ROSS CEMETERY
South Otter Township
Macoupin County, Illinois

   

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Ross Cemetery is located in Section 11. It lies west of Nilwood about 2 miles and 1 mile north. The cemetery was laid out by Matthew Harris Ross in 1876 for members of his family. It was not deeded to trustees until April 1888. According to the original cemetery records, the cemetery, called Harris Ross Family Cemetery in the records, was platted by F. H. Chapman, surveyor, for George W. Ross, William M. Huson and James O. Cole, the trustees thereof in October A.D. 1898. The description contained in the papers is as follows: "Said cemetery is situated on the southwest corner of Section Eleven (11), in Township Eleven (11), North of Range Seven (7), West of the 3rd P.M. in said County (Macoupin). The southwest corner of said section being the southwest corner of said cemetery, and the south and west lines of said cemetery being common with the south and west lines of said section, respectively. The sizes of lots and widths of Highway, Street and Aleys are shown on the plat in feet. The lots are numbered, in red ink, from 1 to 71, both inclusive. This October 28th 1898." The document was attested to by F. H. Chapman, Justice of the Peace and signed on december 28th 1898. Other papers go on to say that the first meeting (although from checking the records this doesn't appear to be the actual first meeting) of the Ross Family cemetery was held on June 1, 1931 at the home of J. O. Cole and that all incorporators were present. The certificate of organization was issued by the Secretary of State and was displayed. The officers elected were: J. O. Cole, President; R. O. Barnes, Vice President, B. R. Cole, Treasurer, and John Cole, Secretary with Trustees elected for six years being J. O. Cole, R. A. Barnes & O. C. Cole. The actual incorporation papers issued by the state give the name as "The Ross Family Cemetery".

Click here for additional information gleaned from records.

Note: Many thanks and much appreciation from a fellow researcher and cemetery lover to Betty Moake and her good friends Jim & Wanda "Pug" Mayfield who spent a beautiful fall day on September 22, 2004 cleaning up this small cemetery. The grass was waist high and the three spent all day cutting the grass and digging out century (yucca) plants from the front of all of the stones. According to Betty, there is still one dead tree which needs to be removed and Jim will be making a new sign to put beside the drive to the cemetery. Also from Betty: "We hope too that someone else will be inspired to do the same or even give us a heads up on some missing burial areas that are around here. We really did enjoy the day out there .. it is a great way to get excercise, spend the day with friends and reap the reward at the end of the day" - when you can look out and see the cemetery shining and proud.

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Name	Born	Died	Age	Additional Inscription/Information
ANDERSON, Charles M.	12 Nov 1874	12 Feb 1894
ANDERSON, Elmore A.	3 Feb 1869	12 Sep 1894
ANDERSON, Susie	7 apr 1884	27 Nov 1897
BARNES, Amy E. Cole	23 Oct 1868	3 Nov 1901		Wife of Charles B. Barnes
BARNES, Cecil	12 May 1891	12 May 1891		Child of C.B. & A.E. Barnes
BARNES, Charles B.	2 Jan 1861	11 Jul 1924
BARNES, Dollie M.	22 Oct 1898			Child of C.B. & A.E. Barnes
BARNES, Goldie E.	11 Sep 1887			Child of C.B. & A.E. Barnes
BARNES, Hazel N.	16 Jun 1901	31 Aug 1901		Child of C.B. & A.E. Barnes
BARNES, James F.	12 Dec 1896			Child of C.B. & A.E. Barnes
BARNES, John C.	11 Jul 1889			Child of C.B. & A.E. Barnes
BARNES, Mabel H.	20 Jan 1895			Child of C.B. & A.E. Barnes
BARNES, Ralph O.	13 Apr 1892			Child of C.B. & A.E. Barnes
COLE, Christina		9 Sep 1875	20y6m23d
COLE, Elizabeth	10 May 1828	12 Mar 1913		His Wife (Wife of John T. Cole) (No stone found)
COLE, Infant				Dau of T. & S.H. Cole
COLE, John T.	26 Aug 1820	7 Apr 1912
COLE, Lois R.	16 Apr 1901	7 Jan 1903
GARRISON, Margaret E.	1859	1919
HALL, Martha Jane		22 Aug 1896	70y4m18d
HICKS, J. Henry	26 Dec 1868	16 May 1899
HUSON, Julia		21 Nov 1893	48y5m27d
HUSON, William M.	7 Oct 1838	8 Feb 1918
LILES, James H.	1829	1893
LILES, Mary C.	1828	(22 Mar) 1916
MAGNONI, Battisti	1857	(20 May) 1935
MAYFIELD, Mary Alice	1860	(23 Mar) 1944		Wife of Manning Mayfield
MAYFIELD, Manning	1861	1903
MALONE, Julia		13 Sep 1861	1y1m	Dau of G. & M.J. Malone
ROSS, Charles E.		26 Jan 1876	19y2m
ROSS, John W.		30 May 1880	18y7m6d	Son of M.H. & N.A. Ross
ROSS, Lou F.		9 Apr 1878	28y5m14d	Dau of M.H. & N.A. Ross
ROSS, Lucy B.		3 Aug 1851	2y1m23d	(No stone found)
ROSS, Matthew H.		11 Feb 1888	60y1m17d
ROSS, Nancy A.	22 Mar 1823	28 Mar 1903		Wife of Matthew H. Ross
SHAFER, Laura E.	1863	(12 Mar) 1923		Wife of James M. Shafer
STROWMAT, Tennessee Ann		1 apr 1878	75y	(From Macoupin Death Records) (No stone found)
WARD, Charley C.	1856	1928
WARD, Hugh W.	22 Mar 1883	2 Mar 1951
WARD, Jesse		11 Jul 1889	80y7m25d
WARD, Sinia L.	1862	1937