The Macoupin County Archives has in its files, indexes/listings of many veterans buried in numerous Macoupin County cemeteries.  WPA workers compiled the indexes during the Depression Era (about 1939 – 1940) and among these cemetery records we found the Kinder cemetery information.  Spelling is kept “as is” in original record.

Name of Cemetery:	Kinder
Location:	W ¼ NW ¼ Sec. 11
Oldest Grave:	Henry, Son of  N. & E. L. Duncan, Died - Oct. 17, 1836 – aged 10 months
Number of lots:	94
Number of Graves:	350
Number of graves to be filled:	28
Number of graves to be leveled:	35
Number of Veterans graves that need stones:	2
Number of stones in cemetery that need resetting:	45
Number of stones that need recutting:	76
Condition of fence:	Poor
Number of people interviewed:	7

The Kinder Cemetery is a public cemetery and is over a hundred years old, having originated in 1836. It derives its name from Mr. Kinder who was the original owner and donor of the land for the cemetery.  This cemetery had been used for burial purposes about 20 years before it was deeded to the trustees.  This cemetery is also known as the Oakland Cemetery being named by the Oakland Lutheran church members – Hornsby, and the first two deeds were drawn up for the Oakland Cemetery.  The residents of the vicinity also prefer it being called the Kinder Cemetery.
   
In 1857, Mr. Kinder deeded a part of his land, where there were already a few graves, over to the trustees of the cemetery for burial purposes.  The deed conveying the title to the land over to the trustees reads as follows:  THIS INDENTURE made and entered into this 9th day of February, 1857 between Thomas KINDER and Mary, his wife, of the County of Macoupin and State of Illinois of the first part and Jerimiah EATON, George P. BAYLESS and Nathan DUNCAN, all of the County of Macoupin and State of Illinois, trustees of the graveyard known as the OAKLAND GRAVEYARD, and their successors in office, party of the second part, WITNESSETH that the said party of the first part for and in consideration of the sum of $1.00 to them paid by the said party of the second part, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged has given, granted, bargained and sold and by these presents do convey and confirm to the said party of the second part and their successors in office for the use and purpose herein mentioned, as long as it is used and kept in repair, all the tract of land known and designated as follows, to-wit:

One lot off of the 57 acres at the SW. corner of said lot.  Commencing 11 rods East of the corner of said lot of 57 acres at a stake, thence East 13 rods; thence North 13 rods; thence West 13 rods; thence North 13 rods to the place of  beginning, it being the W. ½ of the NW. ¼ of Section 11 T. 8 N. R. 6 West of the Third Principal Meridian, containing 1 acre.  TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the above granted premises to the said party of the second part and their successors in office forever.  And the said party of the first part have for themselves, heirs, executors and administrators do covenant and agree with the said party of the second part and their successors that they are lawfully seized in fee of the afore-granted premises; that they are free from all encumbrance; that they have good right to sell and convey the same to the said party of the second part and their heirs, executors and administrators will forever WARRANT and DEFEND the same to the said party of the second part and their successors against the claim of all persons whomsoever.  IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF the party of the first part has hereunto set their hands and seals the day and year first above written.  (This deed is dated February 9, 1857 and was recorded in the office of the Recorder of Deeds for Macoupin County, Illinois on October 20, 1857 in Book “CB” of Deed Records at pages 70 and 71)

After 25 years the trustees found it necessary to buy an additional tract of land as most of the lots in the original plot were taken up.   
   
    In 1881, the trustees bought land from Mr. WILHITE for the first addition to the Kinder Cemetery.  This land consisted of a strip along the north side of the original and a tract on the west.  The deed transferring the title to the land for the addition also includes the original and reads as follows:  THE GRANTORS:  Thomas J. Wilhite and Hannah Wilhite, his wife, of the town of Cahokia in the County of Macoupin and State of Illinois for the consideration of $30.00 CONVEY and QUIT CLAIM to George W. Duncan, James T. Wilton and Jeremiah Snook, trustees of the Oakland Graveyard and their successors, of the town of Cahokia, County of Macoupin and State of Illinois, all interest in the following described real-estate, to-wit:

