Tales The Tombstones Tell - Republican Observer September 1, 1955

   Uncle Joe and Aunt Lydia

 For detailed information of the lives of those who "have gone on before" the Loyd cemetery is perhaps the most interesting one in the county. The tombstones not only give the name, date of birth and date of death but lists interesting facts about the folks who sleep away the years upon the hillside overlooking the village.

 For instance there is the monument of Robert Bruce Stewart, it reads:

 Robert Bruce Stewart, born in Stockbridge, Madison county, New York, December 14, 1821. Went to Jefferson county, Wisconsin, in 1849, moved to Buena Vista, Richland county in 1849, and with E.M. Sexton platted the village of Loyd in 1854; died February 16, 1901, aged 79 years, 2 months. We only know that they have gone, and that the same relentless tide which bore them from us, still glides on and those who mourn them with it glide.

On the other side of the monument is this:

 Helen L. Sexton, daughter of Morris and Linda Sexton, born at Clayton, Jefferson county, New York, October 18, 1825,lived in Chicago. In 1836, came to Jefferson, Wisconsin, in 1838, married to R.B. Stewart March 4, 1847, and died May 7, 1897, aged 71 years, 6 months and 19 days.

 A marker for their daughter is also on the lot and we wondered as we read the inscription what the last line meant, it has a meaning, but what? The marker was for Laurentine who was married to C. R. Hyde in 1882 and died at Superior, Wis., June 21, 1904.

The last line reads: "She hath done what she could."

 The cemetery contains stones for many of the pioneers of the Loyd area and familiar names on the monuments brought memories of friends we used to know.

 Some of the tombstones tell matters of interest. For instance there is one near the tool house for Joseph Rassette who was born in Quebec, Canada, June 1, 1807 and died December 1, 1887, buried at Hartford, Michigan. The inscription reads:

 "Uncle Joe will long be remembered as the genial story teller, a good citizen and an honest man."

 The stone also contains a brief history of his wife. It reads:
 "Lydia B. Sexton born at Leeds, Canada, February 9, 1810; lived at Muskegon,  Michigan, in 1836; at Sextonville, Wis., from 1851 to 1867, at Hartford, Michigan until 1888, died at Loyd, Wis. January 10, 1896, a friend to homeless children. Aunt Lydia was the daughter of Maurice E. and Linda Sexton; a sister of E.M. Sexton, Mindwell Johnston, Helen Stewart, and Comfort Banks. Faithful, kind and true. Her's was a long life well filled with loving deeds."

 On a monument not far from Rassette's is one which bears this inscription:
 "In the soft light and sweet repose of that fair land of bliss;
 She gently rest and waits for those
 She loved and left in this"

Upon the grave stone of Amos Stafford, born September 28, 1783; died May,1861, it says:
 "The angles called him on a sunny day."

 According to history Mr. Stafford went to Loyd in 1856 from Cbenango county New York, in the fall and spent the winter in Loyd. The following spring he settled on section 26, later on he moved to section 15 where he built a mill, put in a turning lathe and manufactured furniture. He was a natural mechanic and a good workman.

 The old familiar one with a few changes about preparing for death and follow me, appears upon the stone of John Thompson; it reads:

 "My children dear assemble here.
 Your father's grave to see;
 Not long ago I dwelt with you
 But soon you will come and dwell with me."

Upon another was this:

 "Where this silent marble weeps,
 A friend, a wife, a mother, sleeps."

 Here is another pretty verse that notes the first death in the Smyth family, it says:

 "O, brother, first to leave our band,
 Life's song as yet unsung;
 While gray hairs gather on our brows,
 Thou are forever young."

 There are a number of the early comers to Loyd who were of French origin. One of them is Jules Francois, who at one time lived in Richland Center. We noted from the stone the spelling of his first name; it was "JuLes"; all one word but with a capital J. and L.

 According to the county history the Loyd cemetery was laid out at an early date and one of the first persons to be laid to rest therein was H. Z. Britton who was the first person to die in the village. His death took place in 1855 and he was buried in the village but later removed to the cemetery.

 Mr. Britton was born in 1795. He was one of the first town officers of Willow township, and when the post office was established at Loyd in 1855 he was the postmaster. He also in 1851, conducted a hotel in Sextonville.

S. F.

Tales The Tombstones Tell - Republican Observer September 15, 1955

   A Grave With Two Marker

 In the Oak Ridge cemetery in the town of Orion a neglected grave bears two government markers evidently for the same person and the question is why? A bit of mystery creeps into the matter as the names on the two stones is spelled differently though there is no doubt but that the two spellings are both wrong.

 On one stone, note the spelling, it says "P. B. Wellsher, Co. B. 33 Wisconsin Infantry."

