VETERANS BURIED AT MEMORIAL PARK CEMETERY
MACOUPIN COUNTY, STAUNTON TWP.,  STAUNTON, IL
WPA CEMETERY PROJECT 
INDEXED ca. 1939 - 1940

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.      The following list of veterans is made up of two sources.  One is the individual work sheet that information was copied onto for each veteran.  The instructions stated to check these sources:  burial plot, cemetery record, death certificate or burial permit, patriotic organization (name) official U. S. records or other.  These names were compiled into a typed list and this list is the second source. I took information from both sources because the typed list didn't give all of the information that was on the work sheet; and, there were some discrepancies between the original work sheet and the typed sheet.  I am listing information from both sources.  If you find information below on your ancestor's record please research all differences because it's impossible to know which source is correct.  The information will at least give you an idea of where to begin. 


A history of this cemetery is listed first as it was written by the WPA worker who indexed the cemetery.  Editor

History of the Staunton Memorial Park Cemetery

This cemetery began in the year 1921.  A few people got together and started a kind of Cemetery Association, a few meetings were held, but no records of the meetings were kept.   A man by the name of Mr. Hart was Pres. and a woman by the name of Miss Miller was Sec.  People say Mr. Hart sold the lots and skipt with the money, after that there was no more Association, the ground ws bought from the Ruther Bros.

This Cemetery has no State Charter & is owned now, by different individuals, Mr. Huntman, Mrs. Hackmann, Catholic Congregation, Mr. Crorkin &  Mr. Wagner, each own a certain part of the Cemetery.  This Cemetery has a driveway, which is in fair condition.  The American Legion wants to put a driveway through to the veterans’ ground, they have not started yet, at the present time. 

The fence around the Cemetery is in poor Condition.  The lots are not kept in good condition, & the weeds are high in most places.  There is a sexton out there, but he gets paid by the people whose lots he cleans.

This Cemetery consists of twenty seven acres, it has a good drainage system & this Cemetery has a large Mauseleum which is owned by Mrs. Hackmann & Mr. Dillingham.  They have a kind of a joint partnership in it.  There are sixteen bodies in it at the present time & has a capacity of eighty eight all told. 

The Illinois Traction System owns one hundred feet of land on the South on the South eastern line of the Cemetery.  They have their land fenced off.

Section one and two are the only sections that have as yet been plotted.  Each lot has a corner stone with the number of the lot clearly stamped on it.  These stones are level with the ground therefore making it east to keep grass and weeds down.

Mr. Crorkin now has a deed to all unsold lots in the Cemetery except the Catholic grounds and is planning to make a few improvements as soon as he can get to it.

The Soldiers ground which is located around the flag pole is in very poor condition.  Grass and weeds have not been kept down.

Name of Cemetery:                    Staunton Memorial Park
Oldest Grave:                          John M. Ahrens Born 11/30/1825 – Died 05/22/1904
Number of Lots:                        1333
Number of graves:                       791
Number of graves to be filled:                     12
Number of graves to be leveled:                None
Number of Veterans graves that need stones:               1
Number of stones in cemetery that need resetting:             14    
Number of stones that need recutting:                   7
Rods of fence around cemetery:                   217
Condition of fence:                       Fair
Rods of fence to be repaired:                   180
Rods of fence to be replaced:                     37
Number of people interviewed:                       8

Work Sheet No.   

  3    Name:  Bond, Wm. J., Civil War, Pvt.  Co. B, 144 Ill. Inf., Died 4/15/1935
    Name:  Bonds, William J
Field Check:  Grave 9, Lot No. -  Sol. Field, Sec. 6, upright marker
    Information on Marker:  Co. B. 144th Ill. Inf
    Death Certificate Data:   Died -  4/15/1935
    Service Record:  Civil War, Pvt. Co. B 144 Ill. Inf.
    Grave in poor condition

17    Name:    Brauer, Julius E., U. S. N., U. S. S. Wyoming, Died 12/9/1922, Lot 345
    Name:    Brauer, Julius E.
    Field Check:    Grave No. 3, Lot No. 345, Sec. 1; upright marker
    Information on Marker:    Ill. Seaman; 2 Cl. U. S. N. , Dec. 9, 1922
    Service Record:    World War, Rand – 2nd Cl.; U. S. N. U. S. S. Wyoming
   
