Unknowns in Wilcox Cemetery, Sangamon County, Illinois

WILCOX CEMETERY

aka GARVEY AND BAKER




New sign erected in May 2008 and decorated for Memorial Day
Designed, constructed and decorated by Bob & Mary Ann Kaylor



Old sign no longer displayed as it was falling apart.
Listings are not complete as other burials were identified after the sign was made.

Legal Description = NE� NW�, Sec. 18, T16N-R1W-3PM
Illiopolis Township, Sangamon County, Illinois

Wilcox Cemetery is located on Old Rt. 36, just south of Illiopolis. Old Rt. 36 was created from Old Old Rt. 36, which ran through the town of Illiopolis (Matilda Street). Interstate 72 (constructed in 1972) is now considered Rt. 36, also. Old Old Rt. 36 was by-passed around Illiopolis, reportedly in the 1940's, most probably because of the Federal War (Ammunitions) Plant that was located West of Illiopolis during World War II. As a result part of the cemetery was taken for the roadway. It was reported, years ago, by citizens that some graves were moved to a Springfield Cemetery. Unless family members had the bodies moved, it is difficult for me to believe that they weren't moved to Riverside Cemetery in Illiopolis, located South of Illiopolis on the Mechanicsburg blacktop. I cannot document this, however.

In past years, Wilcox was neglected, overgrown with brush, bramble, etc. When the tornado of June 1993 went through, more damage was done to the cemetery. Interested people came to the rescue and it has been taken care of since that time, although many stones are broken and probably many missing. Thanks to a descendant of the Murphy family monies have been donated for the mowing of the cemetery with the American Legion as overseer .

There have been two previous readings of this cemetery. Members of the Decatur Genealogical Society in 1972 and members of Sangamon County Genealogical Society in 1995. My readings, Spring of 2001, have been compared with the previous readings and inserted if a stone was not found recently. A couple of stones were discovered that previous searchers did not find. The Memorial photo above was constructed before an accurate reading of the cemetery was made, as a result several names are missing from the plaque.

I have done some preliminary search on some of the families that are buried in Wilcox. Some can be identified through Early Land records, Census and Marriages in Sangamon County. I will attempt to show what I believe to be the records of some of these families. This research is accomplished from resources on hand and is not to be taken as absolutely correct. One should document this information with the proper legal records, if possible. If any descendants of these families can add any information to this site, please contact Mary Ann Kaylor.

KNOWN BURIALS WITH TOMBSTONES

Click on UNDERLINED name for photo and research. Text in ( ) is added and not on the tombstone. Footstones found in 2001 were piled around the Memorial in front of the cemetery, so I can only guess which name they belong to. Broken stones, illegible, are found around the base of a tree trunk in the back of the cemetery.


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