Minnechaduza

Minnechaduza Cemetery, also known as Boothill
located at the west edge of Valentine
Section ?, Range 34, Township 27.
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© 2000-2011 DJH
Located 1/2 mile west of Valentine overlooking the Minnechaduza creek. This less than 1 acre of land was given by the Tobien brothers to the city of Valentine. It was incorporated 10-02-1925 as the Minnechaduza Cemetery Association.
BOOTHILL CEMETERY This is a historic account about the first cemetery started here in Valentine soon after the start of the town.This story is written by Catherine Donoher
A list of people still buried there is added to this account.
Many wild stories have been told through the years since the early eighteen eighties.
This is about the people buried in the old Minnechaduza Cemetery. It was on school land and abandoned as a burial ground many years ago.

One would-be historian who visited this part of the country in 1885 claims to have found out that sixteen men of Doe Middleton's gang had been killed and were buried in this old cemetery. Also a little twelve year old girl who had been shot by a reckless man as she sat by the window in her father's house. No little girl was ever shot here as he described.
Following are the names of the only men and one woman sleeping there who "died with their boots on."

On July 31, 1883, word was brought to Valentine that J.K. Adams, otherwise known as Peg-Leg-Jack, had been shot and killed, by himself or some one else at his road house which was four or five miles up the Minnechaduza, which ws west of town,ner what is now the Marley place. The Coroner's Jury, presided over by Dr. Alfrew Lewis returned a verdict of suicide but there was considerable doubt felt that he had killed himself. The body was buried the same day. The death of this man made it necessary for Valentine to have a cemetery, so a pretty spot on a small hill overlooking the Minnechaduza, a half mile west of town was selected.

On the evening of October 12,1883, the same year, Clarence Hand, from Montana, a cow puncher for the O.W. outfit of Mansville, Wyoming, came down here with a shipment of cattle, was shot and killed by Johnny Keye at a sporting house known as the Hog Ranch, a short distance south of town. Keye, whose real name was Richard Springfield, was sheriff of the newly organized county of Cherry and also the noted Gunman of this part of the country. Hand was said to be the bad man of the Wyoming outfit and they were looking for Key.

One morning during the first week of the following December, J.J. Hamlin who had just been relieved as cattle inspector the first of November by Emmet James was shot and killed by his brother-in-law, Johnny Smith. There had been bad blood between these two men for sometime. They had married sisters, Mary and Lucy McDonald of O'neill. When intoxicated, as he frequently was, Hamlin was very unkind to his wife and she would go to the Smiths for protection. The night before he was killed Hamlin had returned from O'neill on the same train with Smith and his family. The brakeman said Hamlin attempted to stab Smith as he passed through the car where Smith was sleeping. The killing occurred about a mile south of town.

When he left town Smith accompanied by Johnny Pierce, Billy Carter and Jesse Danie1son.

Carter had been elected sheriff in November and when he took the office in January 1884, Jesse Danielson was appointed his deputy. Sometime after, these men were indicted by the Grand Jury. Smith left the country and was later arrested in Arizona but made his escape. Still later he was reported killed resisting arrest in Mexico. Pierce, Danielson and Carter were acquitted.

Along in midwinter of 1884 and 1885, Old Man Murphy was shot and killed by "Frenchie" at a grade camp near where Cody is now, that was used as a stopping place that winter by people traveling up and down the country. "Frenchie," whose name was Prosper Merriam, was a rough hand from Johnson's ranch at Boiling Springs. Murphy was a homesteader. He and a heady young nephew were on the way over to the canyons toward Boiling Springs for wood and young Murphy remarked he would like to see any -------!of a cowboy stop him. Frenchy replied by snuffing out the older Man's life as he stepped between them. Frenchie's friends effected his escape from jail when he was brought here for trial at the November term of court in 1885. About 38 years later a daughter of Mr. Murphy removed his remains to Chadron.

One night in the early spring of 1885 a girl called Paint was shot and killed in a drunken quarrel in one of the saloons by Lank Keye, a younger brother of Johnny Keye. He left the country that night and was never seen here again.