 On the other stone, and again note the spelling, it reads: "Philip Welcker, Co. B. 33 Wis. Infantry."

 Noting the slight difference in the spelling of the last name we wondered if perhaps a government marker had been set up when it was discovered a mistake bad been made and a second stone ordered and set up  upon the grave of the departed Civil War veteran. The matter interested us as to the correct spelling so we looked the name up in the official roster as published by the government. It did not help a bit for we found the name had been spelled differently upon both markers.

 According to the roster there was only one person in Co. B. 33 Wis. Infantry who had a name at all similar to those on the markers. The government lists the name and again note the spelling, as Phillip B. Welcher. He enlisted August 14, 1862, at Boscobel and was mustered out of service August 20, 1865, serving a bit over three years. It might be of interest to note the first name; on one stone it is P. B., on another Philip and the government puts another letter in, making it Phillip.

 That is a sample of interesting things you find upon the tombstones.

   Neglected Graves

 The Oak Ridge cemetery is another one that is neglected and almost forgotten. However a part of the cemetery is kept up in a way; brush is cut, grass mowed and an effort made to keep the last resting place of old settlers in an orderly way. But for the most part berry bushes, poison ivy, weeds and tall grass run riot. The cemetery is quite in old one, the date of its coming into being is not known. Like many of the old time burying places, it was connected with a church. The church which stood on the site, was a hewn log building erected in 1871. It is now gone, having been torn down and no trace of it left.  Its site is now part of a hay field which also hides from the view of those who pass along the highway the little cemetery. An odd tree, a dead hickory, is used as a fence post on the south side of the cemetery. It was probably not very large when the church was built, not large now but quite a sight, one worth looking at. Flickers and woodpeckers have been at work on the tree for quite some time and have it carved to perfection.

   A Pioneer Sleeps There

 One of the pioneers of the county, S. S. Blake, is buried in the Oak Ridge cemetery. He came to Richland county, in the spring of 1854 and entered land in the town of Orion and went to the village of Orion where he clerked in a store, later taught school. His farm was heavily wooded and in 1856 he started to clear the land; built a log house which stood for many years. It has now been torn down.

 Mr. Blake was a veteran of the Civil War, a member of Co. B, 25th Wis. Infantry, enlisting on August 2, 1862. On the 22nd of July, 1864, he was seriously wounded in a battle at Decatur, Georgia. On March 20, 1865, he was discharged and sent home. Mr. Blake was married on January 18, 1855, to Mary Ambrose, who was also a native of Pennsylvania. She, too, is buried in the Oak Ridge cemetery not far from the hickory tree mentioned above.

 Mr. Blake had been an officer of trust and honor in the town of Orion. He was for a time chairman of the town, and so, like many pioneers, his last resting place is in a neglected cemetery. He died on March 5, 1904, and was buried in the Oak Ridge cemetery March 7th. "Ashes to ashes" said the minister as the body was lowered into the grave.

   A Forgotten Cemetery

 Down on Oak Ridge there is a forgotten cemetery of which little is known. It is a small plot located near the Stibbe farm at the junction of two town roads, one coming up from Hoosier Hollow where it join the main ridge road. One would not notice the three or four tombstones standing or laying there. So obscure is it and so far forgotten that relatives of those buried there "had never heard about it" until told a number of years ago by the writer of this article of its location. A tall hickory tree stands as a marker for the spot.

 One of the stones, which now leans up against a fence post reads:

  "Jasper W., son of A. M. and M. A. Breneman, died,
   Dec. 30, 1874, aged 4 months and 18 days."

 The little boy was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Breneman who will be well remembered by older citizens of this area. Another child is buried in this little spot. A grandparent also sleeps away the years "where the cross roads meet."  Strange how folks become separated, with two children buried on Oak Ridge, Mrs. Breneman and her son Mart, are down in the Indian Creek cemetery near the village of Orion, yet Mr. Breneman was laid to rest in the Richland Center cemetery where a flag flies over his grave on each Memorial Day. Anthony was a Civil War veteran. We knew him well.

S. F.

The Tales The Tombstones Tell - Republican Observer September 22, 1955

  Name of Cemeteries in the County

 Perhaps it would be of interest to learn the names of over 90 cemeteries in Richland county.

 Another matter of interest would be to take a look into the books of an old time undertaker. The old time undertaker in this instance was J. S. McKinney, of Excelsior, who made coffins in the early days and later had "store botten" ones. The record we have before us has been kindly loaned to us by a granddaughter of Mr. McKinney, Mrs. Miles Randall of Excelsior, and is for the years of 1899 through 1904.

