MyIndianaHome.net

Ford Cemetery

Section 21, Township 4 North, Range 9 East
Smyrna Township, Jefferson County, Indiana.

Located on the Ford Farm, on Deputy Pike, west of Volga.
Longitude 85° 31.623'    Latitude 38° 46.885'

Photo by Ruth Hoggatt, 14 Feb 2001.

The Ford Cemetery was the burial grounds for the Sullivan and Ford families. The Sullivans owned the land from 1819-1854. Since this time, the property has been owned by the Ford Family. The first Ford to own this property was Robert Ford, who was instrumental in organizing the Hopewell Baptist Church, with the guidance of Jesse Vawter.

According to the Jefferson County Tract book, on Apr. 19, 1819, William (Willis) Sullivan purchased 160 acres, in the northwest quarter of section 21, Smyrna Township. On Aug. 25, 1842, Willis and his wife Fanny, sold 117 acres of this land to Nathaniel and Mary Jane Sullivan; who in turn, sold the property to James Fewell on Aug. 15, 1853. Evidently, the land reverted back to the Sullivans, as five months later on Jan. 23, 1854 Nathaniel and Mary Jane sold the same property to Robert Ford. On Aug. 1, 1861, Robert sold the farm to his son Achilles Ford. And, on Feb. 27, 1902, Achilles and Sophia, his wife, conveyed the property to their son James A. Ford, with the agreement that the land was an estate for life for Achilles and Sophia. When James A. died intestate and a widower, his property went to his two sons and daughter. At the time of his estate settlement in 1944, a partition of land was made, with W. Nathan Ford receiving the 117 acres which included the cemetery. Nathan (1898-1996) had been the caretaker of the Ford Cemetery since he was a young man, and was the last person to be buried here. The family cemetery is currently owned by Nathan's son, William Ford.

Per DAR, the first grave was that of an old lady.
Stones were piled on her grave to keep the wolves out.

Bassett, Mary, w/o Hervey F., Jun 13 1820 - Aug 27 1854
  [DAR gave maiden name as Sullivan, and marriage date as Sep 2 1841]

Fewell, Nathaniel, a Revolutionary soldier from Virginia, died on a visit
to the Sullivans, and was buried here. No stone. Other Fewell family
members were buried here.  [Note per DAR]

Ford, Achilles, 1825 - 1921 [ss - Sophia; fs - Father]
Ford, Sophia, his wife, 1830 - 1918 [ss - Achilles; fs - Mother]
Ford, Infant s/o Frank A. & Hattie M. Ford, 11 Feb 1914 - 13 Feb 1914
  [Per Bill Ford, the infant's name is Kenneth]
Ford, Frank A., 1889 - 1944 [ss - Hattie; fs - Father]
Ford, Hattie M., 1894 - 1972 [ss - Frank; fs - Mother]
Ford, James A., 1863 - 1944 [ss - Carlotta; fs - Father]
Ford, Carlotta, 1860 - 1933 [ss - James; fs - Mother]
Ford, Nathan, 1898 - 1996 [ss- Mary; fs - Father]
Ford, Mary E., 1897 - 1938 [ss - Nathan; fs - Mother; nee Bott]
Ford, Mary, w/o Jacob, d. 19 Nov 1857, age 24 Yrs. 2 Mo. & 18 Ds.
  [Husband's name per DAR, unable to read.]
Ford, Robert & wife [Graves marked with field stones; unknown location in cemetery]

Robinson, Job S., 1821 - 1891 [ss - Sarah]
Robinson, Sarah, his wife, 1831 - 1900 [ss - Job]
  [DAR gave maiden name as Thompson, and marriage date as Nov 16 1848]

Spicer, Mary Etta, 26 Jul 1846 - 8 Feb 1908

Stokes stone
  Clarinda Stokes, 10 Oct 1888 - 7 Sep 1898 [South side, best guess]
  [The inscriptions on the north and west sides are illegible.]

Stokes, Sarah I., w/o Nat'l, 25 Feb 1850 - 15 Jul 1873
Stokes, Susie   [Illigible, best guess. This is a small stone, probably a child's.
  Beside Sarah Stokes.]

Sullivan, Jesse J., 7 Feb 1855 - 14 Dec 1911 [ss - Jennie; fs - Father]
Sullivan, Jennie M., 5 Oct 1861 - 28 Jan 1939 [ss - Jesse]
Sullivan, Joseph A., 30 Mar 1839 - 4 Jan 1864, 4th Cavalry
Sullivan, Nancy J., Sister, 12 Mar 1843 - 12 Aug 1909 [fs - N.J.S.]
Sullivan, Mary J., w/o Nathan, Mother, 24 Oct 1820 - 6 Jan 1908 [fs - M.J.S.]
Sullivan, Nathan, 7 Apr 1816 - 19 Dec 1865
Sullivan, Mary E., 1 Apr 1845 - 5 Feb 1865
Sullivan, Frank M., 1891 - 1921 [fs - Father]
Sullivan, Leila V., Second Child of Oscar M. & Frances M. Sullivan,
  31 Mar 1910 - 23 Aug 1910

Thompson, Sina, w/o G., 18 May 1827 - 1 Sep 1867, aged 40 Yrs, 5 Mo. & 13 Ds


About 45 field stones.


Photo of Ford Cemetery, 14 Feb 2001.