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Jefferson County: Big Creek Cemetery, Monroe Twp

Sat, 11/15/2008 - 12:52pm — Ruth Hoggatt

Big Creek Cemetery

SW 1/4 of Section 26, Township 4 North, Range 10 East
Madison Township, Jefferson County, Indiana

[Original Location: SE 1/4 of Section 9, Township 5 North, Range 10 East
Monroe Township, Jefferson County, Indiana]


Big Creek Cemetery
Click on picture for view of the cemetery.


History & Burial Survey by Ruth Hoggatt.
© August 2002.

On Aug. 8, 1831, Thomas Yost (s/o Isaac) donated half of an acre of this property to Robert Irwin and Daniel McCollister, trustees of “big creek branch of Carmel congregation …so long as the said premises shall be occupied as a place of public worship by the Denomination of people Known by the name of Seceders…” On Dec. 5, 1842, Nathan Yost (s/o Isaac) conveyed one acre to Thomas Yost, William C. Prentiss, Ebenezer Large, William Baxter, and John T. Armstrong, trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Big Creek. These two properties were adjacent to one another, and were located south of Big Creek; the latter surviving the former.

On Aug. 29, 1820, Isaac Yost, a stone mason from Pennsylvania, obtained a patent for 160 acres, in the SE 1/4 of Section 9, in what became Monroe Township. According to the DAR's 1930's Cemetery Records, Big Creek Cemetery was located next to a stone church built by Isaac Yost. The church and cemetery were situated on a knoll about 600 feet from a concrete bridge, on the south side of the road, which ran along Big Creek. As Isaac died in late 1826, this would date the building between 1820 and 1826. Since the DAR did not cite a source for who erected the church, I was unable to verify this information. It is possible that one, or more, of Isaac's sons, who were also stone masons, could have built the church which stood at the time of the D.A.R.'s burial survey.

The first known burial was that of Florence Reed, who most likely died in 1828. (See below for further explanation on her death date.) On Aug. 8, 1831, Thomas Yost (s/o Isaac) donated half of an acre, of the southeast quarter of section 9, to the Carmel Church Big Creek; and, on Dec. 5, 1842, Nathan Yost (s/o Isaac) conveyed one acre, in the same quarter section to Thomas Yost, William C. Prentice, Ebenezer Large, William Baxter, and John Armstrong, trustees of the Big Creek Methodist Church.

During the first decade of the 20th century, church membership fell. And in 1912, the church was transferred by the quarterly conference to a group forming the Big Creek Union Church. The property was acquired by James Smart, Joseph Buhmiller, and Thomas Royce, trustees of the Big Creek Methodist Church, which they then assumed the same office in the Big Creek Union Church. By 1939, the church and cemetery was in disrepair, and had been forgotten, except by those of the Big Creek community. It was these Monroe Township residents who requested that the road to the church be reopened, as they planned to resume services at the old church. And, to further preserve their heritage, in Jan., 1939, the Big Creek Cemetery Association, which had been formed in 1937, recorded their organization in the Recorder's Office. The group of road petitioners relied on an old law which required roads to cemeteries to be kept open and maintained.

On May 19, 1941, the Big Creek Union Church and Cemetery was purchased (1.85 acres) by the U.S. Government, as part of the land acquired for the Jefferson Proving Ground. The trustees at this time, were Claude H. Wilson, Raymond B. Rose, Margaret Marshall and A. E. Ormston. On Aug. 26, 1941, the Jefferson County Re-Interment Association, Inc. conveyed to the same trustees, one acre in the 1400 block of Michigan Road, in order for the cemetery to be relocated.

Survey by Ruth A. Hoggatt, Jun 30, 2001.
Rechecked 18 Oct 2001. 


Barnum, Daniel,  Apr 6 1790 - Aug 28 1875
Barnum, Elizabeth, w/o Daniel, Mar 12 1794 - Nov 27 1828

Barnum stone
  Noah Barnum,  Apr 6 1824 - Jun 27 1876
  Mary Barnum, his wife, Jul 31 1826 - Mar 5 1899
  Eli Barnum, s/o N. & M., d. Apr 11 1876, age 8yrs 3ms

Chasteen, Harvey W., Mar 9 1827 - Jan 12 1894

Crotius, Ellen,  Oct 19 1819 - Apr 5 1898
  [Beside Clara N. Marshall]

Duncan, C.E., 1931 - 1934 "Our Baby" 
 
