Tuesday, September 30, 2014

The Williams Cemetery

During one of my morning walks while visiting Indiana, I decided to venture to the Williams Cemetery.  My friend, Cindy, told me this cemetery existed close to their property, and we walked by it several times when we were out with Mosey and Andy.  So one morning, in my solitude, I decided to check it out.

I took the following from www.interment.net, as it is the only history I have been able to find on the cemetery.

Williams Cemetery
Martinsville, Morgan County, Indiana

Lat: 39° 28' 37"N, Lon: 86° 24' 49"W
Clay Twp, Sec 15
Contributed by Jeff Curtis, Aug 02, 2006, last edited Aug 29, 2006. Total records = 255.

To reach this cemetery from Martinsville IN, drive north on Blue Bluff Road for about 3.5 miles.The cemetery is approximately 500 yards southeast of the intersection of Maple Turn Road and Blue Bluff Road.

"From Blue Bluff Road you need to go south of Maple Turn Road for just a couple of hundred yards. Turn left onto William and Mary Drive. This is a small sub-division with a single street. William and Mary Driver takes a 90-degree left turn and continues on to a cul-de-sac. At the turn a gravel road continues to the right. Meanwhile, straight ahead of you will be a small field with a barn on your left. I parked here and walked across the field. Once you are on the other side (probably about 100 yards), there is a dirt road that continues through a small section of woods and crosses a small brook. After crossing the brook you come into a small clearing underneath some power lines and the cemetery is on a hillside to the left."

Upon entering the cemetery from the area under the power lines, which we talked about yesterday, this is what you see.


The welcome sign to the cemetery.


Just beyond the sign naming the cemetery, there is an upward slope and several grave markers.  For some reason I found this picture to be most disturbing.  There is something particularly eerie or sinister about it.


I made my way up the slope and this was one of the first markers I encountered.  So ancient that time and weather had worn away the statistics.


Another marker of similar size and in similar condition.  Although I was impressed that someone had stopped by to place this American flag at the marker.  As you can see, the flag has not been there for long, so someone is still visiting these souls.


This poor marker was toppled over.  I do not think it was vandals.  But rather the ravages of time.


Finally, I happened upon this still very solid stone which was hardly weather worn.


And another elaborate stone in very good condition.


Priscilla, wife of Jackson was starting to show some aging.


Then, there was a row of four small markers, all lined up together.  I was curious to find out what the significance was and why they were all aligned.  It was four small graves for children.  Lanina, who was ten years old.


Abraham who must have died during or right after birth.


Hester who died at age two.


And Joseph who died at or just after birth.

So sad.  Childbirth was quite different in the 1800's than today.  Not only did newborns sometimes, many times, not make it, neither did their mother.  With so much going on in our world today that is unpleasant, we are very lucky, at least in the United States, to have wonderful prenatal and postnatal care for both mother and child.


And finally, one last look at this hallowed ground before leaving.  Another unhappy photo.  This one with a sort of "sepia" tone to it which was not intended.  I did nothing to the photo lens nor did I enhance the picture in any way before posting.  You notice none of the other pictures have this effect. Were the occupants unhappy that I was visiting their private space?  Did they want me to leave?  Or were they just acknowledging my presence?  We will never know.  

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