Oakwood
Oakwood Cemetery, Montebello Township, Hancock County, Illinois.

This cemetery burial list with the introduction was copied from the Pearl Gordon Vestal (Mrs. G L Vestal) scrapbook "Pioneer biographies book", P. 179.  Mrs. Vestal made this list the period of July 30th 1949 to September 29th 1949

Her interest in Hancock County historical research was no doubt stimulated by the worker for Father John Gordon who was the president of the County historical Society in 1932.  He was a Hamilton, Illinois banker who spent the best years of his life engaged in a local research in the field of history.

Mrs. Vestal is now (fall of 1968) deceased.  Several people got her scrapbooks after she died.  A number were presented to the Hamilton, Illinois  The Public Library.  The Gordon family kept some of them.

In October of 1968 Mr. Don Gordon of Hamilton, a brother of Mrs. Vestal, loaned the one of the scrapbooks to Warren L. Van Dine to enable him to copy this  cemetery burial list for the cemeteries burial list project.  The book, which is one of the most valuable Hancock County history ever kept on anyone was place in the vault at the county clerk's office in Carthage.  Mr. Van Dine Spend office hours at the courthouse several days copying this list.

Credit will be given to Pearl Gordon Vestal "Beloved lady of the press".  Her introduction will be quoted next.

Introduction
P. 179 pioneer biographies book
(Pearl Gordon Vestal)
records copied.  From July 30, 1949 to September 29, 1949 by Pearl Avis Gordon Vestal (Mrs. Clarence Leroy Vestal), Hamilton, Illinois.

Location, third ward of city of Hamilton, Illinois

(this copy of the deed for a lot in cemetery conveyed by the trustees to to the Samuel Gordon family (Mrs. Vestal's grandfather) under date of May 5, 1873.  Signed by W. S. Wilbur, President and Thomas J. Potts, Treasurer and Secretary).

Notes on this deed:

Hamilton, Illinois June 15, 1949: I found the original of this deed among the papers which my father, the late John Albert Gordon, inherited from his father.  The late Samuel Gordon, to whom the deed was drawn.  This lot is in the extreme northeast corner of the old section of the zero would cemetery, and in it Samuel Gordon (my own grandfather); his wife, Permelia (Alvord) Gordon; and three of his daughters: Rev. Eleanor Elizabeth Gordon, and Miss Alice A. Gordon, and Miss Agnes C. Gordon, are buried.  The original deed is its present in my own custody.  It is a printed form, the blanks filled out in ink.  Quite aside from its value to the cordons as a family, I consider it of importance as a matter of local Hamilton history, for the reason that it gives the date when the land was deeded to the cemetery: November 11, 1867 (end of notes on deed).

Hamilton and Hancock history scrapbook, volume to page 14 in an article by J. A. Gordon he quotes from a Hamilton newsletter dated August 21, 1876: " Our people are taking an active interest in the Oakwood cemetery, a work longer needed.".

P.  34 of Vol. 4 of my Hamilton in Hancock historical scrapbooks, has article from Hamilton, Illinois Press, February 2, 1933. The will of the Henry J. Harrison, filed Jan 21, 1933 bequeathes $500.00 to, Oakwood Cemetery, to be held in trust by its trustees and income used for upkeep of the cemetery.

Page 19 of Volume 2 of my Hamilton in Hancock historical scrapbooks has an article by my father, the late John A. Gordon, Hamilton, Illinois, in which he quotes a Hamilton newsletter dated April 16, 1877:

"The proprietors of Oakwood Cemetery have elected the following persons to serve as trustees: D. W. C. Harris, T. J. Potts, H. L. Strong, John Wright, and David Suter.  We hope these gentleman will further interest themselves in beautifying the grounds, planted evergreens, repair the road, lay aside walk, then we will suggest something else".
 January 1, 1950: Mrs. Helen Pence marshall tells me that Oakwood Cemetery now has six Trustees, all appointed by the county court, to serve for life, and that they are Lewis C.  Dadant, wallace Humphrey, Harry Cuerden, Ralph Holtsclaw, Helen Marshall (Mrs. Charles), and Bertha McClellan Van Valer (Mrs. Walter).

