SHAFF   PRIVATE CEMETERY

 A-Z

This cemetery is on high ground on the western end of a peninsula formed by a horse-shoe bend made by BEAR CREEK & it’s low hollow [or valley].  This creek approaches from the east, [but near the extreme S.W.CORNER of the WA-PA-PE-SHEE [Indian] RESERVE in N.W. TIPTON Twp., S.E. CASS Co., IN] suddenly turns north & almost immediately swings back N.N.E & after 2 miles, it joins PIPE CREEK just 1/3 of a mile from the point [near Lewisburg], that larger [& better known] stream finally plunges into the Wabash River. The cemetery

Is barely 250 ft., [less than one city block] EAST of the N-S Road which leads N 1 1/2 mile to Cass Station’s concrete bridge over the Wabash River .  Cemetery is about 1/4 mile N.E. of SEVEN MILE United Brethren Church but is across the Cass Station Road from the U.B.church [and also across an E-W road from the church]. Cemetery is on what’s known as the “Old Jacob Shaff Farm,” & is near the S.W. corner of what is often called the “Rose Shaff 152.75-acre farm.” Cemetery is 1 1/2-3 miles E.N.E of the hamlet of Anoka & is 2+ miles W.of  the hamlet known as PIPE CREEK FALLS , which is about 1 mile S. of Lewisburg. Cemetery is about 4 1/2 miles N. of the town of Walton , IN.

   Bear Creek, a boulder filled stream is about 10 ft. wide & comes within about 35 ft. of Cass Station Road . Here a small tributary passes under Cass Station Road [in a cement culvert] & than joins with Bear Creek [from the W.] about 110 ft. further east, the pedestrian climbs east out of Bear Creek Hollow &  & 50+ ft. up a grassy slope to the high ground or “tip of the finger” of the table-land [some 15ft. above the hollow], & almost instantly reaches the fence that form the west boundary of the cemetery. The cemetery measure 75 ft. N-S & is longer on the E.  

L’ANGUILLE VALLEY MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION

500 FRONT STREET

LOGANSPORT , INDIANA

October 5, 1951

R.B. Whitsett Jr. & Mrs. Anna C. Whitsett.

With submission of this report to

INDIANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

 STATE LIBRARY

INDIANAPOLIS , IN

Though completely surrounded by woods, the cemetery itself is a lawn-cemetery, in only fair condition, devoid of any trees. There is evidence of its being cared for despite its remote location from any village or main road.

Quite a large number of older monuments appear to have been knocked over recently, perhaps by the September 1941 Gulf-of-Mexico [or Texas ] to Buffalo , NY [or Canada ] hurricane which felled a large number of trees in Cass Co., IN just recently.

Wishes to thank Miss Dierdre Shaff of Walton , IN , a native of the region & a direct descendant of the Family for whom this cemetery is named. She was personally acquainted with a number of the person who lie buried here & for the information supplied by her in an effort to make this report complete.

 

NOTES

 

Mrs.David [Susan] Putterbaugh: An old stone perhaps soon to be discarded is carved a Holy Bible & verse

“Go Home, Dear Friends, And Do Not Weep: I Am Not Dead But Here I Sleep.

  Though Cold And Silent In My Bed, My Heart is [-----] And My Sorrow Fled.

  Stop, My Friends, And Take A View, Of This Cold Grave A [Cot?] For You:

  Remember, All, That You Must Die And Turn To Dust As Well As I.”

 Putterbaugh, Joseph: an old slab also carved with a Holy Bible. & footstone “J.P.” uprooted & displaced

Murphy: Sarah E. & William H.: children of G.W. & M.J. Monument displace & lying up against a wire fence. wht.(perhaps) imported Italian marble] “Sleep on, Sweet babes, And take thy rest; God called thee home when He thought best.”  

Ligget, Alexander: “My Children, dear, assembled here, A Father’s grave to see:

                                 Not long ago I dwelt with you but soon you shall dwell with me.

 Tucker: inscribed- “Children of J.P. & R.W. Tucker”

This couple & their children are all buried here. They lost 5 children, all sons at a young age.

 on William F.T.’s side the little old spire. Mon. gives only letter “T” as last name with childs full given 1st name & mid. Initial. (4th side of monument is blank).

Discarded footstones found against a fence

W.F.T.T.  William F.T. Tucker

E.T.           Edwin Tucker

E.T.           Edward Tucker

A.M.T.      Abraham M. Tucker

B.F.T.        Benjamin F. Tucker

 

The late local historian, Dr. J. Z. Powell [d:1918] is the authority for the statement “that two children of John H. Shaff lie buried in the cemetery, one d; 1873 & the other in 1879. But our report doesn’t find any decipherable markers for them. Powell also said that one of the “John Tuckers” buried in this cemetery had hanged himself in 1962.”  R.B.W.,Jr. says that he is not prepared to confirm this statement.

Note: There is a John T. Tucker buried in this cemetery who died in 1962, the father of the 5 young sons & husband of Rebecca W.

Also, N.E.corner [at fence-post] a home-made type cement-marker after being scraped, washed, etc. reads “Don Shaff “ & an undecipherable line which says “[-?8] or [g?] UN[-------]. Inquiring about the neighborhood we find a peson by the name of Donald aka Don Shaff still living. The inquiries failed to disclose if anyone by that name were buried here. [R.B.W., J-“ said that the stone & inscript. May not be a grave-stone at all but built by a mischevious boy who helped to build the fence around the cem.”

One discarded funeral home’s metal marker against a fence with the card missing.

This report was input by Pat Fiscel February 2007 for the Cass County INGenWeb Project.

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