starry.
July, 1899
Milton McAnly.
April, 1912
Mrs. C. Startzman.
Feb., 1900
Daniel Hershey.
July, 1912
Frisby Watts
March, 1900
Elenor C. Hedges
Nov., 1912
George W. Shank.
May, 1900
Ida Whitmere.
June, 1900
Ella Green ..
April, 1913
May Stewart.
Oct., 1900
Daniel Eversole
Aug., 1913
W. J. Fouke.
Nov., 1900
A. S. McCoy
Aug., 1913
Robert Allen
.Dec., 1900
William Nalley.
Oct., 1913
William Castle
1900
George Ellot Coffman.
April, 1914
Margarett Knodle.
Feb., 1901
Sarah Kanode ...
April, 1914
Esther Cowan.
March, 1901
Charlie Weller
April, 1901
Jacob Craley
1914
David Newcomer
.Aug., 1901
Helen Doward.
Sept., 1901
Nancy Kinsy.
Dec., 1901
Hestera Henry
1915
Elizabeth Spahr.
Jan., 1902
Kate Bear.
April, 1916
Martha Elizabeth Artz.
Feb., 1902
May, 1916
John Weller
Feb., 1902
Elizabeth Kemper
1916
Lizzie Stanger
March, 1902
Christena Beck.
1916
William Sheets.
.Sept., 1902
F. P. Ellicott.
1916
Jacob Waters.
1902
Fred Bearman.
May,
1917
John T. Kanode
April, 1903
Anne Maria Malone
.July, 1903
Stephen Adams
Aug., 1903
Elizabeth Bear
1903
John Harmon.
March, 1904
May, 1919
Eliza Longman.
May, 1904
John Henry
May, 1919
Joseph Watts.
July,
Melissa Rine.
Aug.,
1904
Ivey Buser
Nov., 1919
Nancy Watts
Aug., 1904
Mary Waters
Nov., 1919
Henry Knodle
. Dec., 1904
Alydia Sprecher
1919
Mary Hanes
Dec.,
1904
Barbara Imhoof.
1904
Melchor S. Newcomer
Feb., 1920
Katherine Shopbell
1904
Ann A. Craley
March, 1920
Lydia Shumway.
1904
Mary Eliza Newcomer.
.May, 1920
John Bowman.
March, 1905
Henry B. Fahrney.
June, 1920
Catharine Eversole. May, 1905
Mary Elizabeth Spielman
May, 1920
Joseph Baker 1905
John Heflebower.
July, 1920
Mary Lizear
Feb., 1906
Anne Whitman.
April, 1906
Lewis Wallace.
Oct., 1920
John Spahr.
April, 1920
Thomas Peal.
1906
C. H. Unger
1906
A. E. Ganode.
Jan., 1907
Catherine Weller
March, 1907
James Henry.
Jan., 1923
Winnie Doward.
May, 1907
Carrie Blair
1907
E. F. Corning.
1907
Annorah Doward.
March, 1924
Sarah Weller
.Feb., 1908
George Davis
Sept. 1908
Russell Blair.
1908
James F. Watts.
Jan., 1925
Julia Baker.
March, 1925
Fred B. Smice.
April, 1925
Catherine Nye
March, 1910
Josofina Kindlund
April, 1910
James H. Akins.
. Nov., 1925
Lovinah Brogunier
. May, 1910
Nov., 1926
Theodore Bruner
Aug., 1910
Sarah Fouke. 1926
Lydia Miller.
Aug., 1910
Mary McCoy
March, 1927
John Fridley
.Dec., 1910
Emanuel Holsinger
May, 1927
Malinda Clapper March, 1903
Elijah Glasgow ..
Aug.,
1917
William Ridenour
1917
Frederick D. Fouke.
1917
Andrew J. Long.
Jan.,
1918
Amanda Barnhart.
April, 1918
Isaac Bear.
Stotton Hoffman.
Jan.,
1920
Theodore Rudy
.Jan., 1921
Anna Spielman.
Dec., 1921
George T. Watts
Dec., 1922
John Wakenight. Feb., 1923
Daisy Kemp Lane. April, 1923
Milmon Tice
March, 1924
Amanda Barnhart. April, 1924
Barbara Hershey
July, 1909
James B. McCoy.
1909
Susan Heminger. Jan., 1910
Mary Hays.
Sept., 1925
Alfred Paul.
Sept., 1925
George Fouke. April, 1900
Ann Elizabeth Rice
1912
Josiah Slife
1912
Douglas Eversole. Dec., 1914
John Longman. Dec.,
1915
David D. Culler .
1915
William Withers.