Mrs. Vestal's made further comment about her handling of this Oakwood cemetery burial list in an explanation at the end of it about an index which she set up to enable people to find families Surnames and the scrapbook.

"This alphabetical index, by surnames, covers the reading of inscriptions upon tombstones and undertaker's ' markers copied in late summer and early autumn of 1949, by me, and appearing in this volume on pages 179-224.  This copy is as complete as I was able to make it, and as accurate as I could make it, under the handicap of working alone, with no assistant to check on the reading and copying.  As in all cemeteries, there are more graves than there are stones or other markers; and as graves are no longer mounded up even the locations or existence of some old graves may be lost, except, probably, that the records of the Oakwood cemetery may reveal them.  Also, where there are stones and undertakers ' metal markers, some are partly or fully illegible.  In a very few instances of the reading of the name or date was not quite certain to me.  I have given many days ' time to copying these inscription's into a small book, on Cemetery trips, or two to four hours at each visit; and more days have been spent transcribing them to the present big record book and looking up family relationships in books of Hancock Co. , Ill.  History and biography and in newspaper obituary accounts, and intervening friends and relict this of the deceased about relationships.  As I have been at genealogist I have tried to supplement the brief tombstone records with notes telling places of birth, death, and marriage; parentage, dates and names of married Partners; lists of children; list of survivors.  After completing all readable Cemetery inscription's, in fall of 1949, about later interments gleaned from obituaries published in the weekly Hamilton (Ill.) Press and The Daily Gate City (published and Keokuk, Iowa).  Because I hope my work may serve some future historian, or genealogists, after I am gone, I will try to make a record, or supplemental index, to aid in tracing family relationships: this index will embrace maiden names of married women.  For example Lizzie Denton (Mrs. Robert R. Wallace) will be included under both wallace (main index) and Denton (supplemental index).  Thus anyone doing research on the Denton family, under "D", learns that a Denton daughter died as a wallace wife, and obtain her dates under "W".  In a very few cases, a man may bear a family's surname as his own in middle name, indicating the probable surname of his mother; or possibly such a middle name indicates his grandparents.  Example: Edwin Lefler Elston, P. 208, has Lefler ancestry.

Pearl at Avis Gordon Vestal (Mrs. Clarence Leroy Vestal), Hamilton, Illinois , December 27-31, 1949.
 

Some data about management of Oakwood Cemetery.

This cemetery apparently was set up in the 1850's about when the town of Hamilton was founded.  Some death dates on stones go back into that decade.

The Oakwood cemetery Association was formed in 1873.  On November 25, 1873 Mr. W. S. Wilbur, president, put an advertisement in the dollar monthly, a magazine published by Thomas Gregg, notifying all "That have lots occupied in the Oakwood cemetery to please call on the secretary and pay for the same and get their certificate of purchase," the secretary was Mr. T. J. Botts.  This appeared in the January 1, 1874 number of the magazine.

(Quoting from a letter by County Judge Warren H. Orr to the association which must have been dated some time in the 1920's when he held this position, 1918-1929):

"The Oakwood cemetery of Hamilton was incorporated under the laws of Illinois (Act of 1903) on September 4, 1909.  The petition for incorporation was signed by E. M. Leroy, C.  H. Cox, D. H. Hoffman, George D. Gates, and Oscar Johnson, and Wallace G. Humphrey, and in these six men constituted its first board of trustees.  Of these original trustees C H. Cox, George D. Gates, and D. H. Hoffman  are now dead and Oscar Johnson has moved from this county, so that only two of the original six Trustees, E. M. Leroy and Wallace G. Humphrey, are now serving.  The other four trustees are Mrs. Blanche D. Guy, Wilbur M. Leroy, Mrs. Hattie Englihardt, and Louis C. Dadant.

Under the law, the trustees are appointed by the County Judge and serve for six years, one-half of them being reappointed every three years. "

The following chronicling the end of the above the and of  the above described Association was printed in the Hamilton press, September 13, 1951 number:

"Oakland cemetery Association dissolved.