Commencing at a stone 64 rods North of the ½ section corner on the West side of Section 11, T. 8 N. R. 6, West of the Third Principal Meridian, thence East 24 rods; thence North 15 rods and 5 links; thence West 24 rods; thence South 15 rods and 5 links to the place of beginning, containing 2 ¼ acres more or less, provided that the above named trustees and their successors in office shall make and forever maintain a good and lawful fence and that the grantors, Thomas J. Wilhite and his heirs shall forever have the right to join to said fence and for use of the same.  Situated in the County of Macoupin, in the State of Illinois hereby releasing and waiving all rights under and by virtue of the Homestead Exemption Laws of this State.  (This deed is dated March 31, 1881 and was recorded in the office of the Recorder of Deeds for Macoupin County, Illinois on June 6, 1893 in Book “EM” of Quit Claim Records at page 456.)

    On the west side of Kinder Cemetery there is a public road but has been abandoned because the land is rough and ditches had to be crossed.  The trustees then made arrangements to buy the land on the north side of the cemetery for an additional burial grounds and also to lay a new road.
In 1929, a second addition was made to the Kinder Cemetery.  This land was donated by Mr. Ohlmann.  It is a long strip 165 feet wide and is to the north of the original, giving the cemetery an “L” shape.  The deed conveying the title to the land reads as follows:

THE GRANTORS:  Louis H. Ohlman, the only heir-at-law of Henry Ohlman, deceased, and Lydia M. Ohlmann, his wife, of the Township of Cahokia, in consideration of $1.00 WARRANT to Charles L. Mitchell, Horace Drennan, and E. L. Duncan, trustees of Oakland Graveyard, now known as Kinder Cemetery and their successors in office e of the County of Macoupin and Sate of Illinois, the following described Real-Estate, to-wit:  (Here reads a lengthy property description which I will not list here.  If you want the entire WPA Kinder Cemetery record, contact the Macoupin Co. Archives in Carlinville or the Recorder of Deeds at the Macoupin Co. Court House, Carlinville in Book CB on page 70.)  This deed is dated May 19, 1929 and was recorded  in the office of the Recorder of Deeds for Macoupin County Illinois on May 29, 1929 in Volume 342 of Deed Records at page 599.)

    The Kinder Cemetery is not incorporated at the present time.

    The present trustees of the cemetery are the following:   Horace Drennan, Fremen Silhime, Earl Farrar

The Kinder Cemetery is a large cemetery and is in a poor condition.  The grass and weeds has grown very high.  350 graves have been counted in this cemetery and 63 of that number need filling or leveling.  Quite a number of the tombstones are down or leaning and need resetting.  The driveway to and in the cemetery is not surfaced and is in need of repair.  Many of the old tombstones need recutting as the inscriptions are worn and are hard to read.  The woven-wire fence which encloses this burial grounds is in poor condition.

To reach the Kinder Cemetery one must travel about 1 mile south of Hornsby on a graded road and then about ¾ mile east.  The cemetery sets about ¼ mile south from the main road.

History

    THOMAS KINDER, the original owner and donor of the land for the Kinder Cemetery was one of the early settlers of the Township of Cahokia.  These early settlers like all early pioneers were sober, industrious, honest and hospitable.  They raised nearly every article of food and manufactured most of their clothing.  In those days game was plenty and many of the pioneers were fond of hunting the deer, turkey and prairie chicken which were abundant at that time.  These pioneers usually settled on the edge of a timber because the land adjoining the timber is generally more fertile and was not as hard to cultivate as the land of the hard prairie.  They could also built their homes with less labor of handling the heavy logs of which they were constructed.  The timber also protected them from the wind and the storm.
   
The first entries of land made in Cahokia Township were by John Blevins on April 22, 1831 and by Peter Kinder, George A. Kinder, John Kinder, Jacob Kinder and William Kinder all of whom made entries on May 9, 1831.
    The first marriage in Cahokia Township was that between Christopher Kinder and Miss Mary Ann Cook, in the spring of 1832.
   
The first death in the township was that of Mrs. Kinder who died in May, 1832.
   
The first church was built by the United Baptists about 1840 on the land owned by Thomas Kinder in Section 2.  It was built of hewn logs and was later used for a school house and finally it caught fire and was destroyed.
   