Hand, Pearl, w/o Howard E., Feb 9 1876 - Jan 14 1895

Heath, Henry H., 1905 - 1968
Heath, Margaret C., 1909 - 1935

Ireish, Nancy E., d/o S.F. & M.F., Mar 28 1878 - Oct 6 1878

Jones stone
  Sylvina Jones, w/o David, Feb 22 1819 - May 9 1893
  David Jones, Nov 9 1815 - Oct 23 1893
  David N. Jones, s/o D. & S., Jan 4 1851 - Apr 2 1853

Large, Rachel, w/o E., Nov 14 1802 - Feb 11 1852
  [Wife of Ebenezer Large]
Large, Hannah, 1811 - 1889 [ss - Robert J.]
Large, Robert J., 1854 - 1912 [ss - Hannah]
 
Lloyd, Aaron, Nov 22 1803 - Nov 21 1893 [ss - Elizabeth]
Lloyd, Elizabeth, Oct 21 1802 - Aug 1 1866 [ss - Aaron]
Lloyd, Mary E., d. May 8 1860, age 4y 8m 8d [DAR gave dod as 1890.]
Lloyd, Charles M., d. Jul 28 1880, age 22y 10m 22d
Lloyd, Dora, d. Apr 3, 1900?, Aged 44y 3m 22d
Lloyd, George W., d. Jun 4 1881, age 21y 9m 8d
Lloyd, Margaret [Marker is similar to a footstone, no dates.]

Manning, Joseph G., 1844 - 1931 [ss - E. Estella]
Manning, E. Estella, 1849 - 1905 [ss - Joseph G.]

Marshall stone
  William A. Marshall, May 10 1851 - Dec 2 1901
  Hannah Marshall, Jun 23 1854 - Jun 3 1902, age 47y 11m 15d
  Charles H. Marshall, 1876 - 1934
  [Stone is worn, Charles' name and date per DAR.]

Marshall, Clara N., d/o W.A. & Hannah, Jan 9 1887 - Jan 29 1887, aged 20 days

*Morrison, Robt. Henry, s/o Dr. H. & A.S., Dec 6 1840 - Oct 19 1844
*Morrison, R.H. [No dates]

Osborn, Amanda H., 1821 - 1903
 
Prentiss, William D. or O., d. Mar 25 1849, age 43y 3m 24d

Reed, Florence S., d/o J.E. & E.A., d. Sep 30 182_, age 4y 6m 2d
  [DAR recorded the death year as 1822. The last digit is illegible and
  partly covered up with a medal brace. The death year may be 1828.]
 
Rhiner, Anna Anderson, w/o E., May 16 1832 - Dec 11 1874
Rhiner, Lina Regina, d/o E. & C., Feb 9 1876 - Jan 13 1880

*Robinson, James, consort of Mary, d. Dec. 28 1861, aged 40y 2m 8d
  [Original stone]
*Robinson, James,  Oct 20 1821 - Dec 28 1861 [ss - Mary, newer stone]
Robinson, Mary, his wife, Mar 11 1827 - Aug 17 1906 [ss - James]
Robinson, Permelia, d/o Jas. & Mary, d. Jan 8 1859, age 3 days
Robinson, Henry, s/o Jas. & Mary, d. Feb 1 1855, age 1 week

Children of L.B. and J.A. Robinson
  Levi G., Nov 27 1880 - Dec 4 1880
  Edith M., Nov 3 1881 - Sep 8 1886
  [L.B. is probably Levi B., s/o James & Mary]  

Rose, James T., 1871 - 1926 [ss - Harriet; DAR gave middle initial as P.
  According to Marjorie (Rose) Kimbrell, granddaughter of James Rose,
  James' middle name was Thomas.]
Rose, Harriet, 1876 - 1956 [ss - James; Harriet's middle initial was L. according
  to Marjorie (Rose) Kimbrell.]
Rose, Alfred A., 1896 - 1920 [ss - Wilma I.]
Rose, Wilma I. Bowman, his wife, 1895 - 1920 [ss - Alfred A.]
*Rose, Alfred E., MOMM2 US Navy, World War II, Aug 12 1917 - Apr 5 1986
*Rose, Alfred E., Aug 12 1917 - Apr 5 1986 [ss - Helen F.]
Rose, Helen F., Oct 7 1921 - no date [ss - Alfred E.]
Rose, Richard "Rickie," s/o Alfred E. & Helen F., Mar 6 1947 - Jan 5 1962
  [Photograph mounted on stone.]
Rose, Raymond B., Oct 20 1909 - Dec 11 1993 [ss - Lois M.]
Rose, Lois M., Oct 13 1916 - no date [ss - Raymond B.]

