Transcription by members of the Jacksonville Area Genealogical and Historical Society


This cemetery, located one and one-fourth miles north of Bethel, is in a state of neglect. A fence protects it from livestock, but apparently the cemetery has received little or no maintenance for many years. Fallen trees and branches are scattered throughout the small cemetery, toppling and breaking some of the tombstones. In addition to the tombstones listed here, there are several weathered remnants that can no longer be read. The tombstones vary in style from several that are handmade to some that are professionally hewn from solid granite. Several large trees, including a stately tall evergreen, serve to make this burial ground obvious among the surrounding fields. While standing at the edge of the brushy cemetery it is possible to see both Bethel and Chapin. The cemetery is in the west half of the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of Section 35 Township 16 N Range 12 W.
(Note: An old man named Horace Tippit lived in the Bluffs area during the early part of the 1900s. He was known throughout the area for his home-made liniment. He used local herbs in the preparation of his ointment. The concoction was extremely hot to the skin but supposedly was very effective in relieving muscular aches and pains.)


Words in brackets [ ] or parenthesis ( )are not on stone.

Abbey, Evaline Died 17 Aug 1850 3 Mo 8 Da Dau of O. & J.A. Abbey

Abbey, Lemuel Died 5 Feb 1842 7 Yr ? Mo 2 Da

Abbey, Lucy Died 27 Sept 1858 13 Mo 21 Da Dau of O. & M.A. Abbey

Abbey, Mary Ann H. Died 26 Feb 1848 37 Yr 6 Mo 20 Da Wife of O. Abbey

Abbey, Mary Elizabeth Died 11 Sept 1836 4 Mo 17 Da Dau of O. & M.A. Abbey

Abbey, Volton Died 11 Feb 1842 2 Yr 10 Mo 12 Da Son of E. & M.A. Abbey (This toppled tombstone was completely buried from view)


Albin, Isaac Died 13 Jan 1830

Albin, Elizabeth Died 5 Dec 1839 36 Yr 2 Mo 1 Da Wife of Isaac Albin

Albin, Nancy J. Died 14 Sept 1853 27 Yr 7 Mo 5 Da

Alderson, Charles Died 12 Mar 1868 69 Yr

Alderson, Elizabeth Died 8 Nov 1864 67 Yr

Alderson, William Died 16 Nov 1855 Age 27 Yr

Baker, Arminta Died 18 June 1864 Age 9 Mo 3 Da Dau of J.W. & M. Baker

Baker, Green H. 1814 - 1866

Baker, Jane 1815 - 1877 Wife of Green H. Baker

Baker, Ida Died 6 Nov 1870 2 Yr 10 Mo 5 Da Dau of J.W. & Mary Baker

Baker, Martha J. Died 20 Dec 1865 Dau of G.H. & J. Baker (This tombstone is broken off, but her grave is the first one south of her parents.)

Baker, Sarah E. Died 1 Sept 1859 1 Yr 3 Mo 23 Da Dau of J.W. & M. Baker

Calloway, Elisha C. Died 7 Aug 1839 22 Yr 3 Mo 20 Da Son of John H. & Nellie Calloway

Calloway, Herbert Spencer Born 1 Feb 1892 Son of L.H. & Anna B. (Hagaman) Calloway Died 27 Dec 1910 18 Yr 10 Mo 26 Da (A student at Normal University, he took his own life by swallowing strychnine.
He was spending Christmas vacation at the home of his parents three miles north of Chapin. A long story about his act of suicide appeared in the Jacksonville Journal of Wednesday, Dec. 28, 1910.)

Calloway, John H. Died 3 Dec 1854

Calloway, Nellie Died 19 Jan 1849 64 Yr 27 Da Wife of John H. Calloway

Calloway, John H. Died 19 May 1855 35 Yr 3 Mo 22 Da Son of J.H. & E. Calloway

Calloway, John William Died 1 Nov 1851 Age 10 Mo 26 Da Son of J.H. & M.A. Calloway

Calloway, Mary L. Died 27 Sept 1904 83 Yr 8 Mo 7 Da Wife of Samuel Calloway (This toppled heavy spire possibly has more names on it.)

Calloway, Levi R. Died 6 July 1853 2 Yr 10 Mo 10 Da Son of S. & M.L. Calloway

Calloway, Samuel Died 18 Sept 1864 17 Yr 7 Mo 8 Da Son of S.A. & M.L. Calloway

Calloway, Spencer R. Died 21 Oct 1851 44 Yr 7 Mo Son of J.H. & R. Calloway

* Daly, Cecil 3 Dec 1901 - 31 Dec 1925 (No tombstone. Cecil was born at Franklin, son of Scottish native Patrick Daly.)

