Today my husband and I trekked to Owen County to find my great-great
grandparents tombstones in the Vandalia Methodist Cemetery. We first went
to the Owen County Public Library. The librarian showed us a map - Vandalia
Methodist was on the cemeteries list for Lafayette Twp section 9 (I've seen
that in numerous sources) but NOT labeled on the big map. She circled where
she thought it was on a map she gave us - very near Vandalia, just off
Indiana 46 and 246. We drove back to Vandalia, saw a church and a school,
no cemetery. We headed towards Patricksburg for a couple of miles on 246 -
no cemetery. The place on the map she marked appears to be very close to
246 and 46. We went back to the church and school, and a neighbor directed
us to go across highway 246, down a gravel road. She knew there was a
cemetery back there, but not its name. We drove about 1 1/2 miles down an
extremely washed out ONE LANE gravel road, with no signs of civilization
anywhere around us. We felt like pioneers. Finally we came to a bit of a
drop with a creek running across it. Our minivan is not designed for this.
As we were attempting to BACK back down this 1 lane road until we could find
a safe place to turn around, a lady in a four wheel drive pickup came along
and said that she lived 1/2 miles further along, that there was some sort of
cemetery, but she didn't know its name. She also said there was ANOTHER
creek that had to be forded. Maybe the severe downpours had recently ruined
this road, but it was impassable for our vehicle. Luckily she could get
around us, just barely, because her vehicle could handle the road
conditions. So we eventually found a safe place and turned around.
However, we are dubious that a cemetery that was important to the community
could be that much out in the sticks, and wonder if it wasn't the wrong one
anyway. Maybe it was a family cemetery. On the map there is labeled a
Palestine Cemetery. Somewhere I had the idea it MIGHT be the same as the
Vandalia Methodist. But again, we could not see from Highway 46 any road
leading off that might go to such a cemetery either. Has anyone actually
been to the Vandalia Methodist Cemetery that could give us directions???
Does anyone know if its name has been changed? How many miles from Vandalia
it might be? Safe way to get there?? I have seen the Owen County
Cemeteries book: the pages are labeled "Vandalia Methodist Cemetery,
Lafayette Twp, Section 9. I am looking for the graves of William Criss
Jr., Sarah Tolan Criss, Nancy France Criss, and other Crisses. It may be a
couple of months now before I can get back, so if anyone has directions,
please be as specific as possible. I may also try calling the Owen County
Commissioners, but would like to hear from someone doing genealogical
research who has been to the cemetery.
Appreciate any help you can give me! This is my first posting.
Laura E. Mitchell lmitch(a)iquest.net
2522 College Ave. lmitchell(a)vigo.lib.in.us
Terre Haute, IN 47803
(812) 234-0692
Visit the Vigo County Public Library Webpage at:
http://vax1.vigo.lib.in.us