There are 9 Veterans Buried in the Kinder Cemetery

* = Have government marker

The graves of J. K. Beir and James Holden do not have any markers of any kind and were pointed out to the fieldmen by a Legionnaire who puts the flags on the graves on Memorial Day.

Name:    Beer, J. K.    Grave 2, Lot 54, No marker
Name:    Beer, J. K.   
Field Check:        Grave No. 2  Lot No. 54  Marker – None
Notes:    No marker of any kind on this grave.  Grave pointed out to fieldmen by a Legionnaire .  Honored with flag at grave.

Name:     Botkin, William    Civil War; Died 2/25/1870; Grave 10  Lot 3
Name:     Botkin, William
Field Check:  Grave No. 10  Lot No. 3; Upright marker
Information on Marker:    William Botkin; Born Aug. 15, 1820 – Died Feb. 23, 1870; aged 55 yrs
Notes:      No gov’t marker.  Pointed out by Legionnaire

Name:    Burge, Rev. Wm.    Died 8/3/1850; Grave 2  Lot 28
Name:    Burge, Rev. Wm.   
Field Check:   Grave No. 2  Lot No. 28; Upright marker
Information on Marker:  Rev. Wm. Burge; Died Aug.3, 1850, aged 75 yrs
Notes:  No Govt. marker; Pointed out by Legionnaire; Probably Revolutionary

Name:   Eppler, J. J. G     4/7/1893; Grave 3  Lot 83
Name:   Eppler, J. J. G
Field Check:  Grave No. 3  Lot No. 83; Upright marker
Information on Marker:  J. J. G. Eppler; Born in Cobuny (?) Ger.  Born Feb. 11, 1827 – Died April 7, 1893
Notes:  No Gov’t Markers;  Pointed out by Legionnaire

Name:   Holden, James      Civil War, Pvt.  Company I; 122 Ill. Inf;  Grave 1  Lot 38  No Marker
Name:   Holden, James
Field Check:   Grave No. 1  Lot No. 38;  No Marker
Service Record:  Civil War; 122 Illinois Inf.  Co.I;  (Sources – Roster of Mac. Co.)
Notes:  No marker of any kind on this grave; Pointed out by Legionnaire

Name:   Kinder, Christopher G.    Civil War; Died 2/19/1863; Grave 2  Lot 11
Name:   Kinder, Christoper G.
Information on Marker:    Christopher (Husband of Mary Ann Kinder), Born Jan 20, 1822 – Died Feb. 19,                            1863
Death Certificate Data:  Born – 1822       Died – 1863     
Notes:    No gov’t marker; Pointed out by Legionnaire

Name:   Kinder, Jesse    Civil War, Pvt. Company I  122 Ill. Inf.;  Died 1/8/1864; Grave 7  Lot11
Name:   Kinder, Jesse
Field Check:  Grave No. 7  Lot No. 11; Upright marker
Information on Marker:  Jesse ( Son of C. G. & M. A. Kinder; Died Jan. 8, 1864  Aged 20 yrs, 10 ms. & 23 days
Death Certificate Data:  Died:  1/8/1864
Service Record:  Civil War; 122 Illinois Inf. Co. I; Sources – Roster of Mac. County
Notes:  No gov’s marker; Pointed out by legionnaire;  Name appears on Roster of Soldiers enlisted from Macoupin County

Name:   *Wilhite, Thos. J      Sgt. Company H  6 Missouri Inf.; Grave 2  Lot 50
Name:   Wilhite, Thos. J   
Field Check:   Grave No. 2  Lot No. 50; Upright marker
Information on Marker:  Sergt. Thos. Wilhite; Co. H. 6 Mo. Inf.
Notes:  Has gov’t.marker

Name:   Wilson, J. M.  Civil War; Died 9/13/1873; Grave 2  Lot 55
Name:  Wilson, J. M.
Field Check:  Grave No. 2  Lot No. 55; Upright Marker
Information on Marker:  J. M. Wilson  Died Sept 13, 1873, 57 yrs. 6 ms. 1(?) day
Notes:  No gov’t. marker
Legionnaire points out grave

    In this file I found the beginning of a letter addressed to Mrs. F. S. Dodge, 5814 Maple Ave., St. Louis, MO., written from Carlinville, Illinois and dated May 11, 1939, nothing else.  Perhaps he was writing to her to request more information concerning the people in Kinder cemetery????