Browning
Browning Cemetery, Harmony Township, Hancock County, Illinois

This list is one made by Mrs. John Flemming acting as a representative of the Illinois Society Daughters of the American Revolution (probably the Shadrach Bond the chapter of Carthage, Illinois), about 35 years ago (in the 1930's).  It gives burials only prior to about July 1, 1877 in most cases.  July 1, 1877 state law providing for keeping of Death Records in the county courthouse when into effect.

It was assumed by the D. A. R. .  burials after that date could be checked in the county records.  This seems unsound procedure as many deaths might occur in other counties making an impractical statewide search necessary or even in other states with different death records arrangements, but it was done that way by the D. A. R..

There have probably been later burials in this burying ground and if so this list is but a partial one, but till the writer of this (Warren L. Van Dine) can get to Brown in cemetery if he ever does what is given here will suffice to get the place represented in this project.

This introduction put on paper April 20, 1968 in the One hundred ninty second year of the independence of the United States.

 A statement about the Browning Cemetery probably attached to the D A R List  which may have been furnished by Miss  Mary H. Siegfried, professional researcher of Denver, Illinois reads as follows:

 Browning Cemetery is a family cemetery in the center of Section 35.  It was deeded by J. J. Browning to his father George W. Browning, senior, May 15, 1887 for a burial ground for his descendants forever.  There were many burials before that date.  It is still owned by a descendant Ray Steurenberg.

Update:  Two years ago Ray Stuehrenberg, who is the owner of the property where the Browning Family Cemetery is located, went in and cleared the cemetery with chain saws and weed spray.  He found the broken and fallen stones and has rebuilt many of them using stainless steel rods He created new bases and bleached several of the stones.  They have been reset as nearly as possible in their original positions and the cemetery is once again a place of respect and dignity for those buried there. The ground had belonged to George Browning. He deeded it to his son J. J. Browning, when J. J and his second wife moved there.  J. J. eventually moved away and the property was deeded back to his father George. Most of those buried at the cemetery are Browning family but those who are not family must have been close neighbors or friends of the Browning family.
The Browning Cemetery restoration began in 1999 and was complete by Memorial Day 2002.
Courtesy of Mary Keller.
 

