STUDEBAKER
[Now occasionally referred to as “The old cemetery on the HORN farm,”
because ownership of surrounding lands passed to, for example, the late Mr. Levi
Horn, and now, April 28th, 1941, is in the names of Burson L, and
Flora Horn, who reside in a large two story brick farm house some ten rods
southwest off this cemetery.]
This long-abandoned and almost unidentifiable
cemetery is about 3 rods west of paved State Road 25 and in the SOUTHWEST
QUARTER OF SECTION FORTY-FOUR of the Michigan Road Lands ceded by the Potawatomi
(and also the
Cemetery is about one and one-half miles
northeast of Metea, which hamlet is at the point where State Highway 16 (Monon
to Roann) and 25 (
[
On May 24, 1855, Aaron and Jane Tilton
conveyed---as a free gift---to William and Joseph Studebaker twenty-eight square
rods of land including this cemetery, for the use (of themselves and their
heirs) for a burial-ground, and described the location as follows:
Start at southeast corner of north half of
southwest Fraction west of the
(See
Deed Record Book “0.,” page 185, in
A local historian puzzlingly describes this
cemetery as being in S. E. quarter of Section Ten (of T. 28 N., R.2 E.); but
this description seems incorrect, and seems to overlook or ignore the fact that
said section ten is overlapped and (virtually) almost entirely obliterated by
Michigan Road Lands Section Forty-four.
This almost entirely forgotten little cemetery
has probably been plowed over; but in recent decades has been , we are told,
carefully avoided (plowed around but not over), in respect to the persons who
may still lie buried here in (now) entirely unmarked graves. The Cemetery is not
fenced.
Cemetery is about 150 feet northeast of a
garden which lies just north of the Burson Horn farmhouse, which house sets back
from (that is, is a bit west of) the [here northeastwardly running] state
highway 25. Mr. D.W. Black reports that the graves are understood to be
northwest of a stump (of a now long-vanished tree), and about three rods west of
the state highway pavement, and about ten rods northeast of the Horn house, and
about six rods south of this Horn farm’s north line. He thinks that few, if
any, of the bodies were ever removed to other (larger) cemeteries.
Unfortunately, there are now (April 28, 1941)
no stones at all from which we might copy names and dates; but nearly half a
century ago, it is said, there were still “three broken and crumbling marble
slabs” here. But the late local historian, Dr. J. Z. Powell was told by the
late Mr. David Studebaker (in about 1907) that a total of probably twenty-five
persons were originally buried here and still remained buried here, in addition
to several who were moved to other and larger cemeteries. Thanks to Dr. Powell
(and Mr. David Studdebaker), we are able to submit the following names and
approximate dates, and to them we have been able to add only one additional
name, and, except for doing that, can merely and some editorial comment
concerning some of those listed in this report,---comment based upon research at
Court House at Logansport, Indiana.
“REMARKS” From about 1838 to at least about 1850, John Simon (whose wife was Ann Elizabeth) owned at least 80 acres just east of cemetery or in N.E.1 of Sec. 11 of this Township (28-2-E) See Deed Records “g”., p.310, and “J” p.342. Nearby contemporaries were Abraham, Isaac, and also Leonard Simon or Simons.
“REMARKS”
3 children of Joseph Studebaker. Note: These three children’s brother
David survived until about 1912, and became grandfather of William Studebaker,
now (1941) manager of the Logansport Theater at nearby city of
“REMARKS”
“Several” children of William Studebaker a pioneer to whom, present
reporter finds, the State on 2-3-1843 patented north part of Section 44 of
Michigan Road Lands; a tract which he and his WIFE SALOME sold in 1853. (see
D.R.E..; p.216 and also D.R.L. p.24.)
“REMARKS”
Research discloses that a Wm. L. Goth or Gott, whose name might easily
mistaken for Goss, owned Harrison township lands not far west of this
pioneer-day cemetery, in 1836.
JOHN?
(4)
Died during decades of 1840 or 1850; but some of these four or more persons are
said to have later been disinterred and removed to the far larger nearby
“NOTE” A Preble county, Ohioan, Joseph
Jones (having wife SARAH), owned E1/2 NE sec.8 for a short time in 1843, but
sold it to J.W. ROBBINS, also of Preble Co., O.
Authority
for this last entry is Mr. D.W.Black, a former teacher, now residing at the
nearby town of
THIS REPORT (dated April 28, 1941) BY R.B.
Whitsett, Jr., L’Anguille Valley Memorial Association, 500 Front Street,
Logansport, assisted by D.W. Black, Fulton, Indiana, both of whom engaged
(independently or separately) in fieldwork, though neither could locate any old
slabs. END OF REPORT.
This report was transcribed by Sadie Cunningham for the Cass County INGenWeb Project in September 2006.
Added 16 October 2006