Page last updated September 21, 2010
A short time ago, one of our researchers sent me an email absolutely horrified at the condition of the Little Mount Cemetery when she went to visit. The researcher's name is Chris Meno and I am grateful that she decided to contact me on this.
Along with her email, she sent me many photos to back up her findings. She asked if there was some way to get this information out to the many researchers who don't necessarily live close to the Owen County area in hopes that perhaps something could be done as a group, that perhaps couldn't be done by just one individual.By this I mean in the way of letters, phone calls, etc.
I must admit that many of the photos took me by surprise... sickened me, made me very sad and at times put me in tears. I began placing these photos in the tombstone section of the photos. However, the condition of some of these stones made me so mad and frustrated that I had to just stop several times and walk away. I just couldn't look at them anymore.
Chris has gone through a course in restoration in Bloomington and has been attempting to fix the stones that could be fixed. This is not a course in rebuilding them, just fixing them the best that she can. She has also been taking photographs of all the stones in hopes of placing them on a CD. She has promised me a copy of the CD (although I am not certain I can handle looking at many more of them.)
It is her hope that some one of us may be able to find out who is responsible for the upkeep of this cemetery as there is no church in the area (the one it was connected to vanished years ago). Perhaps with the actions of many, the responsible parties would make some effort.
I know this area and it is very rural although there are houses around there. I was there a few years back and the damage was not there at the time. I feel that the vandals are someone residing in the immediate vicinity of the cemetery.
By using my existing cemetery records, I have compiled a list below of the names on the stone most affected. You may view these stones in the tombstone section of the photos if you are interested. I have linked the family surname to the photo page that they are on. What data I could be sure of regarding these persons you will find below based on cemetery listings and in some cases my own personal files. NOTE: The numbering below has no bearing on the photos, it is simply to separate the listings here.
If any of these are YOUR ancestors, I hope that you feel moved and bound to attempt to do something about this travesty.
1. Sarah Allen--daughter of Joseph and Eleanor Asher (no dates on this one)
1. Edmond Asher- b. November 12, 1818 d. February 3, 1861--son of Bartlett Asher & Margaret Curry who were early county pioneers.He married Elizabeth Rysinger and their 5 children were- Allen, Malissa, Simpson, John and Emily.
2. Elizabeth Asher- b. January 17, 1815 d. February 2, 1875--She was Elizabeth Rysinger, the wife of Edmond above.
3. William E. Asher- b. February 15, 1858 d. June 1, 1865--He was Daniel E. Asher Jr. and Rachel Dean.
1. Lorenda Bell Baker--daughter of B. Baker (only legible date is died 1864)
1. James Buchanan- b. September 20, 1777 d. August 28, 1846
1. Andrew Buchanon- d. February 14, 1851 aged 40y 4m 5d (figures to birth being October 9, 1810)
1. Minnie Chenoweth- b. December 12, 1875 d. January 28, 18??--daughter of Elisha Chenoweth & Martha Steele
1. Infant Edwards- there is no date showing currently, only a poem. According to cemetery records it should have the year 1840 on it also.
2. Lucinda Edwards- b. August 1, 1817 d. August 18, 1868--daughter of William Asher & Mary Alice Woollett, pioneers of Owen County. Lucinda was the wife of William Edwards.The infant above is their child.
3. Sarah J. Edwards- b. August 19, 1846 d. July 17, 1869--wife of Jonathan Edwards (who is the son of William & Lucinda listed above). She was the daughter of Elijah McGinnis to the best of my research. There are 2 photos here, one of the top and one of the bottom.
1. Daniel B. Gray- b. April 10, 1814 d. March 28, 1864--He married Elizabeth Wilson; d/o John Wilson & Parthenia Truax. They were married May 20, 1844 in Owen County.
1. Eleanor E.J. Haltom- b. May 20, 1836 d. December 15, 1853--Daughter of Augustus & Jane Wedding; Wife of Issac S. Haltom.
1. Solomon Hetser- d. December 21, 1878; aged 78y 11m 5d
1. Maranda Jones- d. March 18, 1859; aged 26y 20d; daughter of James & M. Johnson; Wife of William N Jones
1. Frank Montgomery; b. June 12, 1870 d. December 5, 1870; William H. Montgomery & Leannor Wooden
1. James M. Mugg b. October 8, 1838 d. December 25, 1838; son of John & Milly Mugg
2. Joseph Mugg b. February 2, 1848 d. July 4, 1848; son of John & Milly Mugg
3. Milly Mugg b. May 4, 1807 d. February 2, 1848; wife of John Mugg
4. Thomas Mugg b. February 9, 1833 d. March 2, 1837; son of John & Milly Mugg
1. T.B. Seay; Co. B 59th Indiana Infantry; this is the only data with the cemetery listing
1. Either I.B. or Martha G.: these are the only 2 Snodgrasses in the cemetery listing.
1. Rachel Stone: 1829-1860--daughter of Thomas Birt (of Washington County)and wife of Ralph Stone.
1. John Presley Surber-- son of Jacob Surber and Catherine Asher-- dates are not readable but I have a birthdate in my records for 1849
1. Top says only THOMAS; it appears to be the grave of a child; either son or daughter of T.A. & EJ;b. March 2 d. May 31 (years are illegible)
1. Ailcy Truax; Wife of Wm Truax; daughter of Edward Combs & Rebecca Stillwell-- dates are broken off but they are b. March 20, 1763 d. December 4, 1856. They came to Owen County about 1823 from Nelson County, KY. This stone is only half of the original, I know as I saw it last time there. It also is located in a different position then originally.
1. Elizabeth Whitaker--wife of Bland B; d. July 13, 1857; aged 61y 11m; Original stone said "Sacred to the memory of Elizabeth"
2. Sarah; b. 1818 d.February 28, 1848-- aged 30y 10m (rest is broken off)
1. Daughter Wilson; daughter of J. Wilson; dates are really bad here- b. February 18, ???? d. August 20, 1862
2. John Wilson (or what is left of it)--b. September 16, 1793 d. April 12, 1860; age 76y 7m 26d--husband of Parthena Truax(daughter of the Ailcy Truax above)
3. Joseph W. Wilson; b. May 8, 1826 d. February 14, 1845; son of John Wilson & Parthena Truax
4. Nancy Wilson; April 23, 1823 d. February 23, 1846; daughter of John Wilson & Parthena Truax; this stone is broken across the middle and balanced for the photo
1.Benjamin Woodsmall-b. January 23, 1817 d. January 22, 1863