Royse, Amy, d. Sep 5 1870, age 49y 4m 17d

Scott, Donald Eugene, s/o Wilma J. Rose, May 8 1965 - Jan 15 1988

Shuck, Francis M.H., s/o H.C. & E.H., d. May 7 1860, age 2y 9m 3d
Shuck, Nancy A., d/o H.C. & E.H., d. Jul 20 1863, age 1m 4d
Shuck, Charles Wesley, s/o H.C. & E.H., Aug 12 1865 - Apr 17 1885, aged 19y 8m 5d
 [Stone is embedded in same cement bed as Clarence C. Woodfill's marker.]
Shuck, Mary O. Rochatt, w/o Andrew, Jul 3 1856 - Jul 14 1883 [ss - Annie V.]
Shuck, Annie V., Aug 29 1878 - Oct 3 1878 [ss - Mary O.]
 
Smith, Jennie R., Mar 30 1874 - Nov 26 1885
 
Stevenson, Joseph,  Oct 13 1805 - Sep 29 1898
Stevenson, Sarah,  1841 - 1918
Stevenson, Enoch E., 1871 - 1941

Thomas, Sarah J., Aug 31 1878 - Mar 2 1898

Thomas stone
  Elsworth Thomas,  Aug 7 1872 - Mar 3 1893
  Calvin G. Thomas, Mar 31 18__ [no date] - Jul 29 1892
  Henry F. Thomas, Sep 27 1886 - Jan 1 1897

Thompson, Wm. Baxter, Feb 12 1814 - Apr 11 1859 [ss - Elizabeth B.]
Thompson, Elizabeth B., Dec 15 1814 - Sep 28 1896 [ss - Wm B.]

These stones are next to a large boulder with the name Wilson inscribed.
  Wilson, Foster C., 1840 - 1922 "Father" 
  Wilson, Margaret, his wife, 1849 - 1932 "Mother" 

  Children of F.C. & M. Wilson
    Infant son, Feb 22 1875
    J. Orth, Mar 8 1876 - Jul 5 1878
    J. Ruthie, Dec 15 1883 - Jan 14 1895

Wilson, Claude H., Nov 28 1892 - May 28 1974

Woodfill, Clarence C., Apr 13 1845 - May 6 1890
 
Vallilee, Robert,  Mar 29 1785 - Mar 3 1859
Vallilee, Mary,  Apr 23 1794 - Apr 30 1857
Vallilee, John M., Jun 6 1819 - Oct 3 1891, aged 72y 3m 17d
Vallilee, Olivia L., w/o John M., Oct 3 1830 - Aug 6 1919
Vallilee, Charles R., 1855 - 1932
Vallilee, Mark H., s/o J.M. & O.L. , Apr 21 1859 - Apr 3 1911

There are three creek rocks in a row with awkward inscriptions:

  R. Mill, 1844
  J Mill D 8-11-1852 [or possibly J. Miller 8-11-1852]
  M  2 . 8 . 1850

In the late 1930s, the D.A.R. listed these two stones as being in the
Big Creek Cemetery; however, they are now located at the present site
of the Marble Corner Cemetery. Both of these cemeteries were relocated
in 1941 for the Jefferson Proving Ground, and situated adjacent to one
another, divided by a driveway.

  Benjamin F. Dilk, s/o Henry & Abbie, Aug 22 1883 - Oct 16 1884
 
  Nancy Jane O'Neal Van Antwerp, Sep 16 1843 - Feb 15 1929
  Widow of Benjamin F. Van Antwerp, and d/o Francis G. &
  Margaret O'Neal

Also in the D.A.R.'s survey, were the following burials, which were not
found in this 2001 resurvey. Their whereabouts is unknown to me.

  Rochat, Blanche, Dec 22 1879 - Feb 25 1898
  Rochat, Maria Mitchell, Nov 25 1837 - May 23 1888
  Rochat, James H., Oct 17 1830 - Mar 16 1899, Civil War Soldier
  Rochat, Frank, Oct 12 1870 - Dec 15 1896
  Rochat, Thomas, Feb 11 1871 - Mar 20 1893
  Rochat, Lawrence, Dec 22 1879 - Feb 25 1898
    [Note same dates for Lawrence & Blanche]

  Thomas, Robert T., Mar 13 1845 - Feb 15 1881
  Thomas, Grace, Aug 18 1853 - Jun 25 1924