WPA - Yowell Cemetery, Shaws Point Township, Macoupin County IL


A Transcription of the WPA Record in Macoupin County Archives, Carlinville, Illinois
by Mary McKenzie, 2010

Yowell Cemetery
Shaws Point Township

Macoupin County
NW ¼; NE ¼ of Section 3, T. 10 N; R 6

Illinois


WPA VETERANS’ CEMETERY PROJECT

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).  The cemeteries below were checked for veterans and although not all of these cemeteries had veterans listed, there was a wealth of other information that a genealogist might find useful.   I often didn’t copy all of the legal descriptions of the property as some were much too long and drawn out.  If you want that information, contact the Archives.

I listed veterans’ information from both typed sheets and work sheets. The typed sheets’ information is in plain type and the work sheets are in bold type.  The work sheets with soldier information stated to check these sources: burial plot, cemetery record, death certificate or burial permit, patriotic organization (name), official U. S. records or other.  These sources would probably be good sources to check still, today as we have no way of knowing how thorough the WPA workers were.  I generally tried to keep spelling as it was found in the original record.

Yowell Cemetery

Shaws Point Township, Macoupin County, IL
NW ¼; NE ¼ of Section 3, T. 10 N; R 6 West of the Third P. M.
Two Miles East of Standard City

The Yowell Cemetery is a small private cemetery located on the Yowell farm on Section 2 of Shaws Point Township.  This cemetery was laid out by Mr. J. Yowell in 1838 for the final resting place for his tiny daughter.
   
Land records of Macoupin County have been searched for a deed to the Yowell Cemetery but none has been found.  The land on which the cemetery is located is still in the Yowell estate and no exception can be found.
   
The only description that we can give of the Yowell Cemetery is that made by the fieldman and could read as follows:

1 acre more or less out of the NW ¼ of the NE ¼ of Section 3, T. 10 N. R. 6, West of the Third Principal Meridian and measuring:  Commencing at the NW corner of the cemetery (as fenced in) and running thence south 290 feet; thence west 160 feet; thence north 290 feet; thence east 160 feet to the place of beginning, situated in the County of Macoupin and State of Illinois.

There was never any trustees to the Yowell Cemetery.

There is no caretaker for the Yowell Cemetery.  Lots are not sold in this cemetery but are only used for the Yowell family and are acquired by a custom deed whereby the relatives choose the lot of their choice for burial purposes.  Relatives of the deceased take care of the burial grounds.

The Yowell Cemetery is in poor condition at the time of the field check.  The grass and weeds have grown very tall.  92 graves have been counted in this cemetery and 53 of them need filling in or leveling.  2 veterans graves do not have any markers.  39 tombstones are leaning and need resetting and 10 stones are weather-worn and the inscriptions need recutting.  This burial grounds is enclosed with a woven-wire fence topped with 2 strands of barb-wire on three sides which is attached to cement posts.  To the north, which is the entrance there is a tall hedge fence with a large gate attached to cement posts.  The gate is large enough for a car to drive through but there is no signs of a driveway in the cemetery.  The land in the Yowell cemetery slopes to the north and to the east giving it good drainage.  This could be made into a very neat cemetery.

To reach the Yowell Cemetery one travels 2 miles east from Standard City on a graded road.  Mrs. Elmer Yowell’s farm.  The cemetery is located along the road.

The graves of ____ Yowell and _____ Yowell do not have any markers.

The oldest grave that we can locate by the dates on the markers is that of Marienne, Daughter of J. &. S. Yowell who died on August 27, 1838 at the age of 5 years, 5 months and 25 days.

History
John Yowell, the original owner and donor of the land for the Yowell Cemetery was a native of Kentucky and his parents were natives of Virginia.  Mr. Yowell came to Macoupin County in 1829 and settled one mile
northeast of Carlinville where he engaged in farming.  He also carried on a blacksmith shop until the time of his death in 1874.

John Yowell raised a family of six children.

At the time of the Black Hawk War, John Yowell enlisted in the service and was commissioned Lieutenant of his company.  After his return he was elected captain of the company and held that position as long as the company was an organization.
   
In 1864, he was elected County Associate Justice and filled that office for 4 years.

Mr. Yowell was nicely respected by all who knew him and his death was sincerely mourned and regretted.


Name of Cemetery:            Yowell Cemetery
Location:                NW – NE ¼ , Sec. 3  T 10-R6 W Shaws Point Twn.
Oldest Grave:        1838 Marianne, Dau. of J. & S. Yowell; Died 8-27-1838; aged 3 yr. 5 mo. 25 ds.
Number of Lots:                20
Number of graves:            92
Number of graves to be filled:        18
Number of graves to be leveled:        35
Number of Veterans graves that need stones:  2
Number of stones that need resetting    39
Number of stones that need recutting:    10
Rods of fence around cemetery:        54 rods
Condition of fence:            fair
Rods of fence to be repaired:        entire fence
Rods of fence to be replaced:        None
Number of people interviewed:        8

In poor condition at the time of the field check.  Grass & weeds grows tall.  Large gates for car to go thru but no driveway in cem.  Along the road.
Veterans in Yowell Cemetery

Yowell, Jesse, World War, Pvt. Company A  327 F. A.; Died 10/13/1918
Name:  Yowell, Jessie T.
Field Check:    Grave 1  Lot No. 3  Block No. 1; upright marker
Information on Marker:  Yowell, Jessie T.; Pvt. Marker; 1888 – 1918, Bat. A 327 field Art.  A. E./F.
Cemetery Record Data:    Grave No. 1  Lot. No. 3  Block No. 1
Death Certificate:  Born – 1888  Died 10/13/1918
Service Record:  Branch of Service – Field Art.; Rank Pvt; Company –War W. Co. A 327 F. A.
Inspection of Burial Plot:    Good

Yowell, John    Black Hawk War; Rank – Dapt. “as is” maybe it was meant to be Capt. ?; Died 04/13/1874
No work sheet found for John

Unknown Burial
Name:    ?
Field Check:   Grave No. 3  Lot No. 14  Block No. 1;  no marker found;
Cemetery Record Data:  Grave No. 3  Lot. No. 14  Block No. 1
 Inspection of burial plot – fair
Notes:    We found a flag on this grave and that is all we have to go by

Name:    ?
Grave No. 5 Lot No. 15  Block No. 1;  no marker found
Cemetery Record Data:  Grave No. 5  Lot No. 15  Block No. 1
Inspection of burial plot:  fair
Notes:  We found a flag on this grave and that is all we have to go by


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