County Poor Farm Cemetery

The County Poor Farm Cemetery was located in the SW1/4 of NE 1/4, Section 12, West Marion Township. When funeral home director and former sheriff G.J. Frick purchased the Poor Farm in 1946, the county held out the part containing the graves, selling 34.29 acres out of the 40 acre tract.

All records are from the Williamson County Death Records unless otherwise noted. It is possible the ones that say buried in Potter’s Field are actually buried in the potter’s field section of Rose Hill, but I have included them here because they died at the county farm, which was across the road from the cemetery, and it is possible they were buried in County Farm Cemetery. This is by no means meant to be a complete list of burials that were in this cemetery. It is a collection of items found during several years of research.

Nancy Cordelia Vaughn, age 19 years 1 month 6 days, single, born Williamson County, died 19 Jan 1880 in Lake Creek Precinct of typhoid. Buried County Cemetery.

Wilson McCrear, aged 27 years, single, born Williamson County, died 2 Mar 1882 of tuberculosis, 4 or 5 years duration. Buried on Poor Farm by keeper.

Mary M. Crain, aged 60 years, widow, born Williamson County, died 21 May 1881 of chronic diarrhea and general debility, 5 or 6 years duration. Buried County Farm Graveyard.

Thomas S. Nix, aged 67 years 11 months 24 days, born NC, died 18 Apr 1882 at Poor House of dropsy. Buried Poor Farm by J.F. Cash, keeper of Poor Farm.

Neoma Bradshaw, aged 1 year 7 months, born Poor House, died 27 Dec 1882 at Poor House of marasmus. Buried Poor Farm Cemetery.

Margaret Worthen, aged 23 years, married, born Saline County, died 22 Feb 1883 at Poor House of anemia. Buried Poor Farm Cemetery.

Solomon Sims, aged 35 years, married, born Williamson County, died 10 Dec 1882 at Poor House of dropsy, 5 months duration. Buried Poor Farm Cemetery.

George Gaddy, aged 75 years, single, died 29 Dec 1882 of old age. Buried Poor Farm Cemetery.

Henry Beam, aged 2 years, bom Jeffersonville, died 23 Dec 1882 at Poor House of marasmus. Buried Poor House Cemetery.

Samuel Derridson, aged 30 years, born MO, died 25 May 1883 of bilious seniltant fever. Buried Poor House.

Ellen Springs, aged 70 years, widowed, born IL, died 19 Feb 1886 at County Poor House of congestive chill, lived IL 40 years. Buried Poor Farm Graveyard.

W.R. Hallidy, aged 61 years, widowed, born IL, died 19 Feb 1886 at County Poor House of paralysis /convulsions. Buried Poor Farm Graveyard.

Mary Winters, pauper, aged 41 years, born KY, died 18 May 1886 at Poor Farm of tuberculosis / pneumonia, lived IL 20 years. Buried Poor Farm.

Nancy Jenkins, pauper, widowed, aged 50 years, born IL, died 17 Aug 1886 at County Poor Farm of consumption. Buried Poor Farm.

Effie True, aged 3 years 4 months 10 days, born IL, died 25 Jul 1887 at Corinth of dysentery. Buried County Cemetery.

Charles Tackett, aged 4 years, born IL, died 8 Mar 1888 at County Poor Farm of measles / pneumonia. Buried County Poor Farm.

J.D. Bird, aged 72 years, widowed, born IL, died 15 Nov 1888 at County Poor Farm of old age. Buried County Poor Farm.

Ben Shreves, an aged pauper, died at the county house Monday and was laid to rest in the potter’s field. Egyptian Press. 4 Mar 1897

Lazarus Moore, aged 38 years, born Water Proof, LA, died 14 Nov 1906 near Johnston City, shot three times in the face with a 32 caliber pistol. Buried State County Farm. Marshal James Rains and the chief of police of Mobile, AL are reasonably sure they have located Joe Diamond, the black man who shot and killed Lazarus Moore, also colored, at Ward’s railroad camp. Herrin News 8 Feb 1907

J.P. McGhuhy ?, aged 57 years, died 24 Aug 1907 at County Alms House of typhoid fever. Buried Potter’s Field.

Mary Campbell, aged 56 years, widowed, died 3 Jan 1908 at County Alms House of tuberculosis. Buried Potter’s Field-

Mary Gallagher, aged 67 years, pauper at Alms House, widowed, died 5 May 1908 of angina pectoris. Buried Potter’s Field.

Unknown male, aged about 55 years, a tramp at the time, died 28 Sep 1909 at County Poor Farm of cerebro spinal meningitis, exposure and filthy conditions and perhaps drug habits incident to the life of a tramp. Buried Potter’s Field.

Michael M. McNeely, aged 78 years, widowed, born TN, died 28 Mar 1910 at the County Poor House of bronchial pneumonia and exposure to cold. Buried Pauper.

Tom Roade, aged 38 years, black, a laborer in iron mountain yards, died 6 Jan 1913 at Bush of a gunshot wound in body. Buried County Farm. WCDR Shot by Jack Johnson while engaged in a quarrel over a can of beans Johnson is said to have provided for the evening meal  Herrin News 9 Jan 1913

Sarah J. Edmondson, born 26 Feb 1847 in TN, died 7 Mar 1913 at Herrin of natural causes, old age and general breakdown. Daughter of Riley Snider & Nancy Meadows. Buried County Farm WCDR She came to Illinois when nine years old. Survived by one child, John, with whom she lived and where she was found dead in bed Herrin News. 13 Mar 1913

Jesse Morris, aged 59 years, a pauper at County harm, died 23 Dec 1913. Buried County Cemetery.