The Oakwood cemetery Association was dissolved as a corporation by the state of Illinois . September 10.

This came about as the result of the new law which went into effect during the past year, which made it desirable to turn the operation of the cemetery to the township.

The Oakwood cemetery was managed by a group of citizens for many years, who kept the cemetery in fine shape. "
 

Asbury, John- b: January 8, 1909 in Illinois  d: January 1973 in Illinois
Asbury, Joseph- b: January 7, 1949 in Indianapolis, Indiana  d: May 17, 2000 Carthage, Hancock Co, Illinois (s/o John R. and Willanna Lord Asbury)
Ashlock, Margaret (Symmonds)- b: in Indiana  d: 05 Mar 1937 at her home in Hamilton, Hancock County, Illinois  (d/o Loyal Firman & Charlotte (Tyner) Symmonds w/o W. W. Ashlock)
Ashlock, Calloway Brazil- b:November 2, 1839 in Anderson Co, Tennessee d: 14 Jan 1911 in Hancock Co, Illinois  (d/o to John & Jemima (King) Ashlock) m. 1st Amanda E. Baldwin on 31 Jan 1869 in Hancock Co, Illinois, m. 2nd Christabelle "Belle" Tanner on 16 Jan 1897 (buried in McGee cemetary)
Ashlock, Christabelle "Belle" (Tanner)- b: 17 Aug 1868  d: May 9, 1934 in Noblesville, Indiana
Ashlock, Wilbern Walker- b. 30 Apr 1847 in Anderson Co, Tennessee    d: 22 Apr 1926 in Hancock C, Illinois  (s/o  John & Jemima (King) Ashlock  h/o M Symmonds Ashlock)
Athey, Hazel Irene (McCracken)- b: August 6, 1906 in LaBelle, Missouri   d: May 30, 2001 in Carthage, Hancock Co, Illinois
Blackledge, Robert Glen-  b: May 22, 1908 Fountain Green, Hancock County, Illinois   d: August 1, 1988, Iowa City, Iowa  (s/o Miller E Blackledge and Lena J (Geddes) Blackledge, h/o Margaret Priest)
Campbell, Daren E.- b: May 6, 1923 in Majorville, Hancock Co, Illinois  (s/o Thomas and Inez (Burrow) Campbell,  h/o Lelia Bernice (Agnew) Campbell)
Chute, Sarah Emmaline (Howard)-b: 15 Jan 1849 in Hancock County, Illinois  d: 23 Oct 1941 ?(d/o W. A. & S. A. K. Howard)
Cleesen, Lori Deloris "Dee Dee"- b: January 20, 1960 in Hamilton, Hancock Co, Illinois   d: February 21, 2004 Keokuk, Lee Co, Iowa  Buried February 25, 2004 (d/o William R. Cleesen and Shirley (Dennis) Frakes Fredrickson)
Corbin,  John W.-  b: February 15, 1940    d: September 1, 1994
Corbin, Wesley- b: August 9, Aug 1915  d: Dec 1967 in Hamilton, Hancock Co, Ilinois  (h/o Nellie M. Corbin)
Dennis, Fred- b: 1881 in Illinois
Dodge, Charles Leslie- b: 1 Mar 1915 in Hamilton, Hancock County, Illinois
d: 8 Oct 1977 in Keokuk, Lee County, Iowa
Dodge, Mildred M.- b: June 24, 1918  d: February 6, 1967  (w/o Charles Leslie Dodge)
Dodge, Mildred Vivian- b: 17 May 1903 in Hamilton, Hancock County, Illinois   d: 8 Sep 1970 in Keokuk, Lee County, Iowa
Dodge, Roscoe Howard- b: 19 Jun 1905 in Hamilton, Illinois d: 1948 in Hamilton, Illinois
Fisher, Nellie M.- b: May 1, 1920   d: February 10, 1992 in Hamilton, Hancock Co, Illinois  (1st w/o Wesley Corbin, 2nd w/o Fisher)