Also, one Bryon, an old sea captain, and a bartender here. Many of the graves were marked and many were not.

Sometime along in May or June of 1885 a gambler known as Little Keno was shot and killed in a saloon row by Charlie Sickler, a friend of his who was shooting at Ed McDade. McDade was a Texas man, cousin of the Key brothers. During the summer of the same year Dutchy, a cowboy whose name was Louis Hassed, shot him self at Red Jack's Place on the Minnechaduza north of town. His grave is marked by three cedar trees, which are still there.

One post is all that is left of the fence which once enclosed Hamlin's grave. Several bodies were removed from this old burial ground when Mt. Hope was opened about 1902.

Forty Graves still remain and the location of each was marked with a piece of iron pipe when it was fenced a number of years ago by the following committee of old timers. Henry Graham, John W. Tucker, Mrs. Bertha Sparks, Wren D. Compton and Catherine Donoher.

The title to the less-than-one-acre enclosed was kindly given by Tobien brothers and is now vested in the city of Valentine. June, 1933.
(Signed) Catherine M. Donoher
Story contributed by the Cherry County Historical Society

* means burial could be either Minnechaduza, Holsclaw or moved to Mt. Hope cemetery
** means burials from St. John's Church Records

NAME	BIRTH	DEATH
Ackley, William	1893	12-07-1897
*Adams, Jack K.(Peg-Leg-Jack)		08-02-1883
Anderson, Leonard Charles(son of Charles G. Anderson)	1 yr, 9 months, 5 days	02-12-1905
Ashburn, Cora(dau of W.V.Ashburn)	1889	05-11-1892
Betts, Charles	?	?
Bladget, Jackson	1842	05-05-1895
Broad, Mr.	?	09-09-1892
Brown, Infant	10-1888	08-06-1889
Bross, Parson	05-10-1854	07-31-1890	New Jersey
Busherks, baby(of Van)	?	?
Bryon, William P.	1831	08-25-1887
Buttinghaus, Mrs. Herman	1866	03-16-1900
*Carlson, Infant son(of Frank)	09-1888	10-04-1889
Carpenter, J.M.	1829	01-05-1900
Carpenter, Frances M.(wife of John m.06-26-1849)	08-20-1828	08-22-1900	Troy, NY
Chaufty, infant (of H.C.)	?	10-07-1892
Cherry, Mrs. & baby	no dates
Cherry, Etta	?	09-6-1889
**Chote, Mrs. R.E.	1863	12-24-1886
Collins, ?	?	06-01-1888
**Cook, Warren F.	1881	05-22-1897
Cunningham, Frank	?	03-01-1889
Donoher, Peter Sr.	?	?
**Dorr, Earl(of Frank)	05-1886	12-17-1886
Dressen, Child(murdered by Mrs. Dressen)	?	01-01-1892
Dunn, Sergent John	?	?
*Eads, dau(of Mary)	1890	06-5-1891
* **Everts, Albert A.	1849	04-02-1886
Everts, children x 2	?	?
*Evarts, Fannnie	?	04-07-1893
Farris, Mr. M. R.	?	08-13-186
Farris, Mrs	?	08-13-1886
**Farris, Ella(dau of M.R.)	01-1886	08-13-1886
Farris, Infant	?	08-05-1892
Fisher, Mrs. George L.	?	08-27-1886
Folks, Infant(of A.J.)	06-1886	12-10-1886
Foster, Lillie	?	05-01-1891
*Gallino, John	?	03-18-1892
Gaskells, Caleb	age 32
George, dau	1876	08-30-1889
*Gokey, Mrs. F.M.	?	07-31-1891
Greggs, Lucy A.	1836	01-29-1884
*Gulick, Mrs. William	?	01-30-1891
Hadlock, Mrs.	?	07-08-1892
Hamlin, J.J.		12-1883
Hand, Clarence		10-12-1883