                 Cemeteries

 First let us jot down the names of some 90 cemeteries in Richland county. In addition to those listed there am numerous other old burying grounds scattered all over the county. Some of these contain but a single grave. Early settlers in many instances used plots upon the farms close to homes until cemetery sites could be selected, grave yard established and fenced off.

 Of the 91 or 92 sites listed 26 are no longer used and in some instances burials have not been made therein for many years. Some are forgotten spots, tombstones knocked down and covered with grass and weeds. If you are interested in the names we print them below, listed by townships. Those marked with a * are no longer used:

Akan: Felton, Five Points.
Bloom: West Lima, Pleasant Ridge, Bloom City, Woodstock,
       Champion Valley.
Buena Vista: Sextonville, Richland City*, Button (Buena Vista),
             Lone Rock, Jennings (private), Brown, St. Kilian's.
Dayton: Conkle, Parcell*, Core*, Boaz, Dayton Corners, Brown.
Eagle: Newburn*, Slater*, Sobeck*, Dawson, Pleasant Hill, Miller,
       Bethel, Basswood.
Forest: Lawton*, Summitt*, Viola, Anher*, Hopewell, Bender*,
        Camp Creek*.
Henrietta: East Pine River, Soules Creek, Melancthon Creek.
Ithaca: Willow Valley, Bear Valley, Keyesville, Neptune.
Marshall: Ash Ridge, Lowrey*, English Ridge, Fancy Creek,
          Fishel (Spring Hill), Copenhefer*.
Orion: Brennamen*, Oak Ridge, Orion Village*, Indian Creek,
       Mayfield, Ash Creek, Bovee*.
Rockbridge: Hancock* (private), Rockbridge, Mosher* (private).
Richland: Bowen, Richland Center, Pine River, St. Mary's, County Farm,
          Miller* (Science Hill).
Richwood: Tavera, West Fork, Haskin, Haskin (new addition), Chitwood*,
          Sand Prairie, Coumbe, Greenwood(Shore), Haney*, Maple Ridge,
          Wright*, Richwood.
Sylvan: Sabin (Mt. Tabor), St. Peter's*, Sylvan, Frawley*, Mill Creek.
Westford: Hedka, Cazenovia, Germantown, St. Bridget's.
Willow: Wildermuth, Pleasant Ridge, Stoddard*, St. Paul's, Loyd,
        Burdick, Concord.

     Fifty-Six Years Ago
Now let us turn back the pages to 1899, fifty-six years ago and take a look into the book kept by J. S. McKinney, undertaker at Excelsior. Besides being an undertaker Mr. McKinney was a carpenter and farmer

  The book he kept and from which we gleaned this information, starts January 1, 1899, and funeral number one for that year was Mrs.  Jul Eddy. She died on January 11, 1899, at the age of 78 years, nine months. Her funeral was on January 13th and according to the book, burial was made in the Hanson cemetery and the total bill was $32, of which $25 was for the casket, $2 for the box, $2 for a robe, and $3 for the hearse.

 That was about the average cost of a funeral back in 1899. Some were more, some less for adults much less for infants and children.

 Funeral number nine as recorded in the book, was for Paul Brown, nine months old who died on June 29th, and was buried on July lst in the West Fork cemetery. The funeral cost was $9, $7 for the coffin and $2 for the hearse, which was about the average for infants.

 There was no embalming done by Mr. McKinney, a robe or wrapper was provided by him at a cost of around $2.50, a small charge was made for the hearse, but it was not used for many funerals and as all of the burials were close to Excelsior the charge was small. However one long trip was made. That was when Elder Marks passed away. Rev. Marks, who at the time was at West Port, suffered a heart attack in church and died. His funeral was on October 5, 1903, and they buried him in the English Ridge cemetery in the town of Marshall, a distance of "20 miles", so the book says. Rev. Marks was 75 years old and the entire undertaking bill was $37 which was paid in cash.

 Cash was not always available, and in some cases Mr. McKinney failed to get paid in full for his services. In one instance the undertaking bill amounted to $44.50 and small payments were made from time to time until the bill was fully paid. Odd as it may seem, one of the payments consisted of 15 1/2 gallons of sorghum, so everything turned out all right in that case.

 Records were kept of the cemetery where the burials took place and some of them are different than what they are known as today. Mr. McKinney reports burials being made in the Dosch, Duncan, Coates and Hanson cemeteries. Where are they located? One, the Dosch cemetery, is now known as Tavera.

 From January 1, 1899 to January 1, 1909 Mr. McKinney had 91 charges for undertaking services, eleven only during the year of 1903 and fifteen in 1899, so business was not so rushing back in those years for a country undertaker of which Mr. McKinney was a typical example.

S. F.