Glines, Ada Olive (Everomon)- b: July 4, 1901 in Illinois  d: February 15, 1997 in Hamilton, Hancock Co, Illinois
Glines, Doris Isabelle (Savage)- b: May 5, 1925  d:. August 18, 1977
Glines, Earl Ernest- b: September 5, 1888  d: May 7, 1954
Glines, Janice Lynn- b: July 1, 1951  d: July 1, 1951  (d/o Luster Lee Glines)
Glines, John Mearl- b:  December 25, 1922 in Illinois d: June 21, 1996 in Illinois
Glines, Kenneth Ollen- b: June 25, 1929 d: July 4, 1995
Glines, Lester Lee- b: October 31, 1931 in Illinois  d: October 26, 1984 in Warsaw, Hancock Co, Illinois
Glines, Olin Mearl- b: August 6, 1898 in Illinois d: April 17, 1978 in Hamilton, Hancock Co, Illinois
Glines, Ralph Robert- b: May 16, 1924   d: April 3, 1978
Glines, Wayne Omar- b: October 30, 1927  d: May 1, 1949 WWII   Boblinger, Germany
Gregg, Thomas - b: December, 14,  1808  d: February 11, 1892  (h/o Sarah (Lawton) Gregg)  Publisher of so many of the historical articles about Hancock County
Gregg, Sarah (Lawton) - b: No Dates (w/o Thomas Gregg)
Harmon, Fred  Lee- b: December 5, 1917   d: June 1, 1990
Hartweg, Louisa Ida (Emmett)- b: September 15, 1908 in Hancock co, Illinois  d: September 12, 1991 in Hamilton, Hancock co, Illinois  (d/o Albert Allan and Edna (Paris) Emmett)
Hartweg William Fredrick- b: June 22, 1903 in Hnacock Co, Illinois  d: August 1990 in Nauvoo, Hancock Co, Illinois
Holt, Elsie- b: May 26, 1880 in Hamilton, Hancock Co, Illinois   d: May 17, 1952 in Hancock Co, Illinois
Holtsclaw, Verne Anson- b: October 17, 1920 in Hamilton, Hancock Co, Illinois-Feb. 8, 2000 In Keokuk, Lee Co, Iowa   (s/o Clarence Edward "Tommy" and Hilda Elizabeth (Biddenstadt) Holtsclaw  h/o B. Alice (Carlile) Holtsclaw)
Howard, Florence Dr.- b: 01 Dec 1858 in Hancock County, Illinois  d: 16 Oct 1915 (Assume in or near Hancock County, Illinois) (d/o W. A. & S. A. K. Howard)
Howard, James R.-b. 26 Nov 1853 in Hancock County, Illinois
d. January 1942  in Hamilton, Hancock County, Illinois (s/o W. A. & S. A.  K. Howard)
Howard, James Raymond- b. 05 Aug 1892 in Elderville, Hancock County, Illinois  d. 22 Apr 1925 in Cheyenne, Laramie County, Wyoming shortly after an appendix operation.Was Sgt. in Army in WW1, 163 Depot Brigade. Honorably discharged 15 May 1919, Served in France. ( s/o William Henry & Dora May (Ashlock) Howard)
Howard, John Harris-b. 25 Dec 1855 in Walker Township, Hancock County, Illinois
d. 30 Nov 1935 in Hamilton, Hancock County, Illinois  (s/o W. A. & S. A.  K. Howard)
Howard, Sarah Adeline (Keyser)-  b: 11-08-1826 in Indiana  d. 11-05-1905 in Wythe Township, Hancock County, Illinois  (w/o W. A. Howard)
Howard, William A- b: 12 May 1820 unknown where or who parents were  d: 07 Jun 1891 in Elderville, Hancock County, Illinois (Civil War: Co. E. 2nd Regiment. Illinois Cavalry) ( h/o S. A. Howard)
