WPA - Killam Cemetery, South Palmyra Township, Macoupin County IL


A Transcription of the WPA Record in Macoupin County Archives, Carlinville, Illinois
by Linda R.F. Arnold, October 2007

KILLAM CEMETERY

South Palmyra Township  15-11-8		Macoupin County
3 miles Southeast of Palmyra		Illinois

The Killam Cemetery is a small cemetery located in a big pasture on the Vanderbelt Maupin farm.  From the information gathered, this cemetery was first laid out  by a Sam Killam early in 1840.  Mr. Killam made a grant of his land to used as a cemetery for the benefit of himself and members of his family.

The land records of Macoupin County have been searched for a deed to the cemetery but none has been found.  However an exception to the cemetery has been found in a deed made 1880.  This is the earliest date on the cemetery on record.

In August, 1880, the heirs of Samuel Killam sold the land on which the cemetery is located and this deed excepts the cemetery.  The deed transferring the title to the land reads (in part) as follows:  THIS INDENTURE WITNESSED THAT THE GRANTORS:  George M. Killam and Rosie Killam, his wife, and Samuel Killam and Eveline Killam, his wife, and Martha L. Pocklington and James Pocklington, her husband and Mary M. Cuttle and William Cuttle, her husband, and Sarah Chisholm and William Chisholm, her husband, and Emily J. Farmer and Harlow Farmer, her husband, and Samuel H. Killam, Jun. and Hannah Killam and Mary J. Brown and William Brown,
heirs of the estate of Samuel Killam, Sr., deceased, of the first part, in the County of Macoupin and State of Illinois for an in consideration of the sum of $4000.00 in hand paid CONVEYS and WARRANTS to Thomas W. Conlee and Robert C. Thompson of the County of Macoupin and State of Illinois the following described real-estate, to wit:

The E.1/2 of the SE.1/4 of Section 15, T.11 N. R.8 and the E.1/2   of the NE.1/4 of Section 15, T.11 N. R.8 West of the Third Prin-   cipal Meridian.  All siad [sic] land situated in the County of Macoup-   in,  in the State of Illinois hereby releasing and waving all   rights under and by virtue of the Homestead Exemption Laws of   this state.  Except a cartway of the width of 10 feet, commenc-   ing 42 rods North of the SW. corner of the SE.1/4 of the NE.1/4   of Section 15, T.11 N.  R.8, running thence East 50 rods; thence   north to graveyard 24 rods.  ALSO, one acre for graveyard------   (This deed is dated August 4, 1880 and was recorded in the of-   fice of the Recorder of Deeds for Macoupin County, Illinois on   August 7, 1880 in Book “CY” of Deed Records at pages 74-75-76.

About one-sixth of the acre is fenced in for the cemetery.

page 2

The Killam Cemetery does not have a State charter at the present time.

The Killam Cemetery is an abandoned cemetery. The grass, weeds, and brier has grown tall and heavy making it hard to get through. 25 graves have been counted in the cemetery. Half of the graves need filling or leveling.

There is no road leading to the cemetery. A woven-wire fence encloses this burial grounds. It is still in fair condition. The land slopes to the north and to the west giving it good drainage.

This cemetery could be made into a neat burial grounds.

To reach the Killam Cemetery one must travel 3 1/2 miles east and 3 miles South on country roads and 1 mile through a pasture to reach the cemetery.

There is no road leading to the cemetery grounds. It lies in a timber.

There are no veterans buried in Killam Cemetery.

The oldest grave in the Killam Cemetery that we can locate by the dates on the markers is that of Joseph Dickson, who died on September 26, 1842 at the age of 58 years.

Name of Cemetery Killam
Location E 1/2 of the NE 1/4 Sec 15
Oldest Grave Joseph Dickson decd 8-25-1842 age 58yrs
Number of lot 8
Number of graves 25
Number of graves to be filled 7
Number of graves to be leveled 5
Number of Veterans graves that need stones none
Number of stones in cemetery that need resetting 5
Number of stones that need recutt 4
Rods of fence around cemetery about 20
Condition of fence fair
Rods of fence to be repaired all
Rods of fence to be replaced none
Number of people interviewed 2
Inquire to find if any veterans grave in cemetery has no marker. x

This cem was laid off for a cem about 1842 By Samuel Killam.  He owned the land as Privet cem as most of the folks are Killams Mr. Vandererbelt Maupin owns the land that Sourround the Cem now it is 3 mi South east of Palmyra Ill .The Cem is in very poor condition  grass and weeds and sprouts growing in the cem it is back in a big pasture a 1/2 mi from the public road



Return to Cemetery Main Page

Return to Macoupin County, Illinois Homepage