WPA - Behme Cemetery, Brushy Mound Township, Macoupin County IL
A Transcription of the WPA Record in Macoupin County Archives, Carlinville, Illinois
by Mary McKenzie


BEHME CEMETERY
 Brushy Mound Township
Macoupin County
Section 22-9-7
Illinois


Name of Cemetery    Behme Cemetery
Location    Sec. 22 R 9 T. 7
Oldest Grave    Levigimlin (as is on the WPA sheet) Died 1850
Number of graves    74
Number of Veterans graves that need stones    1
Number of stones in cemetery that need resetting 4
Number of stones that need recutting    18
Condition offence    Poor
Number of people interviewed    2

The Behme Cemetery is a small cemetery located on the Behme farm. This cemetery was laid out about 1850 by Julius Behme for the benefit of the people of the community. This cemetery is still used by the residents of Brushy Mound.

Land Records of Macoupin County have been searched for a deed to the Behme Cemetery but none can be found. We have, however found on record a mortgage on the land where the cemetery is located which excepts the cemetery. The instrument reads as follows:
THIS INDENTURE made this 1st day of march, 1864 be tween Julius Behme of Macoupin County, State of Illinois of the first part and Andrew Landvoss of the City of St Louis and State of Missouri of the second part WITNESSETH that the said party of the first part for and in consideration of the sum of $1.00 to him paid by the said party of the second part, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, has granted, bargained, sold, released and conveyed and by these presents do grant, bargain, sell, release and convey to the said party of the second part, his heirs and assigns, FOREVER, All that certain piece of parcel of land situate, lying and being in the County of Macoupin and State of Illinois and known, designated and described as follows:

The E. 1/2 of the NW. 1/4 of Section 22, T.9 N. R.7, West of the Third principal Meridian. Except 1/2 acre in the NW corner used as a graveyard————————————————————(This instrument is dated March 1, 1864 and was recorded in the office of the Recorder of Deeds for Macoupin County, Illinois on March 1, 1864 in Book "ZZ" of Deed Records at page 521.)

At the present time the Behme Cemetery measures 166 feet on the north and south sides and 150 feet on the east and west sides.

The Behme Cemetery is not incorporated.

This cemetery does not have a special caretaker. It is taken care of by the people of the community and relatives of the deceased who are buried there.

There are no trustees to the Behme Cemetery. It is still included in the Behme Estate.

The Behme Cemetery is in good condition. It is well taken care of.

74 graves have been counted in this cemetery. 4 stones need resetting and about 18 stones need recutting as they are weather-worn and cannot be read. The grass is nicely cut. There is no driveway to this cemetery. The land slopes a little giving it good drainage. The woven-wire fence which encloses this cemetery is in poor condition and needs repair. This burial grounds is surrounded by plowland on the west, east and north sides and by timber land on the south.

To reach the Behme Cemetery one travels about 5 miles South of Carlinville on Route 4, then 2 1/2 miles west and 1/4 mile South on a dirt road to the Behme farm. Take a road through the Behme farm about 1/4 mile north to the cemetery. This is the only way to get to the cemetery.

There is one veteran buried in the Behme Cemetery.

Name:   Eichen, Jacob; Civil War; Pvt. Co K 122.; Died 11/28/1892; Grave 3 Lot 11
Name:   Eichen, Jacob
Field Check:       Upright marker
Information on Marker:   Jacob Eichen Born Dec. 14, 1826 - Died Nov. 28, 1892
Cemetery Record Data: Grave   3 Lot 11; Buried Nov. 30 1892
Death Certificate Data:   Died 11/28/1892 at Brushy Md.; Cause -Ruhmatism; Born 12/14/1826 in Germany
Branch of Service: Infantry; Rank - Private; Company K   122 Illinois Inf. ;Civil War
Sources: Roster of Macoupin County
Notes: Grave in fair condition

This grave was pointed out to the fieldmen by a resident of the community to be that of a soldier and the name of Jacob Eichen appears on the Roster of Civil War soldiers as listed above.
The oldest grave that we can locate by the dates on the markers is that of "Levigimlin" who died in 1850. The one name as written is all that can be read on the marker.
History of the Behme Cemetery

The Behme Cemetery was named after the Behme Family who settled in Brushy Mound Township. When Mr. Behme bought this land there were evidently some graves on his land and later when burials were made there the cemetery became known as the Behme Cemetery.

JULIUS BEHME, the donor of the land for the cemetery was born in Germany. There he was married to Miss Anna Dorethe and two children were born to this union. The young couple lived in Brunswick, Germany for over 15 years and then came to America.

In 1855, upon coming to the United States, the Behme family first settled in Ogle County and from there went to St. Louis and then came to Macoupin County where they settled in Clyde of Cahokia Township. Two years after they came to this county the mother died and the family moved to Polk Township where they lived for 1 year. Mr. Behme and his boys moved to Brushy Mound Township where he bought a large farm where he lived until the time of his death.


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