Jones, Arthur- b:  October 25, 1919 in Essex, Stoddard Co, Missouri  d: June 5, 1991 in Hamilton, Hancock Co, Illinois
Karr, Anna B.-  b: 1864  d: 1941
Karr, Baby- b: 1921
Karr, E.J.- b: July 10, 1839  d: August 2, 1899
Karr, Hurley G.- b: 1889  d: 1950
Karr, John F.- b: 1870  d: 1898
Karr, John R.- b: January 8, 1842  d: November 17, 1889
Karr, Lola E.- b: 1893  d: No Date
Karr, Maggie A.- b: May 11, 1844  d: March 12, 1909
Karr, Marie- b: 1869  d: 1905
Karr, Marvin A.- b: 1864  d: 1934
Karr, Sadie F.- b: July 25, 1886  d: November 1968
King, Orville Eugene- b: September 12, 1877 in Hamilton, Hancock Co, Illinois d: May 1, 1955. (son of William Hurd and Sarah King)
King, Sarah Malvina (Ash)-b. May 1854 in Illinois d: June 18, 1935 Hancock Co, Illinois (w/o William Hurd)
King, Virgil King-b: September 1885 in Hancock Co, Illinois   d: 1937 (son of William Hurd and Sarah King)
King, William Hurd-b: October. 8, 1842 in Anderson Co, Tennessee.  d: March 1, 1911, in Hamilton, Hancock Co, Illinois   (h/o Sarah (Ash) Hurd
Koeber, George E.- b: 19 Nov 1926 in Keokuk, Lee Co., Iowa   d: 13 May 1978 in
Hoopeston, Illinois
Koeber, Lelah Marjorie (Momberg)- b: April 19, 1900 in Hamilton, Hancock Co, Illinois  d: August 1964 in Keokuk, Lee Co, Iowa  (w/o Otto Koeber)
Koeber, Otto-  b: 19 Jun 1888 in Alexandria, Missouri   d: 17 Jun 1980 in
Hamilton, Hancock Co, Illinois
Koebke, Margaret M. (West)- b: January 7, 1920 in Keokuk Lee Co, Iowa  d: November 8, 1999 in Keokuk, Lee Co, Iowa
McAfee, Carol Joean (Hamburger) - b: November 18, 1953 in St Louis, St Louis Co, Missouri d: June 28, 1979 in Quincy, Adams, Illinois (d/o George Allen and Nellie Joean (Pilcher) Hamburger)
Martin, Agnes L. (Phillips) - b: January 21, 1913 in Hancock County  d:  April 11, 2002 Iowa City, Iowa
(d/o James W. and Nancy J. (Mairs) Phillips, w/o Raymond Martin)
Martin, Raymond- b:   d: May 18, 1998.
Miller, Iva Lucille (Stidum)
Miller, Machinski- b: October 4, 1908, Burnside, Hancock Co, Illinois  d: June 8, 1943, Chicago, Cook Co, Illinois (d/o Wm.S & Mayme (Sullivan) Stidum) (w/o  #1  Everett Charles Miller  #2 Felix Machinski)
Potter, Hala Alene (Stidum)-  b: February 12, 1906, Hamilton, Hancock Co,  Illinois  d July 13, 1943 (d/o Wm. S. & Mayme (Sullivan) Stidum)  (w/o Leland Potter)
Millspaugh, Bernice (Dodge)- b:  January 17, 1908 in Hamilton, Hancock Co, Illinois  d:  April 3,
1971 in Keokuk, Lee Co, Iowa   (w/o Russell Millspaugh, Sr.)
Millspaugh, Russell Edward, Sr. - b: 28 Feb 1901 in Keokuk, Lee County, Iowa  d: 29 Dec 1960  in Keokuk, Lee County, Iowa   (h/o Bernice (Dodge) Millspaugh)
Momberg, Ethel- b: 3 Mar 1894 in Hamilton, Illinois d: 8 Mar 1894 in
Hamilton, Illinois
Momberg, Joseph Clark- b: 28 Nov 1861 in Hancock Co, Illinois  d: 8 Nov
1933 in Hamilton, Hancock Co, Illinois