Delos J. Forrester
Oct., 1919
Ludwick Clapper Oct., 1920
Cecelia Fridley
Oct., 1906
Blanch Glasgow
266
MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT
Mary Etta Dean
July, 1927
Charles D. Porter
Dec., 1932
Anna Spielman.
1927
Mary E. Canode.
Jan., 1933
Robert Crosby.
.Dec., 1927
Benjamin R. Rine
.Feb., 1933
Albert M. Baker
March, 1928
Martha Burk.
Feb., 1933
Laura Virginia Swift.
March, 1928
Eliza Ellicott.
April, 1933
David S. Cripe.
June, 1928
William R. Rice
June, 1933
Daniel Ridenour
June, 1928
Daniel Shoop.
July, 1928
Emanuel Newcomer
Oct., 1928
Frances A. Stevens.
Jan., 1934
Harry Wakenight.
Jan., 1929
Martha Ann Watts
April, 1934
Ida Bearman.
Feb., 1929
William M. Blair
May, 1934
Mary S. Fahrney
April, 1929
Mary E. Forrister
Aug., 1929
Sarah A. Nalley June, 1934
Melvin Spielman.
Sept., 1929
Daniel H. Unger. Sept., 1934
Cecil Royal Miller.
Dec., 1929
Magdalene Sprecher. Sept., 1934
Mary Alice Rudy.
Dec., 1929
Samuel N. Mullen.
April, 1935
Albert Lookabaugh
Dec., 1929
Edith Lehmann. July, 1935
George W. Cowan.
June, 1930
William Gaspard. Sept. 1935
Elizabeth E. Cowan.
June, 1930
Eldridge E. Rice
. Oct., 1935
William Ira Freeman
June, 1930
W. H. Hedges.
Oct., 1935
Emma McCready.
July, 1930
Willoughby Puterbaugh
Dec., 1935
Nellie Baker ..
Nov., 1930
Lillie Belle Coffman. March, 1936
Mary Coggins Crosby
Oct., 1930
Daniel Minnick .July, 1936
David B. Craley
Jan., 1931
Mary Delilah Lookabaugh Sept., 1936
Herold P. Lizer
Jan., 1931
Elizabeth Susan Miller . Sept. 1936
Lillian Viola Baker.
March, 1931
Jesse Bond McCoy. . Sept. 1936
Benjamin F. Canode.
June, 1931
Phillip Corning. . Dec., 1936
W. P. Lighty.
June, 1931
Carey L. Blair . Dec., 1936
Constance Trogerson
July, 1931
Mary A. Akins April, 1937
William G. Freeman.
.Oct., 1931
Margaret E. Nalley
April, 1937
Susan Wakenight.
Nov., 1931
Francis V. Freeman.
. Aug., 1937
John C. Snyder
Dec., 1931
Nelson W. Neiman. .Sept., 1937
Grace Newcomer.
Feb., 1932
Fred Rice.
Oct., 1937
Anna Virginia Hanawalt. March, 1932
J. Franklin Light.
Dec., 1937
John Craley
April, 1932
Emily Smith ..
Feb., 1938
Mary Wallace
June, 1932
Elizabeth E. Fouke. March, 1938
OAKWOOD CEMETERY
B EFORE Plainview Cemetery was tiled, many Mount Morris people were dissatisfied with it as a burying ground, and finally in the year 1875 a movement was set on foot for the estab- lishment of a second cemetery. In De- cember of that year, John W. Hitt, David Newcomer, Samuel Lookabaugh, Oliver H. Swingley and John Sprecher applied to the Secretary of State for a license to form a corporation making the following statement of their pur- poses:
1. The name of such corporation is "The Mount Morris Cemetery Associa- tion."
2. The object for which it is formed is to purchase a suitable lot or tract of land in the Township of Mount Morris, in the County of Ogle, and State of Illinois, and to use the same as a burial ground for the dead.
3. The capital stock shall be two thou- sand dollars ($2,000), with the privilege of increasing the same to ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or less.
4. The amount of each share shall be ten dollars ($10).
5. The number of shares two hundred
(200) with the privilege of increasing to ten hundred (1,000) or less.
6. The location of the principal office is in Mount Morris, in the County of Ogle, and the State of Illinois.
The duration of the corporation shall be ninety-nine (99) years.
Books of subscription were opened after the license had been secured and the stock all readily taken by thirty- nine of the most prominent people of Mount Morris. John W. Hitt took forty- eight shares; D. J. Pinckney, ten shares; and the majority of the remainder, five shares each. The directors elected were O. H. Swingley and John W. Hitt, one year; David Newcomer and John Sharer, two years; Samuel Lookabaugh and Francis W. Stonebraker, three years. The present site of Oakwood Cemetery was finally selected, it being a tract of timber land along the south side of the road, one mile west of Mount Morris, containing fifteen acres, for which was paid the sum of $150 per acre.
