Today's Walk Through the Tombstones is at Melott Cemetery in Pikes Peak, Brown County, Indiana. This cemetery is also known as Moffitt Cemetery or Poplar Grove Cemetery.
GPS Coordinates: 39.11575, -86.13055
This lovely cemetery is set just back off of the Popular Grove Road in Brown County, Indiana. It was established somewhere around 1840 and in 2003 the old, broken wooden sign was replaced with this sturdy stone one. There are just over 170 interments at this cemetery and probably the most famous is Brown County stone carver, Henry Cross and his family. Those that recognize his name may know him from the folk art head that sat at the house in Stone Head, a few miles away. Unfortunately, someone broke the stone head off of the marker and stole in the fall of 2016. There is a wonderful article about the Stone Head and Henry Cross here. But, what many people do not know was that Henry Cross also carved many headstones in Brown County, most of which, I am told, are located here in Melott Cemetery.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our first stop is at the grave of Absalom Clark.
Born: March 15, 1779, Somerset County, Pennsylvania
Died: July 21, 1854, Brown County, Indiana
He was married to Hannah Bishop Clark (1785-1855). She is buried near him in Melott Cemetery.
They had at least one child:
Elizabeth Clark Cross Mabe (1825-1905) - buried in Mt. Zion Cemetery, Brown County, Indiana.
Mary Clark Cross (?-?) - burial unknown
Mary Clark Cross (?-?) - burial unknown
He headstone is in lovely condition, though it has been recently repaired to reattach a diagonal break at the top. The following is the inscription at the base of the headstone.
"To sect. or party; the great soul
Disdains to be confined:
The good he loves, of every name;
And prays for all mankind.
J.W. Critchfield, Eng."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is the grave of Angeline Clark.
Born: unknown
Died: August 28, 1854
I am unsure as to her parents or whether or not she had any siblings.
The top of her grave has such a lovely carving of a young girl and what appears to be a lamb laying down next to her and a pile of hay. I believe that this may be a Henry Cross headstone, but he didn't sign the majority of his work, so I am not positive. I have asked the Brown County Historical Society for confirmation, but have not heard back yet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Born: unkown
Died: January 22, 1856
I am not sure of her relationship to any of the other Clarks in this cemetery just yet.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Born: unknown
Died: July 30, 1854
(please forgive the fact that the headstone picture is sideways. For some reason, I can not get it to upload the right direction at this time)
He was the husband of Maria Hedrick Clark (?-?). I am not sure where she is buried or whether or not they had any children.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Born: unknown
Died: December 28, 1853.
I am not sure who this infant's parents were as there are many Clark's buried in Melott Cemetery and there don't appear to be any family links so far.
~~~~~~~~
Born: October 11, 1785, Somerset County, Pennsylvania
Died: March 2, 1855, Brown County, Indiana
I am not sure who her parents were or whether or not she had any siblings.
She was married to Absalom Clark (1799-1854) who is buried near her in Melott Cemetery in Brown County, Indiana.
They had at least one child:
Elizabeth Clark Cross Mabe (1825-1905) - buried in Mt. Zion Cemetery, Brown County, Indiana
Mary Clark Cross (?-?) - burial unknown
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Born: February 24, 1828
Died: August 1, 1854
She was the daughter of William Cross (1796-1861) and Mariam Mormon Cross Lockman George (1806-1885). They were married in 1821 and are both buried in Lutes Cemetery, Jackson County, Indiana.
She had several siblings:
John Thomas Cross (1824-1907) - buried in Robertson Cemetery, Jackson County, Indiana
James Oliver Cross (1830-1897) - buried in Lutes Cemetery, Jackson County, Indiana
William M. Cross (1831-1905) - buried in Lutes Cemetery, Jackson County, Indiana
Susan Angeline Cross Lockman (1834-1867) - buried in Lutes Cemetery, Jackson County, Indiana
Solomon Mormon Cross (1838-1891) - buried in Lutes Cemetery, Jackson County, Indiana
Richmond Marion Cross (1840-1916) - buried in Lutes Cemetery, Jackson County, Indiana
Joseph Durland Cross (1844-1862) - burial unknown
Mariam Jane Cross Bowman (1846-1916) - buried in Riverview Cemetery, Jackson County, Indiana
Robert T. Cross (1848-1849) - buried in Lutes Cemetery, Jackson County, Indiana
She was the first wife of Robert B. Clark (1822-1912). They were married in 1846 and he is buried in Anna-Edna Cemetery, Cedar County, Missouri.
They had at least three children:
Robert Fulton Clark (1843-1851) - buried in Melott Cemetery, Brown County, Indiana
Mariam Hannah Clark Brand (1847-1910) - buried in Anna-Edna Cemetery, Cedar County, Missouri
Leah Clark Thompson (1848-1928) - buried in Houston Cemetery, Jackson County, Indiana
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We now stop at the grave of the Infant Twin Sons Cross.Born: December 3, 1849
Died: December 9, 1849
They were the sons of Henry Cross (1821-1864) and Mary Clark Cross (?-?). They are both buried here in Melott Cemetery.
