Crawfordsville Journal, September 17, 1873
Sexton Vanice is dis-interring the bodies which lie on the line of the
opening of Pike street, in the Presbyterian Cemetery. There are twenty-four
to be re-interred in the Masonic Cemetery.
In 1873, it was decided to extend Pike street on to the west, so the
desecration of Crawfordsville Cemetery began. Twenty-four bodies were
exhumed and re-interred in masonic Cemetery to make way for the project of
the extension of Pike street, (This began at what we now call Grant Avenue
on to the west on Pike street.
This article from the journal tells that the Sexton is dis-interring
bodies.... If other bodies were exhumed and re-interred in other cemeteries
the article does not say, there is no list of the twenty-four bodies
exhumed.
What year the remainder of this cemetery was destroyed and what
happened to the rest of the bodies is a mystery. For there is no cemetery
or any marking that one use to be there.
Kim
On Sun, Feb 22, 2009 at 7:18 PM, Kim & Roger Hancock
<hancock(a)link2000.net>wrote:
No, This is "Old Town Cemetery",
I have more articles of cemeteries being moved, one dated 1873 as well, so
this shows that it was as important to move a cemetery to make way for roads
and highways as it is today, not just to move the stones and build over
them. It also shows from research that they were terribly neglected as
they are today? Just makes you wonder what the outcome of the cemeteries
that we are now restoring will look like in 100 years? Or if they will even
be there.
Kim Hancock
On Sun, Feb 22, 2009 at 6:41 PM, <KidClerk(a)aol.com> wrote:
> Wonderful articles Kim.
>
> Where was/is this cemetery? Is this Oak Hill?
>
> I have several of ancestors buried in Montgomery County, but none that I
> know of in Crawfordsville itself. Hutton and Darlington IOOF mainly.
>
> Kyle D. Conrad
>
>
> In a message dated 2/22/2009 5:26:19 P.M. Central Standard Time,
> hancock(a)link2000.net writes:
>
> Here are a few articles about the moving of a cemetery in 1894, from
> research I have done on cemeteries in Montgomery county, IN
> Not much restoration work I can do in the Indiana weather. So I thought
> anyone interested in cemetery restoration would enjoy reading these
> articles
> found in the Montgomery county, Indiana newspapers.
>
> Kim Hancock
> Project Coordinator of the Restoration of pioneer cemteries for the
> Genealogy Club of Montgomery county, Indiana
>
>
> Crawfordsville Weekly Journal, Friday, July 6, 1894
> THE OLD TOWN CEMETERY
> The Bones of Many Early Residents Being Brought To Light After years of
> Peaceful Rest
> Last Friday afternoon, a representative of the Journal strolled out to
> the Old Town cemetery and notices the work of the resurrection and
> re-internment of the remains of many of Crawfordsville's oldest citizens.
> The north 60 feet of the cemetery from the east to the west is to be
> vacated
> and utilized as a road, and the work of re-internment has been in
> progress
> for several days. Each body, (only a few bones remain of most) when
> resurrected, is placed in a small enplaned and unpainted oak box of about
> 1
> x 2 feet and re-interred in a part of the cemetery not vacated; unless
> perchance some relatives of the dead person's remains, will manifest
> enough
> interest to have the bones carried to some other and more reputable
> burying
> ground.
> Large numbers of people visit the scene of the work daily and display
> the curiosity incident to lovers of such uncanny work. There are several
> workmen employed under the contractor, Jere Carver, and J.H. Cook,
> superintends the work and keeps the books. The cemetery has not been
> used
> for a burying ground for a number of years and is so rankly overgrown
> with
> brush and trees. The roots of these have in many instance penetrated to
> the
> coffins of the dead....... In nearly every instance the coffins have
> disappeared, leaving only a little wood to show they had ever been
> employed. The few remaining bones of the deceased are picked up
> carefully,
> however and deposited in the boxes prepared for them. The portion of the
> cemetery vacated is the most densely populated of the little city of the
> dead, and Friday afternoon, sixty-two bodies had been taken up, with as
> many
> more remaining.
> Friday afternoon, the bodies of John Conners and his little grandson,
> Dennis Ward Jr. were taken from adjacent graves after a sleep of 20
> years.
> Only a few bones remained. The bones of both were placed in one box and
> taken away by Dennis Ward, Sr.
> The bodies of Micajah Reeder, 1779-1849, and his daughter, Mrs. Wm. L.
> John rest under a large monument and have not yet been molested. Mr.
> Reeder
> died here while on a visit to the Burbridge family and was buried far
> from
> his home. His epitaph; "Touch the love Harp for him, Thus far form home
> sweet home, Where love still fondly clings."
> The skeleton of Mary Conder was found with a great wealth of flowing
> hair, probably grown after burial. The skeleton of Isabelle May was in
> excellent state of preservation. The body of Nancy Smith, which had been
> buried thirty-four years was found in excellent condition; the clothing
> still being preserved and even the hair pins in the queerly dressed hair.
> The bodies of Margaret Misner and two daughters were removed from
> adjacent graves. The bodies of John O'Connor and his children, Mickey
> and
> Maggie were removed to the Catholic Cemetery. Friday afternoon the white
> coffin of an unknown child was dug up. The coffin was in splendid
> condition
> and was re-interred in another part of the cemetery without being opened.
> The bodies of John, Tessie, and Lizzie Costello were removed to the
> Catholic
> cemetery. The skeleton of Archibald Martin was removed after being
> buried
> thirty-nine years, and was in good condition. Mr. Martin was 88 years
> old
> at the time of his death. The bodies of W.H.H. Martin, J.C. Martin, and
> James F. Martin were also taken from adjacent graves. The body of an
> unknown was removed from the grave next to that of W.H.H, Martin, his
> clothes were still in fine condition and easily showed their cut and
> color.
> The body of Rosa Wilson, colored, with the body of her infant child in
> her arms, was removed. Her hair was still preserved. The workers have
> found no jewelry of valuables as they work, although occasionally
> buttons,
> hair pins, etc. were picked up.
>
> Crawfordsville Weekly Journal, Friday, July 13, 1894
> Up to last Saturday evening 134 bodies had been taken up in the old
> graveyard. In nearly every instance there remains nothing but bones.
> One
> skeleton was removed that must have belonged to a man nearly seven feet
> tall.
> A startling discovery was made last week when one grave was opened; the
> coffin was there, only a little bit decayed, but when the lid was
> removed,
> there were no bones inside, nor any remains of a body. The grave had
> doubtless been robbed. There was no name to indicate who had been buried
> there, and for years the friends of the deceased had supposed the body
> was
> in the grave, when in fact it had doubtless been taken to some medical
> college in the interest of science.
> This list is for sharing pioneer cemetery questions, ideas and
> restoration
> projects.
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