No evidence of this burial ground has been found except on page 13 of "Coroner Records Book A" which shows that Willis J. True was buried in Jordanville Church Yard. The book is in the storeroom in the attic of the Morgan County Court House.
Also in the court house will be found a plat and notes regarding Jordanville, but no mention is made of a church or cemetery. On page 79 of "Deed Record Book FF" is a map showing eight numbered lots and one larger unnumbered lot. According to the information given, Jordanville would have been exactly two miles west of Prentice in northeastern Morgan County. Recorded at the court house on April 2, 1853, the deed book entry shows that on April 26, 1851, a surveyor set Jordanville off and divided it into lots for Samuel and Martin Sutton and Lucinda, wife of Martin. The village encompassed an area of 600 feet east to west, and 330 feet north to south. Only one street and one alley were laid off.
A post office was established at Jordanville Sept. 11, 1886, but it was discontinued in 1894. It is known that a Jordanville grade school once existed but it is possible the school, church and churchyard cemetery (if indeed there actually ws one) were not inside the limits of Jordanville.
The following news item appeared in the Jacksonville Journal, Saturday, May 25, 1872
SHOCKING MURDER
Late on Thursday afternoon, Willys J. True was killed in cold blood, at Jordanville, Cass county
by one John Douglass. From the father of the murdered man we learn the facts in the case which are as follows:
On the day named, Willys J. True and John Armstrong, both of Jordanville, a small village ten miles southeast
of Virginia, and lying four miles east from the line of the P.P. & J. railroad, went to Virgini in a
wagon. During the day both men drank liquor freely, and Armstrong became so drunk that he could not
drive home. True drove to Jordanville and went directly to Armstrong's house. The wife of the latter upon learning
of the condition of affairs, abused True for getting Armstrong drunk. Angry words followed between
True and the woman, she being on one side of the fence and he on the other. While thus engaged in angry
discussion, she called to one John Douglass, a son-in-law of Armstrong, who was at work replanting
corn in a field, about 50 yeards distant. Douglass came at once, and going up to True, struck him on the
back of the head with the beak of a heavy hoe that he brought with him from the field. The blow inflicted
a wound four inches in length and crushed in the skull. True fell forward to the ground and died in thirty
minutes. "One report had it that Douglass began quarreling with True, and the latter stooped to pick up
a stick, when Douglass struck the fatal blow. The father of the deceased, however, had not been
informed of any such action, although he had just come from the spot. After doing the bloody deed
Douglass did not run away, but remained in the neighborhood, and was, we are informed, engaged in digging
a well yesterday. Coroner Lawler was summoned by old Mr. True, and proceeded to Jordanville yesterday
to hold an inquest."
Jacksonville Journal, Monday, May 27, 1872
CORONER'S INQUEST - ARRESTED AND LODGED IN JAIL
Coroner Lawler held an inquest on the body of Willis J. True, at Jordanville, on Friday afternoon.
The jury, after making a thorough examination of the case, returned the following verdict: "We, the undersigned,
on oath, do find that Willis J. True came to his death by a blow from a hoe in the hands of
John Douglass, on May 23rd .. Coroner Lawler promptly arrested John Douglass at his home, and brought him
to this city, where he was placed in jail to await trial ....."