Had they survived, they would have had many siblings:
Chester Cross (1845-1911) - buried in Macks Creek Cemetery, Camden County, Missouri
Ruey Ann Cross (?-?) - burial unknown
Elizabeth Cross (?-?) - burial unknown
Hannah Cross (?-?) - burial unknown
Olive Cross (?-?) - burial unknown
Mary Frances Cross (?-?) - burial unknown
Julia Azubah Cross (1863-?) - burial unknown
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Born: August 21, 1821, Jackson County, Indiana
Died: February 26, 1864
He was the son of Chester Cross (?-?). This is a presumption as the records at the time were very loosely kept. There is no mention of his mother's name nor the burial locations of either. I also have found no mention of any siblings.
Henry probably learned the art of stone carving from his father since a trade such as that was generally taught through apprenticeship and training. And since there are many Cross headstones throughout Columbus, Indiana and Brown County, Indiana, it is likely that his father was also a stone carver. Henry was likely associated with the carver, J.W. Critchfield, of Columbus, Indiana since his father-in-laws stone was signed with this name.
He moved to Brown County at some point and was married to Mary Clark Cross (?-?) on October 12, 1845. They settled on some land just south of what is now Pike's Peak. They had a beautiful house, which, from what I understand, may still be standing up on the hill behind Melott Cemetery. This area, however, is not fenced off and gated and is supposedly owned by someone famous and quite wealthy.
Henry Cross is most famous for three stone markers that were carved and placed around Brown County. Henry opted to carve these for his community instead of spending time clearing and maintaining the roadways. Two have long since disappeared, but the most famous was known as Stone Head and sits at what is now the Stone Head House. Unfortunately in the fall of 2016, the head was broken off and stolen. A new marker was carved and placed there to commemorate the stone head, which was on the register of Historical Landmarks for the state of Indiana.
Mary and Henry had nine children:
Chester Cross (1845-1911) - buried in Macks Creek Cemetery, Camden County, Missouri
Ruey/Ruah Ann(a) Cross (1848-?) - burial unknown
Infant Sons Cross (1849-1849) - buried in Melott Cemetery, Brown County, Indiana
Elizabeth Cross (?-?) - burial unknown
Hannah Cross (?-?) - burial unknown
Olive Cross (?-?) - burial unknown
Mary Frances Cross (?-?) - burial unknown
Julia Azubah Cross (1863-?) - burial unknown
Henry Cross suffered a terrible accident on February 26, 1864. While clearing some trees with his neighbors, one of them fell and pinned him beneath it. After his death, his son Chester took over the stone carving business. Mary couldn't handle being alone after her parents died, so she moved back to Ohio to be nearer to her relatives. I have yet to locate her burial site.
There is so much wonderful information about Henry Cross in the archives of Brown County and Indiana University.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Born: January 27, 1843
Died: July 30, 1851
He was the son of Robert B. Clark (1822-1912) and his first wife, Jemima Catharine Cross Clark (1828-1854). They were married in 1846. He is buried in Anna-Edna Cemetery, Cedar County, Missouri, while she is buried near her son in Melott Cemetery.
He had several siblings:
Mariam Hannah Clark Brand (1847-1910) - buried in Anna-Edna Cemetery, Cedar County, Missouri
Leah Clark Thompson (1848-1928) - buried in Houston Cemetery, Jackson County, Indiana
James W. Clark (1860-1950) - buried in Mountain View Cemetery, Pueblo County, Colorado
Lydia Ann Clark Whitehorn (1867-1959) - buried in Anna-Edna Cemetery, Cedar County, Missouri
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Born: unknown
Died: August 25, 1854
(my apologies for the picture being sideways. For some reason, it will not turn no matter what I do.)
Her headstone is absolutely lovely and was likely carved by Henry Cross.
I have no information on her family as there are no other Homes' buried in Melott Cemetery.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Born: June 24, 1850, Van Buren Township, Brown County, Indiana.
Died: August 20, 1853, Van Buren Township, Brown County, Indiana
He was the son of William Franklin Mabe (1825-1911) and Elizabeth Clark Cross Mabe (1825-1905). They are both buried in Mt. Zion Cemetery, Brown County, Indiana.
He had several siblings:
Mary Mabe Swain (1849-1930) - buried in Mt. Zion Cemetery, Brown County, Indiana
Harriet Jane Mabe Hendricks (1852-1948) - buried in Mt. Zion Cemetery, Brown County, Indiana.
Leamon Martin Mabe (1857-1881) - buried in Columbus City Cemetery, Bartholomew County, Indiana (he was listed as being a professor of penmanship)
~~~~~~~~~~~
Born: unknown
Died: 1888
She was the daughter (I am assuming daughter) of William H. Lemley (1832-1905) and Susan A. Moore Lemley (1836-1901). They are both buried in Melott Cemetery nearby.
She had a few siblings:
Benjamin F. Lemley (?-1894) - buried in Melott Cemetery, Brown County, Indiana
Charles G. Lemley (?-1894) - buried in Melott Cemetery, Brown County, Indiana
George W. Lemley (1866-1929) - buried in Melott Cemetery, Brown County, Indiana
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I hope that you have enjoyed your walk through Melott Cemetery in Brown County, Indiana.
Please visit the listing at Find-A-Grave.
Please let me know if you have any information about any of the graves listed here. And once again, I apologize for some of the pictures being sideways. For some unknown reason they were shifted in orientation when they were uploaded and I can't seem to get them to show correctly.
0 comments:
Post a Comment