This new cemetery was surveyed into regular blocks and lots and put into fine
Sue Brogunier. July, 1933
Francis W. Hanawalt
Nov., 1933
Mary A. Watts May, 1934
267
CEMETERIES
shape. It has since been given the best of care by the association and is a credit to the community. The present officers of the association are Ed. Mumma, pres- ident; Robert Hough, secretary-treas- urer; Benj. Rowe and Oliver Watts, members of the board; Wm. Peacock, superintendent of the cemetery, and Ed. Shoop, sexton.
The records of Oakwood Cemetery have been kept very carefully from the beginning and no burials have been made without a permit. The following is a list of the adults buried in the ceme- tery together with the dates of death. In this list are about fifty persons who died previous to 1875. These were doubtless moved from Plainview Ceme- tery after Oakwood Cemetery was opened.
Name Date of Death Age
Elizabeth Brayton, Aug. 25, 1842 18
Sarah Sharp, Feb. 23, 1846. . 45
Samuel Newcomer, June, 1849. 49 Jonathan Knodle, Sept. 25, 1882. 56
Daniel Brayton, June 30, 1850. 58
John Craddock, July 28, 1850 53
Albert C. Newcomer, Aug. 20, 1852
Thomas Smith Hitt, Sept. 23, 1852. 54
Lydia Petrie, Oct. 24, 1852.
Elizabeth Petrie, June 4, 1853. 28
Cornelia E. Sharer, Sept. 22, 1853 30
Jonathan Knodle, July 15, 1854 59
Ernest W. Brayton, June 27, 1855. 10
(Killed in sawmill)
Electa V. M. Hitt, Nov. 10, 1855. 29
George W. Hitt, Aug. 2, 1856. 22
Hanora V. E. Withers, Oct. 7, 1856. 19
Robert G. Meck, Oct. 27, 1856. 38
(Accidental death in mill)
David Rine, July 6, 1859. 63
Samuel M. Hitt, Nov. 16, 1859 60
Lucy Ann Alden, April 19, 1860. 36
John Sharer, Dec. 28, 1860. 77
Ruth A. Newcomer, Oct. 1, 1861.
Ann E. Motter, May 21, 1862 73
John Page, Oct. 9, 1863. . 28
Ann Brayton, March 30, 1864. 77
Edgar E. Wagoner, Nov., 1864. 10
Elizabeth Detrich, Nov. 16, 1864. 68
Jacob Sharer, June 7, 1865. 58
Amelia Craddock, July 31, 1865. 56
Sarah Jane Trapp, Sept. 5, 1867. 38
John V. Stonebraker, July 30, 1868 10
(Killed in accident)
Henry F. Newcomer, Sept. 30. 1868
Hiram T. Shaw, April 28, 1869. 20
(Accidental death, drowning)
Abraham Felker, Sept. 4, 1869 67
Charlotte Deter, Oct. 12, 1869. 51
Alfred E. Stroh, Oct. 29, 1870. 27
Henry F. Newcomer, Jan. 7, 1871. 55
Catharine Hershey, Nov. 10, 1871. 87
Francis Asbury McNeill, Feb. 3, 1872. . 62
Jacob B. Motter, Feb. 18, 1872. 86
Mary F. Conaway, Feb. 19, 1872 33
Ella A. Cheney, Feb. 27, 1872. 14
Mary Knodle, May 1, 1872. 46
Josie H. Cheney, Oct. 8, 1872. 18
Rosalie D. Newcomer, Nov. 11, 1872. 44
Anna Rine, May 10, 1875. 65
Anna Rice, Jan. 13, 1878. 17 Joseph E. Hitt, July 28, 1878. 42
(Died from wound received in army) Lizzie May French, Sept. 11, 1878. 14
Dr. Benj. G. Stephens, Jan. 10, 1879. 59 Chloe A. Cheney, March 22, 1879. 67 Mary E. Black, April 4, 1879. 57
William T. Thomas, April 28, 1879. 24
Mary C. Rice, Oct. 11, 1879. 14
Caroline C. Thomas, Jan. 30, 1880.
Thomas W. Withers, Feb. 12, 1880 78
Catharine Felker, Feb. 29, 1880
Elizabeth Atchison, April 15, 1880. 66 73
David R. Wingert, April 18, 1880. 63
Henry H. Newcomer, April 24, 1880 44
John F. Stanger, Sept. 12, 1880. 81
Laura Ellen Stewart, Dec. 13, 1880. 46
John A. Miller, Nov. 1, 1880. 67
Emily Hitt, March 1, 1881. 69
Jacob Keedy, March 15, 1881. 84
Susan Keedy, May 27, 1881. 79
Barbara Knodle, July 2, 1881 85
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.