Report on the Burket Cemetery

The following transcript is made from a copy of documents received by Albert Sharp in 1992 from the Indiana State Archives. The documents originally were held by the L'Anguille Valley Historical Association, 500 Front Street, Logansport, Indiana. Credit for the research is originally noted on page four of the transcript and is included here for clarification purposes for the reader.

THIS LONG-ABANDONED PIONEER-DAY CEMETERY WAS SEARCHED OUT IN early May 1941 by R B Whitsett, Jr., member of Indiana Historical Society committee on Pioneer Cemeteries and Churches, and chairman of L'Anguille Valley Memorial Association's Committee on Cemetery Research; assisted by Mr Robert N. Burr, R.R. 1, Logansport, Indiana, who aided also in locating and cleaning the old stones and in deciphering the dates and other information carved upon them.

BURKET PRIVATE BURIAL GROUND IN NORTHEAST JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP CASS COUNTY INDIANA

This long-abandoned little pioneer-day cemetery is charmingly situated on the high, northeastern rim of that sizeable - but amazingly winding - northern tributary of (the) Wabash River which is known as Crooked Creek. Cemetery is N.W. of center of the southwest quarter of Section eleven (11) of Township 27, North Of Range One (1) West, of the Second Indiana Principal Meridian. Cemetery has been variously known as the Burket, the Daniel Martindale, and today (May 4, 1941) the Minneman Farm. Cemetery is in a high, grassy and only lightly wooded, pasture which is approximately half a city-block, or nine or ten rods, southeast of the present Minneman barn, which barn is some distance southeast of the Minneman farm-home. From the cemetery, a fine view is obtained of broad and winding (and here almost treeless) hollow of Crooked Creek, a stream which, after flowing north, east and west, and to perhaps all other points of the compass, is here approaching from northwest and turning southward, to the southwestward of this cemetery. \par All or practically all of the little old slabs in this cemetery are fallen, and lying flat upon the ground, many of them face downwards; and a number are broken. After the copying of data from the stones in this cemetery, a search was made of the erosion-created gully (or ravine) to the southeastward; but no stones were found there. Present reporter estimates that the cemetery is 1,100 feet (the equivalent of 4 city-blocks) south of the "White Post Road", and perhaps 800 ft. east of Section 11's west line.<\p>

A search of old courthouse records at the county seat city of Logansport (some ten miles south) discloses that during the early years of the Civil War, on January 16, 1861 (perhaps 20 years after the cemetery had been opened) and 'in consideration of her affection for the dead," Sar--------- (illegible) deeded to Daniel Burket and William Million, as trustees, and to their successors (to be app------- interested persons) FOREVER, a 6 X 13 rod tract of ground containing this little pioneer-day cemetery,------ the West Half of the Southwest Quarter of Section Eleven. (D.R.Z., p.388, says to start at "p------ ground -- " southeast corner, go west six rods, north thirteen rods, east six rods and south thirteen rods to place of beginning, --- a description which means 78 square rods, or slightly less that half an acre.

Following is a report on names, dates, and other data appearing on markers now in this cemetery.

The late Dr John Z. Powell is authority for the statement that a number of other persons lie buried in graves which may once have been marked, but are now entirely unmarked. He speaks of the following as having originally been buried here, though some may later have been removed to other cemeteries. {Information in "quotes" appears to be added later -see comment on Solomon Burket}

EDITORIAL COMMENT: By the author R.B. Whitsett

Research discloses that the southwest quarter of section 11 (containing this cemetery) was patented in 1837, or approximately 105 years ago, (when this was originally written-SG) to William P (Puddix?) Watts. (Vide Tract Book) It seems difficult to get much information about these pioneer Burkets and other persons of this locality who were buried in this cemetery. But research has brought to light the fact that on December 22, 1851, the following persons of this locality were closely associated, probably by intermarriage of families as well as by friendship or neighborly ties ----

James BURKET and wife, Barbara (Rhoda Burket Conn's brother) Alexander SMITH and wife, Mary (Rhoda's sister) David BURKET and wife, Susan (Rhoda's brother) William MILLION and wife, Susanah (Rhoda's sister) She married John Conn after William Million and sister Rhoda died. George BURKET and wife, Mary J, sometimes called Polly Burket (Rhoda's brother) Pickering VERNON and wife, Elizabeth (Rhoda's sister) John CONN and wife, Rhoda (stone says Roda) Nelson HERMAN and wife, Madeline (don't know if/how related)

Further research through old records reveals that there was in this immediate neighborhood during the 1850's a Mr. Solomon Lafever or La Fever, who had been an Ohioan, and who had moved to the section in which this cemetery is located sometime during the year of 1849. His home was probably somewhere north of the cemetery and the LaFevers buried here were very likely from his household and quite possibly included even himself. In 1853, he purchased some land from Alexander Smith.

William Million likewise was an ex-Ohioan, and during (the) Civil War days served as actually a trustee of the Burket Cemetery. (He owned land approximately one mile north of cemetery, and also elsewhere nearby.)

David Burket and John Burket separately sold farm surrounding cemetery to a Mr Martindale in 1865, with others participating in the transaction. (D.R. 3, pp 17, 20) Alex. Smith et al Q.C.'d (Quit Claim) to James Burket heirs, 38 acres north of cemetery on 11-19-'65 (D.R. 1, (pg) 419). As for the Vernons, we find that during the late 1840's, one Pickering Vernon and wife, Elizabeth Vernon had real estate holdings in section 5 and also 20, which are, respectively, a couple of miles west and southwest of cemetery. (C.F., D.R.G., 338: D.R.J., 306)

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