Menard County (IL) cemeteries

[Joe Di Cola]

On the 2014 Springfield Tour we once again had occasion to visit some of the Menard County cemeteries where some people important in the life of Lincoln are interred. During the short time that Lincoln spent among the people of the short-lived New Salem, the people who befriended him saw in this ungainly, somewhat homely, ill-dressed person a singularity of character that attracted them to the newcomer. Those people supported, encouraged, housed, and assisted Lincoln in many ways and, I believe, helped shape him into the person he became in later life.

Here are the resting places of just a few of those people:

Mentor Graham - Farmers Point Cemetery (rural Menard County). He "taught" Lincoln the rudiments of grammar and geometry, loaned him books.

Hannah Armstrong - Oakland Cemetery (Petersburg).
Wife of Jack Armstrong and mother of William "Duff" Armstrong, she mended his clothes, provided for him in other ways. (After the early death of Jack, she married Samuel Wilcox, later moved to Iowa where she died. Hence, the Wilcox name on the tombstone.)

Bowling and Nancy Green - Oakland Cemetery (Petersburg).
Encouraged Lincoln's law studies, provided care for Lincoln.

Jack Armstrong - Old Concord Cemetery (rural Menard County).
Husband of Hannah Armstrong - the Jack Armstrong of the wrestling match.

William Berry - Rock Creek Cemetery (rural Menard County).
Lincoln's partner in the "winked out" 2nd Lincoln-Berry store.

With the exception of William Berry, none of the others lived in New Salem but, nevertheless, had a profound influence on Lincoln.

[I have asked Roger for his always helpful assistance in posting the images of the garve sites. Would this make them "graven" images--excuse the pun!)

[RJNorton]

Joe, I added the excellent photos you sent me, and I thank you! We all hope you folks enjoyed your time in Springfield and are glad the weather held.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Thanks for sharing, Joe!!!

[LincolnToddFan]

Simply amazing Joe...a big THANK YOU to both yourself and Roger!

[Joe Di Cola]

Ann Rutledge, born January 7, 1813 near Henderson, KY, died age 22 (probably of typhoid fever) August 25, 1835 on the Sand Ridge farm owned by the absent John McNamar. She was buried at Old Concord Burial Ground, two miles southwest of the McNamar farm. She was "exhumed" May 15, 1890 and "reinterred" in Oakland Cemetery, Petersburg, IL.

So, what was found? No trace of a body and according to McGrady's daughter there were 4 pearl buttons from the dress in which Ann was buried. Others reported that hair, buttons buckles, and a few bones were found along with casket handles and a nameplate (Ann's coffin probably did not have either of the latter two). The last so-called witness reported the presence of and thigh and humerus and hair when he was interviewed in 1958, a year before he died.
Soil sample tests at the original grave site show a high pH (7.6) indicating soil that has good microorganism activity to decompose organic matter including, over time, mineral matter (e.g., bones), with hair taking the longest to decompose. Due to their decomposition, there was nothing of Ann to remove and, as far as I am concerned, her "remains" still are part of the soil at Old Concord Cemetery.

[RJNorton]

That is amazing, Joe. I have been to the Oakland Cemetery many times never realizing what you just taught us about Old Concord.

[LincolnToddFan]

Thank you Joe. That is exactly what Ed Steers wrote in his fantastic book "Lincoln Legends: Myths and Hoaxes Associated With Our Greatest President". Most visitors to AR's gravesite do not realize that they are basically paying homage to soil, that's all that's left of her mortal remains. Poor Ann.

I also did not realize that the grass in the cemetery is no longer green.

[Joe Di Cola]

(10-14-2014 07:00 PM)LincolnToddFan Wrote:  Thank you Joe. That is exactly what Ed Steers wrote in his fantastic book "Lincoln Legends: Myths and Hoaxes Associated With Our Greatest President". Most visitors to AR's gravesite do not realize that they are basically paying homage to soil, that's all that's left of her mortal remains. Poor Ann.

I also did not realize that the grass in the cemetery is no longer green.

It has been rather dry. In weather where there has been sufficient rain, the grass is quite green.

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Although Oak Ridge Cemetery, the location of Lincoln's Tomb, is in Sangamon County I will add this posting under in the "Menard" thread.