Browning, David S.- b: January 2, 1861   d: February 12, 1861  (s/o Geo and Hannah (Ramsey)Browning)
Browning, David W.- b: September 30, 1834  d: December 5, 1871 aged 37 yrs 2 mo 5 d
Browning, Fannie M.- b: June 7, 1868   d: October 24, 1870   (d/o Geo and Hannah (Ramsey)Browning)
Browning, George M.- b: March 25, 1820   d: November 22, 1893  (h/o Hannah (Ramsey) Browning)
Browning, George M, Jr- b: April 11, 1852 d: January 13, 1919 (h/o Mattie J.Browning)
Browning, Hannah (Ramsey)- b: July 22, 1821    d: January 19, 1902 (w/o George M. Browning) (d/o Samuel Ramsey and Eleanor (Kime) Ramsey)
Browning, Hannah- b: December 21, 1849   d: September 13, 1851  (d/o Geo and Hannah (Ramsey) Browning)
Browning, James Polk- b: November 30, 1851 d. July 17, 1920    (s/o John and Mary Ann Browning)
 (There is some confusion on this one as one obit says he is buried at Browning and another says he is in the cemetery  at Augusta.  No stone was found in either place but there was a vague marker  that we believe was from a funeral home and most likely indicated the burial of  "Polk" in Browning.Ray created a permanent marker for him there.)
Browning, infant- b: December 22, 1853   d: December 26, 1853  (do John W. and Mary Ann Browning)
Browning, John E.- b: August 27, 1858   d: January 12, 1879  (s/o John and Mary Ann Browning)
Browning, John Washington-   b. Nov. 17, 1812 d. Nov 8, 1885  (b/o of George Browning)
Browning, Lucinda J.- b: 1836  d:  October 8, 1867    (w/o D.W. Browning)
Browning, Mary Ann- b: January 28, 1828    d: May 8, 1888  (w/o John W. Browning)
Browning, Mary H.- b: April 1859 d: October 27, 1865 aged 6 yrs. 5 mo 27 days  (d/o John and Mary Ann Browning)
Browning, Mattie J- b: Feb 3, 1856 d. May 17, 1940    originally were interred at Browning but later were moved to the Bowen IL cemetery
Browning,  Minnie B.- b: October 23, 1866 d. December 2, 1898  (w/o John J. Browning who was the s/o Geo and Hannah (Ramsey)Browning)
Browning, Nancy E.W.-  b: June 29, 1863   d: October 17, 1865 aged 2 yrs. 3 mo 18 d  (d/o John and Mary Ann Browning)
Browning, Neva- b: March 1, 1892 d: November 18, 1896   (d/o John J and Minnie B. Browning)
Browning, Sarah J. L- b: July 1863   d: October 7, 1866 aged 3 yrs. 3 mo 8 d  (d/o John and Mary Ann Browning)
Browning, Unnamed- b: December 29, 1849    d:  before 1850 census   (s/o Geo and Hannah (Ramsey)Browning)
Browning, Zueriah- b:    d. Dec 26, 1870  aged 34 yrs 2 mo 18 d    (w/o D.W. Browning)
Dean, James J.- b: 1844  d:  October 29, 1862  18 years
Dean, Catherine- b: 1832   d:February 9, 1865 aged 33 years (w/o H. Dean)
Kennedy, Barbara Ann- b: 1850    d:  September 8, 1872  aged 22 years  (d/o J.H. and E.J. Kennedy)
McCoy, Isabella- b: September 1790 in Ireland   d: June 17, 1883    (w/o James McCoy) came to the United States from Ireland in 1822).
McCoy, James- b: December 9, 1871 in Ireland   d: December 9, 1871   aged 80 years 9 months 28 days (made a mason in 1813; a Royal Arch Mason in 1814; A. Knight Templar in 1816; came to the United States from Ireland in 1822). (h/o Isabella McCoy)
Murtle, Bertha Ellen- b:   died April 11, 1883 at the age of 1 yr 2 mo 13days (John and Susan Jane (Richardson) Murtle)
Murtle, Emma J.- b: July 27, 1858   d: September 1, 1864  (d/o William and S. J. Murtle)
Murtle, William- b: September 18, 1825   d: January 31, 1866 aged 40 years 4 months 13 days
Ramsey, Samuel- b:   d: April 27, 1861
Ramsey, Eleanor (Kime)- b:   d: December 19, 1873
Rook, Infant- b: October 02, 1873   d: May 6, 1874  aged 7 months 4 days  Our Babe  (so Steven G. and Mary J. Rook)
Rook, John G.- b: July 20, 1869   d: November 24, 1877  aged 8 years 4 months 4 days  (s/o Steven G. and Mary  J. Rook)
Rook, Mary J.-  b: October 14, 1929  d:  November 6, 1914  (w/o Steven G. Rook) (This stone was originally at Browning but later moved to the Bowen cemetery.)  The stones for 2 of their children remain at Browning)
Rook, Stephen G.- b:  April 25, 1819 d. March 31, 1856   (h/o Mary J. Rook)
Sliger, James F. D.- b: March 12, 1847  d: June 12, 1871  aged 24 years 3 months   (s/o J and K Sliger)
Sliger, John Sliger- b: August 26, 1811  d: September 17, 1865  aged 54 years 22 days
Sliger, Madison- b: July 31, 1860   d: November 4, 1878  aged 18 years 3 months 4 days   (s/o J and K Sliger)
Spicer, Adeline (Browning)- b: August 16, 1847 d: August 15, 1865   (d/o Geo and Hannah (Ramsey) Browning)
Stuehrenberg, Carl Ray b. April 3, 1960 d. August 25, 2006

NOTE: The stone for Samuel Ramsey d. April 27, 1861 and his wife Eleanor Kime Ramsey d. Dec 19, 1873 has been moved into the Browning cemetery as they were buried in a small family plot on what was known as the Ramsey homestead.  These are the parents of Hannah Browning.  The Ramseys' daughter Adeline who died at the age of 3 is also noted on this stone. This was done with family approval.