Pioneer Cemeteries and Their Stories,

Madison County, Indiana

Smithers Cemetery

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Green Township

Location: west side of CR 600W, between SR 38 and I-69

        In the spring of 1969, the Cemetery Conditions Committee, which included Mrs. Harris Coy and Everett Huntzinger, of the Madison County Historical Society recorded the gravestones that were still at this location.  Otherwise, this very small private graveyard might have been entirely forgotten.  From notes made at that time, this is the burial site for three children, aged six years and younger, from three different families.     

Taken from the Cemetery Conditions Committee archives, the above pictures show the Smithers Cemetery in shambles in 1969.  The note at left reads" Mary E. dau. of Henry & Carolina (?) Smiths died Sept. 30, 1863 aged 1 yr 3 m 11 d."  The stone data at right reads, "Barbara Welty Jan. 25 1866 aged 7 yr 2 m 29 d."

Below is the mulberry tree orchard in which the children are buried, as seen facing south from the driveway in 2008.

 

   

    As of July 2, 2008, the Smithers was still part of private property.  On that date, members of the MCCC and other interested parties asked for and received permission from the owner to visit the old burial ground.  The Smithers is located west of the farm buildings and is at the back of a mulberry tree orchard on a hill to the south.  Two markers and an additional socket were located within the undergrowth.  While Mary E.'s gravestone was still intact, Barbara Welty's could not be found; however, another child's small eligible stone was discovered.  There was also a number of sunken depressions throughout the orchard indicating more burials than the three graves which had stones.  MCCC chairperson Ranny Simmons later discussed with the owner of the property the advantages of deeding to the township trustee such a cemetery.

At left, Mary E. Smithers's stone is still in good condition.  Mary died September 30, 1863, when she was one year, three months, and eleven days old.

 

 

 

Names
ID Names Birth Date Death Date Cemetery
47876 PARTAIN, CORAB 2Y. 7M. _D. SEP. 9, 1874 SMITHERS
58264 SMITHERS, MARY E. 1Y. 3M. 11D. SEP. 30, 1863 SMITHERS
66765 WELTY, BARBARA 6Y. 2M. 29D. JAN. 25, 1866 SMITHERS