Momberg, Walter Clark- b: 7 Aug 1896 in Hamilton, Hancock County, Illinois
d: 26 Oct 1962  in Keokuk, Lee County, Iowa
Moore, Carrie Irwin- b: 23 Feb 1865 in Hamilton, Hancock Co, Illinois  d:
10 Sep 1926 in Hamilton, Hancock Co, Illinois
Moore, Forrest L.- b: 3 Jun 1896 in Hamilton, Hancock County, Illinois
d: 15 Mar 1977 in   Keokuk, Lee County, Iowa
Moore, Henry Horace- b: December 2, 1871 in Hamilton, Hancock Co, Illinois  d: April 5, 1933 in Keokuk, Lee Co., Iowa
Moore, Mary Blanche- b: January 7, 1900 in California  d: May 1985 in Hamilton, Hancock Co, Illinois  (w/o Forrest L. Moore)
Moore, Sarah Sabrina (Irwin)- b: December16, 1835 in Hillham, Overton Co, Tennessee d: January 9,1915 in Hamilton, Hancock Co, Illinois  (w/o William Wesley Moore)
Moore, William Wesley- b: 26 Jan 1826 in Greencastle, Putnam Co., Indiana
d: 19 Jan 1908 in   Hamilton, Hancock Co., Illinois Burial: 21 Jan 1908
Newman, Edna M.- b: February 8, 1921 in Carthage, Hancock Co, Illinois   d: February 16, 2004 in Aledo, Illinois (d/o James and Helen (David) Jackson)
Prewitt, James Roy- b: September 07, 1911   d: January 03, 2002
Prewitt, Juanita (Vickers)- b: December 18    d: July 08, 1979
Rhoer, John Daniel- b: May 22, 1969 d: September 23, 1993  (s/o John Delano Rhoer)
Rhoer, John Delano-  b: October 26, 1933 d: November 16, 1985
Scheetz, Eula M. (Smith)- b: November 26, 1910 in Sonora Township, Hancock Co, Illinois  d: November 6, 1999 in Hamilton, Hancock Co, Illinois
Sherman,Wendell R.- b: Jan 23, 1907  d: August 1975, Quincy, Adams Co, Illinois (h/o Wilma Florence(Stidum)Sherman)
Sherman,Wilma Florence (Stidum) -b: December 23, 1913  d: September 23, 1961  (d/o Wm. S & Mayme  (Sullivan) Stidum)  (w/o Wendell R. Sherman)
Stephenson, Allan Devon- b: January 11, 1938 in Illinois  d: March 18, 1993 in Hamilton, Hancock Co, Illinois
Stidum, Alma Odessa- b: July 14, 1904, Burnside, Illinois  d: Apr 26, 1978, Keokuk, Iowa  (d/o Wm.S.& Mayme (Sullivan) Stidum)
Stidum, Mary Maude "Mayme" (Sullivan)- b: March 08, 1878 Carthage, Hancock Co, Illinois  d: April 24, 1960, Hamilton, Hancock Co,  Illinois  (d/o John Elmer & Alice (McCumber) Sullivan,   w/o Wm Sylvester Stidum)
Schwartz, Alma- b:  d:
Taylor, Delbert W.- b: June 19, 1915  in Illinois  d: January 1977 in Hamilton, Hancock Co, Illinois ( h/o Edith Louise Carel Taylor)
Taylor, Edith Louise (Carel)- b: August 7, 1918   d: November 10, 2000 in Quincy, Adams Co, Illinois  (d/o Edward and Alice Hittner Carel,  w/o Delbert W. Taylor)
Vickers, Douglas Alan- b: June 11, 1963    d: June 17, 1969
Vickers, Johnnie Kenneth- b: December 27, 1914    d: October 11, 1979
Vickers, Lenville Leon - b: April 25, 1937    d: October 28, 1997
Vickers, Willis Cornealis-  b:  July 29, 1888    d:  January 04, 1957
Yater, R. B. (Bert)- b: December 29, 1879, Ferris, Hancock Co, Illinois  d: July 23, 1953 in Quincy, Adams Co, Illinois