* Daly, Vella 18 Nov 1910 - 18 July 1926 (No Tombstone was found for her. The death certificate shows she was a daughter of Irish native Pat Daly and American born Fanny Stillwell Daly.)

* Daly, William 20 Mar 1907 - 18 Nov 1923
(No tombstone was found for him. He was a son of Patrick Daly who was born at Glasgow, Scotland, and Fanny Stillwell Daly who was born at Charlesville, Iowa. Informant for the death certificate information was Fanny Stillwell Daly.)

Dickerson, Elizabeth W. Wife of Rev. A. Dickerson Dau. of J.D. Wadsworth Died 11 May 1864 34 Yr 2 Mo 9 Da (She has two tombstones, one having also the name of her sister, Susan E. Wadsworth.)

* Evans, Inf. Son of John W. & Edna Bell Evans 5 July 1912 - 5 July 1912 2½ Hrs. (From Death Certificate)


Hummer, Aury Mariam Died 24 Oct 1855 1 Yr 9 Mo 18 Da Dau of G.W. & E.C. Hummer

Hummer, Emily Died 21 Sept 1855 Age 14 Da Dau of G.W. & E.C. Hummer

Hummer, John Thomas Died 21 Feb 1850 1 Yr 5 Mo 23 Da Son of J.H. & E.J. Hummer

Johnson, Elizabeth 23 Mar 1826 - 1 Oct 1853 Wife of Jesse Johnson

Kimball, Caroline Died 5 Mar 1863 1 Yr 6 Mo 5 Da Dau of A.L. & C. Kimball

McPherson, B. G. Died 5 Feb 1858 Age 84 Yr

McPherson, Agnes 2 June 1794 - 23 Aug 1851 Wife of B.B. McPherson

Pasley, Charles K. Co. K 27 Ill. Inf.

Pasley, Nancy Died 4 Mar 1854 Wife of Charles G. Pasley

Pearson, Ann Died 3 Oct 1871 Age 51 Yr
(This name is engraved on the same tall, white tombstone as are the names of Charles, Elizabeth and William Alderson. This tombstone is along the south edge of the cemetery and is the only one visible from the road about one-fourth mile away.)

Rickey, Mrs. Lula (Cole) 8 Sept 1891 - 16 Feb 1920

Rickey, Nancy (17 Jan 1914 - 26 Jan 1914) Inf. Dau. of James & Lula Cole Rickey
(This hand-made cement tombstone is very crude and difficult to read. The name may be incorrectly recorded here.)

* Rickey, Esther Louise 26 Jan 1915 - 20 Mar 1915 Inf. Dau. of James & Lula Cole Rickey (From Death Cert.)

* Rickey, Harry Lincoln July 1883 - 23 Oct 1918 35 Yr Son John & Mary (Thaxton) Rickey

* Rickey, Willis Elmer 7 Apr 1877 - 16 Feb 1922 44Yr 11Mo 21Da Son John & Mary (Thaxton) Rickey (These entries from Death Certs.)

* Stott, Mary E. 5 Mar 1850 - 9 Apr 1923 Wife of Jacob Stotts
(No tombstone found. Mary was born at Bethel. Her father, neal Gellis, was born at Glasgow, Scotland. Her mother, Elizabeth Potter Gellis, was born at Bethel, Illinois.)

Thompson, G. W. Died 15 Jan 1853 1 Yr 4 Mo

* Thompson, Margaret Died 2 Aug 1880 Age 35 Yr 5 Mo Born in Ohio
(There is no visible tombstone for this woman. Information given here is from her death certificate in the county clerk's office at Jacksonville.)

Tippit, Mahala J. Died 7 Oct 1851 Age 8 Mo 13 Da Dau of W. & E. Tippit

Tippit, Mary E. Died 29 July 1847 Age 1 Mo Dau of W. & M.A. Tippit
(Note: An old man named Horace Tippit lived in the Bluffs area during the early part of the 1900s. He was known throughout the area for his home-made liniment. He used local herbs in the preparation of his ointment. The concoction was extremely hot to the skin but supposedly was very effective in relieving muscular aches and pains.)

Wadsworth, Susan E. 1815 - 1865 Dau of J.D. Wadsworth

West, I. 22 July 1836 - 21 June 1895
(This hand-made cement tombstone is a nice example of work, but the letter S is backwards.
His death was printed in the Jacksonville Journal of Friday, June 28, 1895.
Under the Chapin news items appeared the following sentence: Mr.West, a resident of Bethel, was buried on Saturday, having been in poor health for some time.)

Cemetery index

County main page