Hamilton Cemetery

ON page 279 of "Deed Record 17" housed in the Morgan County Clerk's office, is recorded the sale of 120 acres (less a reservation of one half of an acre burying grounds) off the West side of the Southwest quarter of Section 5 Township 15N of Range 12W of the 3rd PM in Morgan County, Illinois, dated Feb. 15, 1873. The sale of land was completed by George W. Clark, Commissioner, to William Hamilton. The land sale was necessary to settle a lawsuit between Mary H. Brockhouse et al., complainants, and Ellen Taylor, et al., defendants. Also housed in the same office is a book entitled "Deed Record Quit Claims 10". Also dated Feb. 15, 1873, page 346 shows that Ellen Taylor (she couldn't sign her name so she made her mark) sold to William Hamilton, for $1.00, 150 acres off the West Side of the southwest quarter of Section 5, but no mention is made of a cemetery. A study of the documents shows that the exact location of the half-acre burying ground is not mentioned. Page 115 of "Atlas Map of Morgan County, Illinois, 1872" shows a cemetery symbol, but in fact the symbol is misplaced about one-eighth mile too far south. A visit to the cemetery on March 17, 1981 proved the site is one-fourth mile southeast of the intersection of roads 700E and 1717N. To reach the intersection leave Illinois Highway 104 at Bethel. Go west out of Bethel on a good rural road for two miles until arriving at a T intersection. Turn left (south) and drive one-fourth mile to the first road west. Easily seen from the intersection of these two roads, several walnut trees and cedar trees serve to attract attention to the unkept cemetery except when surrounding crops obstruct the view. There is no fence to protect the burial area which seems to be no more than 90 feet north to south and 60 feet east to west. The compilers, Wayne E. Dalton and Robert W. Dalton, his son, are indebted to Glenn L. Schone for permission to enter the cemetery by crossing his property.