BENLD CITY CEMETERY
VETERANS’
WPA PROJECT

Number of people interviewed was 6

Drummond, Jas					6-8-1934
Best, Geo. B.		Fireman	2 Cl.	U. S. S. Penn.	12-15-1934	4	28
Goodpastor, Jesse	C	Pvt.	F	12 Ill. Cav.	1-8-1916		SW¼  24
Pasero, James	S	Pvt.	A	3 U. S. Inf.	2-20-1933		NE¼   74
Ruffatto, Dominic		Pvt.		137th F. A. 38 Div.	9-12-1934
Tanburini, Peter					11-20-1935
Young, Robert							96
Little, Arthur
Shire, Mr.

The following were on individual loose pages:

John Simonetto  8    2    114
Upright marker, born July 17, 1887 died 12-6-1920 World War; has gov’t marker

Dominic Ruffatto  1    2    88
Upright marker, Illinois Pvt. 137 field Artillery 38 Div. Died 9-12-1934; has gov’t marker World War

James Pasero 7    2    74
Upright marker, Co. Ill. 3 U. S. Inf. Sp. Am. War; Infantry Private, Co. A 3 U. S. Inf.  Gas gov’t marker

Jesse Goodpastor  3    3    24
Upright marker, Co. F 12 Ill Cavalry  Date of Birth 1829 Date of Death 1-8-1916 Date of Burial 1-10-1916
Place of Birth Missouri; Cause of Death - Old Age; Civil War.  Has gov’t marker

*Robert Young 1    2    96
Upright marker, 29581 Lapper Royal Engineers, 28 Feb. 1924, World War
Also
*    6381 Pte. David Young, Cyclist Corps.  Killed in France 27 Sept. 1915
 
*This marker was erected for the two Young brothers.  Robert is buried here, David is buried in France.  Has gov’t marker.

John Cobetto  6    4    117
Upright marker, 1557462  Pvt. Co. B 113 Engineers.  1899 - 1922.  Born 1894
Has no gov’t marker.

James Drummond  2    1    114
No other information.  The grave has no marker except the family marker.  Mr. Karnes, Benld undertaker,
pointed out this grave to us.                                                   

*Oldest grave in this cemetery - Mary Louise Blair, born 1823 died 1828
725 graves in this cemetery; 148 rods of fence around cemetery; condition of fence is fair

Note:    The following was written in a rough draft format and has been edited by me  MM editor of MCGS Searcher.

The Benld Cemetery is under the direction of the city of Benld from which it derives its name.  The Benld cemetery had originally been located a block north of the center of Main street until it was moved to its present location.  The old cemetery was laid out during the later years of 1820 for the burial grounds of the people of that vicinity and was used for a cemetery for years. As the village grew it was decided to remove the graves to the present cemetery, for which land was donated, about ¼ mile south of the East city limits.

We have been unable to find a deed to the original cemetery which was located in the city.

In 1921, an addition was made to the Benld cemetery when Mr. George B. Dorsey donated his land to the city for burial purposes and the deed conveying the title to the land over to the trustees reads as follows:  THE GRANTOR: George B. Dorsey, trustee of Benld, in the County of Macoupin and State of Illinois, for and in consideration of $1.00 in hand paid, CONVEY and WARRANTS to the trustees of the Cemetery Association and their successors in office of Benld, County of Macoupin, State of Illinois, the following described property or real-estate, situated in the County of Macoupin and State of Illinois to-wit:

Located in the:  SW ¼ SE ¼ Sec. 31 T 8 N R 6 West of the 3rd PM Cahokia Twp. Macoupin Co., Ill.  June 27, 1904.    ^.16 acres.  Plat Book C - 6

Rec. Sept. 7, 1906.    Book C  Page 6.            S. T. Morse, Deputy County Surveyor

The deed is dated April 11, 1921 and was recorded in the office of the recorder of Deeds for Macoupin County on May 3, 1921 in Volume 267 of Miscellaneous records at page 198.