|
This work is excerpted from the "Kentucky Ancestors", a Genealogical
Quarterly of the Kentucky Historical Society, Summer 1999, Volume 34,
Number 4. This cemetery is located northeast of O'
Bannon's Chapel and across the road, which is now known as Factory
Lane. Please email your
coordinators if you have any questions regarding this cemetery.
|
John Williamson gravestone |
old O' Bannon area map |
|
An old family graveyard, once on a
farm, is today in the middle of Forest Springs subdivision, off
LaGrange Road in eastern Jefferson County, a few miles southwest
of the Oldham County line. The graveyard serves as a
sobering illustration of what happens to historic rural family
cemeteries over time. Most of the stone fence is now gone,
replaced in the front by a metal one installed by the developer.
Nearly all the stones have been broken or otherwise vandalized.
Robert C. Jobson gathered information from the stones in 1973,
which was published in Cemetery Records of Kentucky, Vol. 1
(Jefferson County, part One). The site then was on
"the Matthew Jones farm, 1/4 mile southeast of the town of O'
Bannon." The Williamson and O' Bannon families were
prominent in the farming community in the 19th century. John
Williamson (b.10 Apr 1776, Maryland, d. 04 Jul 1835, Jefferson
County, Kentucky) owned several thousand acres in the area,
which grew into a village surrounding a nearby railroad station
and post office (founded 12Feb 1850), both of which were named
Williamson (20). John B. O' Bannon was the first postmaster.
The post office was renamed O' Bannon in 1859 and the surrounding
area was known by that name by 1879. No changes have
been made to original text, with the exception of the addition of
modern punctuation and capital and lower-case letters. |
|
In memory of Austin L. Peay, Who died
Nov. ___th 1832, aged 12 years, 10 months, 26 days (1) |
John Williamson, a native of Maryland,
Born 10 Apr 1776, Died 04 Jul 1855, An honest man, the noblest
work of God, Would you know him, ask his neighbors (2) |
George W. Johnston, died 29 Aug
1832 (3) |
|
____ _____ , dau of Thomas &
Martha Guy, and consort of Geo. W. Johnston, died 29 Aug 1832, Not
lost but gone before (4) |
Dedicated to the memory of my beloved
sister, Lucy Guy Johnston, died 29 Aug 1892, We sorrow not without
hope (5) |
Dedicated to the memory of my beloved
son, George Johnston Guy, born 01 Jan 1832, died 30 Nov 1859, He
had finished his course and was ready to be offered up.
Don't procrastinate. (6) |
|
Elizabeth T., daughter of Thomas &
Lucy Penn Guy, died in New Orleans, 21 Feb 1849 (7) |
In memory of Mary S. Foree, 15 Mar
1805, and departed this life 16 Sep 1849 (8) |
In memory of Elizabeth R. Williamson,
consort of John Williamson, who departed this life, 30 Sep 1823,
in the 32nd year of her age (9) |
|
Ann Williamson, died 10 May 1821, aged
3 years, 10 months, 12 days (10) |
To the Memory of Nimrod Dorsey O'
Bannon, son of R. & M. O' Bannon, born 26 Jul 1833, died 22 Apr
1836, aged 2 years, 9 months, 4 days (11) |
Robert Bushrod O' Bannon, son of R. &
M. O' Bannon, born 12 Feb 1856, died 11 Apr 1856 (12) |
|
In memory of Ann, consort of Isham
Bushrod O' Bannon (13), daughter of John & Elizabeth R.
Williamson, born on the 21st Oct 1821, married on the 1st day of
May 1838, and departed this life on the 01 day of Oct 1838 (14) |
Eleanor Elizabeth Speed, consort of J.
Smith Speed, daughter of John & Elizabeth Williamson, born 02 Sep
1823, married 08 May 1845, died 08 May 1845 (15) |
Footstones:
M. G., E. R. W., A. W. OB., I.B.F. |
|
(1) Transcribed by Tom and Gene
Stevens, Aug 1999. (2) Transcribed by Tom and Gene
Stevens, Aug 1999. (3) Information gathered by Robert
C. Jobson, 1973. Stone not found in Aug 1999.
(4) Transcribed by Tom and Gene Stevens, Aug 1999.
(5) Transcribed by Tom and Gene Stevens, Aug 1999. (6)
Transcribed by Tom and Gene Stevens, Aug 1999. (7)
Transcribed by Tom and Gene Stevens, Aug 1999. (8)
Transcribed by Tom and Gene Stevens, Aug 1999. (9)
Transcribed by Tom and Gene Stevens, Aug 1999. (10)
Information gathered by Robert C. Jobson, 1973. Stone not
found in Aug 1999. (11) Transcribed by Tom and Gene
Stevens, Aug 1999. (12) Information gathered by Robert
C. Jobson, 1973. Stone not found in Aug 1999. (13)
Robert M. Rennick, Kentucky Place Names, (Lexington, 1984),
p. 218. Isham O' Bannon (b.1767, Virginia, died 1845), was a
farmer and business owner who built a home about 1830 along nearby
LaGrange Road. (14) Transcribed by Tom and Gene
Stevens, Aug 1999. Jobson says Mrs. O' Bannon's name was Ann
Willis O' Bannon. This seems to be a typographical error
since she was the daughter of John and Elizabeth R. Williamson.
(15) Information gathered by Robert C. Jobson, 1973.
Stone not found in Aug 1999. (16) Ibid, pg. 144. (17)
Early Louisville, Kentucky Newspaper Abstracts, 1806-1828
(Galveston, Texas, 1995), pg. 135. (18) Jefferson County
Will Book 3, pg. 319. (19) Jefferson
County, Virginia-Kentucky Early Marriages (Book 11, Jun 1826-Jun
1837) , (Owensboro, 1980), pg. 70. (20) According
to "Kentucky Place Names", by Robert M. Rennick (pg. 218). |
|
COPYRIGHT NOTICE:
This page may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or
presentation by any organization or persons. Persons or
organizations desiring to use
this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor. |
|