18    Name:    Carson, John J.    Died 4/16/1927
    Name:    Carson, John J.
    Field Check:    Grave No. 1, Lot No. 469, Sec. 1; upright marker
    Information on Marker:    1890, 1927
    Death Certificate Data:      Died -  4/16/1927
    Notes:    No other information

16    Name:    Cirar, Chas, Died – 4/18/1931
    Name:    Cirar, Chas
    Field Check:    Grave No. 1, Lot No. 9, Sec. 3; upright marker
    Information on Marker:    4/18/1931
    Death Certificate Data:    Died -  4/18/1931
    Notes:    No other information

  4    Name:    DeCarli, John; World War, Pvt., 1 Cl.; Bat D., 144 F. A. 30 Div., Died 5/19/1935
    Name:  DeCarli, John
    Field Check:    Grave No. 8, Lot No. – Sol. Field, Sec. 6; upright marker
    Death Certificate Data:    Died -  5/19/1935
    Service Record:    World War, Pvt. 1 Cl., Bat. D, 114 F. A. 30 Div.
    Notes:    Grave in poor condition

10    Name:    Dzurus, Andy, World War, Pvt., 209 M. G. Bn. 78 Div., Died 3/31/1935
    Name:    Dzurus, Andy
Field Check:    Grave No. 1, Lot No. – Sol. Field, Sec. 6, upright marker
Information on Marker:    Ill. Pvt. 309, M. G. B.M. 78th Div.
Death Certificate Data:    Died – 3-31-1935
Service Record:    World War, Pvt., 209 M. G. Bn. 78 Div.
Notes:    Grave in poor condition

14    Name:    Goehringer, Martin L., World War, Sgt. Maj. Hq., 109 Fld. Sig Bn., 54 Div., Died 8/10/1933,
 Lot 454
    Name:    Goehringer, Martin L.
    Field Check:    Grave No. 3, Lot No. - 454, Sec. 1; upright marker
    Information on Marker:    Missouri Bn. Sgt. Major, 109 Field Sig. Bn.34th Div.
    Death Certificate Data:    Born – 5/22/1889 -- Died – 8/10/1933 
    Service Record:    World War, Sgt. Major, 109 Fld. Sig. Bn 54 Div.

  6    Name:    Higgins, Monroe, Civil War, Corp., Co. A, 3 Ill. Vol. Cav., Died 10/10/1923
    Name:    Higgins, Corp. Monroe
    Field Check:    Grave 5, Lot. No. - Sol. Field, Sec. 6
    Information on Marker:    Co. A. 3rd Ill. Cav.   
    Death Certificate Data:    Died – 10/10/1923
    Service Record:    Civil War, Corp., Co. A. 3 Ill. Vol. Cav.
    Notes:    Grave in poor condition

  7    Name:    Katava, Frank, World War, Pvt., 23 Ill. Inf. 2 Div.; Died 6/6/1918
    Name:    Kotava, Frank,
    Field Check:    Grave No. 4, Lot No. - Sol. Field, Sec. 6; upright marker
    Information on Marker:    Ill. Pvt. 1 Cl., 23rd Inf. 2nd Div.
    Death Certificate Data:    Died – 6/2/1918
    Service Record:    World War, Pvt., 23 Ill. Inf., 2 Div.
    Notes:    Grave in poor condition

  5    Name:    McClaskey, Louis C., World War, Pvt., Co. A, 113 Engrs., 38 Div., Died 5/16/1930 
    Name:    McClaskey, Louis C.
    Field Check:    Grave No. 6, Lot. No. – Sol. Field, Sec. 6, upright marker
    Information on Marker:    Ill. Pvt. 113 Eng. S. 133 Div.
    Death Certificate Data:    Died – 5/16/1930
    Service Record:    World War, Pvt., Co. A. 113 Engrs. 38 Div.
   
13    Name:    McKenzie, James M.,  S. War, Pvt. Co. K, 9 Ill. Inf., Died  8/8/1926, Lot. 472
    Name:    McKenzie, James M.
    Field Check:    Grave No. 2, Lot No. 472, Sec. 1; upright marker
    Information on Marker:    Co. K 9th Ill. Inf.
    Death Certificate Data:    Died – 8/8/1926
    Service Record:    Pvt., Co. K, 9 Ill. Inf.

