Eel River Township, Hendricks County, Indiana
NW ¼ of the SW ¼ of Sec 16, T16N R2W
Visited August 14, 2005 & July 23, 2006
Directions:
This cemetery is on the south side of SR 75 while it runs east/west, south of North Salem. From #4767, follow the drive as far south as it goes, past the barns, until the house. The cemetery is in the northwest yard, just into the woods along a path.
Corners:
NW: N39°49.752’ W86°39.018’
SE: N39°49.749’ W86°39.014’
Approximate Center:
N39°49.751’ W86°39.016’ or
N394945 W863901
Condition:
This cemetery is not fenced, mowed, or maintained. All the stones are tablets and are lying face up on the ground, most of them broken. A 1930s account reports cows grazing in the area. In the 1970s it was used as a horse pasture. The current landowner found a few while building and leaned them and others against trees. None of the stones are in their original locations, as pieces of the same stone were found at different ends of the cemetery. The boundaries of the cemetery are even unknown.
This cemetery marks the spot of the first town in the area, which existed before North Salem was established.
This cemetery is on the south side of SR 75 while it runs east/west, south of North Salem. From #4767, follow the drive as far south as it goes, past the barns, until the house. The cemetery is in the northwest yard, just into the woods along a path.
Corners:
NW: N39°49.752’ W86°39.018’
SE: N39°49.749’ W86°39.014’
Approximate Center:
N39°49.751’ W86°39.016’ or
N394945 W863901
Condition:
This cemetery is not fenced, mowed, or maintained. All the stones are tablets and are lying face up on the ground, most of them broken. A 1930s account reports cows grazing in the area. In the 1970s it was used as a horse pasture. The current landowner found a few while building and leaned them and others against trees. None of the stones are in their original locations, as pieces of the same stone were found at different ends of the cemetery. The boundaries of the cemetery are even unknown.
This cemetery marks the spot of the first town in the area, which existed before North Salem was established.
Entrance to Cemetery Some of the Stones on the Ground
The following stones were found, numbered by approximate location, from the south to the north along the path:
(Click to see the photo on the Find-A-Grave site.)
1. JOHN STEWART/ DIED/ Dec. 16, 1855/ AGED/ 70Yrs. 7M. 24D. (in two pieces, 14 3/4" wide) photo
2. ELIZABETH/ Wife of/ JOHN STEWART/ DIED/ Aug. 19, 1852/ AGED 57Yrs. 3M. 3D. (in two pieces, 14 1/2" wide) photo
3. C.R. Footstone (crudely carved in a found rock) No headstones match these initials. photo
4. INFANT/ Son of/ Saulsburry & E./ PENNINGTON/ DIED/ July 11, 1847 (in two pieces, 11 3/4" wide) photo
5. Flat limestone piece, probably half of an old grave cover. Measures 24x25" and is 2.5" thick.
6. MICHAEL ROBINS/ DIED/ April 28, 1837/ AGED/ about 37 yrs (10 1/2" wide) photo
7. MARY/ Dau of/ H. & N./ STEWART/ DIED/ Aug. 7, 1835/ Aged 8m/ & 24d (7" wide) photo
8. MARY J./ Dau of/ J.W. & R./ PENNINGTON/ DIED/ _____ 1865 (stone is broken, bottom half is missing, 10" wide) photo
9. W.S. Footstone (most likely for William Stewart, 6" wide)
10. E.S. Footstone (most likely for Elizabeth Stewart, 9" wide)
11. INFANT/ Son (?) of/ J.A. & S./ McBRIDE/ DIED/ Sep. 19, 1842 (in two pieces, 8 1/2" wide) photo
12. Flat limestone piece, probably half of an old grave cover. Measures 24x32" and is 2.5" thick.
13. Blank Footstone (4 3/4" wide)
14. Wm STEWART/ DIED/ Aug. 17, 1849/ Aged 30 Y's./ 7 M's. 16 D's. (10 3/4" wide) photo
15. Empty slotted base, slot measures 15" wide (most likely for John or Elizabeth Stewart)
16. CHARLES TONY/ DIED/ Aug. 14, 1863/ AGED/ 54 Y. & 6 M. (in three pieces, 16 1/2" wide, "GONE HOME" with hand pointing up) photo
17. NOAH TONEY/ DIED/ Dec. 3, 1863/ AGED/ 31yrs. 11m. & 27ds. (in three pieces, 16 1/2" wide, "GONE HOME" with hand pointing up, verse at bottom is cracked through and mostly illegible: "Husband _ _ _ _/ And I was left alone/ My husband dear(?) who is(?) no(?) more(?)/ Is fled away and gone") photo
So the burials happened in this order:
1. Mary Stewart d. 8-7-1835
2. Michael Robins d. 4-28-1837
3. Infant McBride d. 9-19-1842
4. Infant Pennington d. 7-11-1847
5. William Stewart d. 8-17-1849
6. Elizabeth Stewart d. 8-19-1852
7. John Stewart d. 12-16-1855
8. Charles Tony d. 8-14-1863
9. Noah Toney d. 12-3-1863
10. Mary J. Pennington d. 1865
Also buried here:
11. "C.R."
12. Jane (Fields) Stewart, second wife of John Stewart (from an account from 1937, stone may or may not have been seen)