Mount Morris : past and present, an illustrated history of the village of Mount Morris, Ogle County, Illinois, Part 24

Author: Kable, Harry G., 1880-; Kable, Harvey J., 1880-1931
Publication date: 1938
Publisher: Mount Morris, Ill. : Kable Brothers Co.
Number of Pages: 474


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).


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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




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