  8    Name:    Miller, Wm. Mckinley, World War, Pvt., Co. I, 168 Inf. 42 Div., Died 7/28/1918, Grave 1,
Lot – Soldiers
Name:    Miller,  William M.
Field Check:    Grave No. 3, Lot No. – Sol. Field, Sec. 6; upright marker
Information on Marker:    Ill. Pvt. 168 Inf., 42 Div.
Death Certificate Data:    Died – 7/28/1918
Service Record:    Pvt., Co. I, 168 Inf., 42 Div.
Notes:    Grave in poor condition

11    Name:    Myers, Chas E., World War, Pvt., Co. Bat. C, 1 Fard, Died 5/11/1929, Lot 193
    Name:    Myers, Charles E.
    Field Check:    Grave No. 4, Lot No. 193, Sec. 1; upright marker
    Information on Marker:    Missouri Pvt. U. S. Army
    Death Certificate Data:    Died – 5/11/1929
    Service Record:    World War, Pvt., Bat. C. 1 Fard

  1    Name:    Overbeay, Thomas H., World War, Pvt., 2nd Disch. Det. Cp. Grant Ill,, Died 1/8/1934,
    Lot 271   
    Name:    Overbeay, Thomas H.
    Field Check:    Grave No. 2, Lot No. 271, Sec. 2; upright marker
    Information on Marker:    Ill. Pvt., U. S. Army
    Death Certificate Data:    Died – 1/8/1934
    Service Record:    World War, Pvt., 2nd Disch. Det. Cp. Grant. Ill.

20    Name:    Peiper, Joseph Jr., World War, Corp., Co. C, 325 Inf., Died 4/27/1934, Lot W ½ - 37, Sec. 10
    Name:    Pieper, Joe Jr.
    Field Check:    Grave No. 1, Lot No. 23, Sec. 10; upright marker
    Information on Marker:    Illinois Corp., 325 Inf., 82 Div., April 27, 1934
    Death Certificate Data:    Died – 4/27/1934
    Service Record:    World War, Corp., Co. C. 325 Inf.

12    Name:    Purdy, Bert W., World War, Pvt. 1 cl., U. S. M. Corps. Ill., Died 9/6/1937
    Name:    Purdy, Bert Wm.
    Field Check:    Grave No. 3, Lot No. 423, Sec. 1; upright marker
    Information on Marker: Ill. Pvt. 1 C., L. U. S. Marine Corps.
    Death Certificate Data:    Died – 9/6/1937
    Service Record:    World War, Pvt., 1 Cl. U. S. M. Corps. Ill.

 2    Name:    Rauzi, Arthur P., World War, Pvt., 11 Reg. U. S. M. C., Died 5/21/1928
    Name:    Rauzi, Arthur Paul
    Field Check:    Grave No. 4, Lot. No. 275, Sec. 2, upright marker
    Information on Marker:    Ill. Pvt. 11 Regt. U. S. Marines
    Death Certificate Data:    Died – 4/21/1928
    Service Record:    World War, Pvt., 11 Reg. U. S. M. C.

15    Name:    Sawyer, Miles, World War, Pvt., QMC, Died 10/3/1928
    Name:    Sawyer, Miles
    Field Check:    Grave No. 2, Lot No. 305, Sec. 1; upright marker
    Information on Marker:    Ill. Pvt., Q. M. C.

19    Name:    Scott, J. E., World War, Pvt., Grave 2, Lot 332
    Name:    Scott, J. E. 
    Field Check:    Grave 1, Lot No. 332, Sec. 1; upright marker
    Information on Marker:    1894 – 1924
    Service Record:    World War, Pvt.
    Notes:    No other information

  9    Name:    Telepka, John, World War, Pvt., 5th Co., O. A. R. D., Died 2/11/1932, Block – Soldiers
    Name:    Telepka, John
    Field Check:    Grave No. 2, Lot No. Sol. Field, Sec. 6
    Information on Marker:    Ill. Pvt. Coast City Corps.
    Death Certificate Data:    Died – 2/11/1932
    Service Record:    World War, Pvt. 5th Co. O. A. R. D.
    Notes:    Grave in poor condition

Side Note:  All present or accounted for.