Hansen, child(of M.)	?	03-21-1890
**Hare, Evaline Bowden(wife of Walter)	1862	04-02-1891
Hassel, Deutchie Louis	No dates
*Heth, Frank	?	08-07-1891
Hersey, Son of George N.	3 years	12-1895
Hersey, ?	?	?
*Holsclaw, Arthur L.	?	04-11-1890
Hooten, John	?	?
**Hooker, Marion I.& baby	1852	10-01-1886
Hubbard, Daniel	?	?
Hunter, Infant(of J.F.)	?	09-04-1891
Hunter, J.C.	1839	04-15-1892
Irwin, Malvince	no dates
Jenkins, Infant(of W.E.)	?	04-10-1891
Johnson, ????	No dates
Johnston, son(of N.B.)	1869	10-15-1886
Joseph, Child	4 months
Kalblimer, Infant(of J.S.)	?	02-15-1890
Keno, Little	No dates
Lance, dau(of W.H. & A.E.)	?	02-17-1893
*Lundy, Nathan		03-13-1891
*Lundy, Mrs. Nathan	?	04-14-1893
Lunz, Otto B.	?	08-09-1889
Lurz, baby	?	?
McDonald, E.	1843	05-14-1899
Miller, John	?	?
Minor, Maj. John	?	?
Morlan, Theodore	?	10-10-1890
**Murphy, George Earl(son of Thomas R.)	02-1888	12-19-1888
*Nolan, Peter	?	12-02-1892
*Ormisher, John	?	11-19-1886
Parker, George	No dates
*Parks, Mrs. C.W.	?	07-24-1891
Perry, Mrs.	No dates
Presho, Charles	?	05-19-1887
Ray, Infant (of H.H.)	?	01-25-1889
Redmond, Thomas	?	05-14-1886
**Redmund, John T.	1863	05-1-1886
Reimers, son(of Peter)	1886	07-29-1892
Richardson, child(of Ira)	?	03-15-1889
Ritterbush, MR.(husband of Sarah F.)	?	02-24-1893
*Roberts, Mrs. Jas.	?	3-22-1889
*Rosuleau, Hubert	1796	06-25-1887
Sage Hen, baby	no dates
Searby, Charles	1819	12-11-1891
Sederstroms, dau(of G.)	03-1890	12-18-1891
Sederstrom, Mrs. G.	1860	01-22-1892
Shackelton, Miss Ham	?	04-10-1891
Shady Ware, Mother	no dates
**Shaw, Annie (dau of Dallas & Julia)	1885	6-19-1887
Shaw, Charles	?	03-27-1891
Sheldon, ?(murdered by Robinson)	?	06-08-1888
*Simons, child(of P.)	?	07-29-1892
Simons, child(of P.)	?	10-14-1892
Sisler, son(of H.L.)	1881	08-20-1886
Smith, C.H.A.	no dates
Smith, Lorain	02-1889	10-25-1889
*Sparks, child(of L.C.)	10-1890	07-15-1892
**Sparks, Mary E.	1860	09-05-1896
Steele, Daniel	07-15-1828	10-20-1897
Steele, John T.	1867	11-18-1892
Stephens, Henry	?	05-02-1886
**Stetter, Charles H.G.(of Jacob W.)	05-1886	09-28-1886
Thieman, Capt.	?	?
Towne, Uncle Dick	no dates
Tremmel,dau(of Albert Charles Tremmel)(killed by brothers)	?	03-03-1893
**Tremmel, Albert Charles	1851	01-1893
Tucker, granchild(of J.W.)	?	03-06-1891
Tucker, J. Wesley	?	?
Tupper, W.O.	?	05-10-1889
Van Buskirk, Albert	09-12-1883	04-11-1884	Monroe City, IND.
**Waite, Sophia Elizabeth(dau of William E.)	03-1887	07-24-1887
*Ware, Mrs.	1847	11-25-1892
Welch, Synthia May	?	12-19-1890
Wiser, Samuel Henry	04-1887	08-18-1887
Woodson, Henry	?	?
Unknown, Man with broken leg	no dates
Unknown, Paint (girl shot by Lank Key)	no dates
Unknown, Gambler	no dates
Unknown, Old French Man	no dates
Unknown, Old Lady	no dates

We apologize for any errors in reading or transcribing of information. For corrections, please contact the Cherry County Coordinator. Information on births and deaths donated by Ruth Harms.

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02-2005