The graves included in this section are of Lincoln's three law partners: John T. Stuart (1837-1841), Stephen T. Logan (1841-1844), and William H. Herndon (1844-1865). These will be followed by the graves of the Reverend Charles Dresser and his spouse. Dresser is the man who married the Lincolns and from whom they bought the only house they ever owned.

Lest you think that the Springfield Tour is only about visiting dead people, be rest assured that the people on the tour are LIVEly, have a very LIVEly time over the course of the few days we are together, have the time of our LIVEs, have Lincoln and his story literally brought to LIFE through the experience, and are individually what you can characterize as LIVE wires! However, after a day of much walking and other activities we do REST IN PEACE!

[Roger, please add the images here--thanks ever so much]

[L Verge]

Herndon's marker looks rather new compared to the others. Was he in an unmarked grave previously?

Hearkening back to the exhumation of Anne Rutledge, were any teeth found in the grave?

[Joe Di Cola]

(10-15-2014 10:35 AM)L Verge Wrote:  Herndon's marker looks rather new compared to the others. Was he in an unmarked grave previously?

Hearkening back to the exhumation of Anne Rutledge, were any teeth found in the grave?

Laurie,

As near as I can tell, Herndon's gravestone was replaced. When?--is the question. No reports from the four or five so-called witnesses ever reported the presence of teeth at the "exhumation" of Ann Rutledge. The best source on this is: Gary Erickson. "The Graves of Ann Rutledge and the Old Concord Burial Ground." Lincoln Herald, v 71, No. 3, Fall, 1969.

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Laurie,

I just checked my files...Herndon's grave remained unmarked from the time of his death until c. 1918 when the present marker was placed there. I should have checked the file before my previous response to you. Hope this clears it up.

Joe

[Eva Elisabeth]

(10-15-2014 11:00 AM)Joe Di Cola Wrote:  

(10-15-2014 10:35 AM)L Verge Wrote:  Herndon's marker looks rather new compared to the others. Was he in an unmarked grave previously?

Hearkening back to the exhumation of Anne Rutledge, were any teeth found in the grave?

Laurie,

As near as I can tell, Herndon's gravestone was replaced. When?--is the question. No reports from the four or five so-called witnesses ever reported the presence of teeth at the "exhumation" of Ann Rutledge. The best source on this is: Gary Erickson. "The Graves of Ann Rutledge and the Old Concord Burial Ground." Lincoln Herald, v 71, No. 3, Fall, 1969.

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Laurie,

I just checked my files...Herndon's grave remained unmarked from the time of his death until c. 1918 when the present marker was placed there. I should have checked the file before my previous response to you. Hope this clears it up.

Joe

Thanks, Joe, that is amazing!! Like Laurie I assumed the marker wasn't older than from the mid-1960s!

[L Verge]

(10-15-2014 11:00 AM)Joe Di Cola Wrote:  

(10-15-2014 10:35 AM)L Verge Wrote:  Herndon's marker looks rather new compared to the others. Was he in an unmarked grave previously?

Hearkening back to the exhumation of Anne Rutledge, were any teeth found in the grave?

Laurie,

As near as I can tell, Herndon's gravestone was replaced. When?--is the question. No reports from the four or five so-called witnesses ever reported the presence of teeth at the "exhumation" of Ann Rutledge. The best source on this is: Gary Erickson. "The Graves of Ann Rutledge and the Old Concord Burial Ground." Lincoln Herald, v 71, No. 3, Fall, 1969.

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Laurie,

I just checked my files...Herndon's grave remained unmarked from the time of his death until c. 1918 when the present marker was placed there. I should have checked the file before my previous response to you. Hope this clears it up.

Joe

Thanks, Joe. The reason I asked about the teeth is that Blaine Houmes and I were talking about it today, and he asked about the teeth. Dr. Blaine said that if bone had remained, some teeth should have also. Maybe they were so small that no one thought to look for them in the dirt.

[RJNorton]

Many thanks to Gene for sending these pictures:

[HerbS]

I enjoy exploring old cemeteries.If only headstones could talk!

[Gene C]

Oakland is a beautiful, small cemetery located in Petersburg. Well maintained, it has a nice mixture of the old and new headstones. The Ann Rutledge marker is much larger than I though it would be.
Here is an older photo of her marker - http://www.loc.gov/resource/lprbscsm.scsm0871/#seq-1