L.S. DeFur ?, aged 57 years, died 23 Jan 1914 of pneumonia Buried Poor Farm.

Eliza Cook, aged about 67 years, black, died 7 Aug 1917 of paralysis. She was a county charge Buried County Farm.

Andrew Wilson, born Sep 1823 in IL. Died 20 Nov 1917. His occupation was painter. Buried County Farm.

Eric Williams, born 1857, died 23 Mar 1918. He was a county charge. Buried County Cemetery.

John Capps, born 25 Apr 1941. Died 26 Apr 1941, a premature six month baby, son of Jane Davis Capps, 710 West College. Buried County Farm.

Minnie Gray, born 18 Sep 1859 in London, England, died 26 Apr 1942 at Rural Route Marion. Buried County Cemetery.

Rudolph Tolley, black, lived 403 West Burnett, born 23 Nov 1938 al Marion, IL, died 10 May 1939 of lobar pneumonia, son of Clarence Tolley & Mae Hudgens. Buried County Farm.

John L. Hubbs, widowed, born 1 Sep 1853 in Orange County, IN, died 22 Sep 1940, son of Willis Hubbs & Frances Lutrell. He was a lumberman. Buried County Farm.

Jesse Sutton, 210 South Liberty, colored, single, died 20 Nov 1935 of double pneumonia. Buried County Cemetery.

Albert Clarence Smith, born 1 Nov 1936, died 27 Feb 1937 at Pittsburg of lobar pneumonia, son of George E. Smith & Stella Corley. Buried County Cemetery.

James Allen, single, born 24 Jun 1862 at Mendota, II., died 26 Jan 1939, son of Jimmie G. Allen & Mary Norton. Buried County Farm. WCDR He died of heart dropsy. Johnston City Progress

Luther Allen, black, of Pittsburg, died 12 Oct 1933, aged 85 years, husband of Anna Allen Buried County.

Elbert Lee Farmer, born 16 Aug 1933 at Pittsburg, died 30 Mar 1934 of epidemic cerebral spinal meningitis, son of John Farmer & Mary Marks. Buried County Cemetery.

Clara Belle Fern McLain, born 14 Apr 1934, died 15 April 1934, a premature twin of an undernourished mother, son of Jim McLain & Mary Smothers. Buried County.

John Haley, 1210 South Liberty, black, born 26 Mar 1893, died 16 Mar 1933 of pulmonary tuberculosis, aged 40 years He was a tie carrier. Buried County Cemetery.

John Morgan, widowed, a resident of County Farm, born IN, died 18 Jan 1933, aged 65 years His wife is Eva Kerr Morgan. Buried County Cemetery.

Frances Colson, black, widowed, born 1874, died 18 Aug 1933 of heart dissuffience, daughter of A. Smith & Emma Whitecotton. She lived on South Liberty Street. Buried County Cemetery.

Hugh McCormick, born 2 Nov 1843 in Scotland, died 4 Jan 1934 of myocarditis at County Farm. Buried County Cemetery.

Jessie Hill, 918 South Aikman, born & died 29 Nov 1933, premature son of Everett Burns & Evelyn Hill. Buried County Cemetery.

Catherine Fletcher, died 1 Oct 1918 of blood poisoning, aged 67 years She was a county charge. Buried County Farm.

Male, burned beyond recognition in a building in Southern Township 17 Sep 1926 Buried County Cemetery. WCCR This is Lyle “Shag” Worsham, believed killed by members of the Charlie Birger gang. He was shot, his body placed in a barn filled with broom corn at Pulley’s Mill, gasoline poured on it and set afire. His mother, Nellie Worsham, offered a reward for the recovery of her missing son. The body was exhumed in December 1926 and examined. He has a military marker in Boner Cemetery. Franklin County. Illinois Three men stood trial for his murder and were acquitted.

Unknown male, age guessed as 65 years, died 25 Feb 1927 of fracture of skull, hit by some part of a train Buried County Farm.

Eva Louise Housley, black, born 14 Feb 1940, died 16 Feb 1940, daughter of George Housley & Rosie Steele. Buried County Pauper.

James T. Purnell, husband of Dessie Purnell, born Stonefort 22 Dec 1847, died 16 Oct 1933 of cerebral hemorrhage at 1408 North Logan St. Buried County Cemetery.

William Riley Upchurch, 1301 West Chestnut St., husband of Ada Upchurch, born 29 Aug 1867, died 12 Apr 1939, son of R.A. Upchurch, hit by a Dodge sedan driven by Harold Ray. Buried County Cemetery Williamson County Coroner’s Records

Sarah Lamar, aged 78 years, died 7 Mar 1920 of malignant growth in abdomen. She was a county charge. Buried County Farm.

William H. Brown, died 22 Aug 1923 of mitral insufficiency Buried County Farm.

Vick Mullet, born 1 Oct 1830, died 13 Mar 1924 of arteria selerosis. Buried County Cemetery.

Jacob Lanton, born 1874, died 9 Dec 1924. Buried County Farm. WCJ2B Jacob Linton, aged 50 years 4 months and 3 days, died Tuesday at the county farm. He had lived there 12 years. He was not married and had relatives in Ohio. He had been an invalid the past four years and confined to a cot or chair at all times Herrin News Tuesday, 16 Dec 1924

Ben Null, died 28 May 1925 of myocarditis & nephritis, age unknown. Buried County Farm. Mystery Man Dies At County Farm, Benjamin Moll died last week at the county farm. Burial was on the farm. The funeral was held al Frick Undertaking, conducted by Rev. Fred Rudy of the Evangelical Church at Marion. A mixed quartet from the Presbyterian and Evangelical Churches gave the song service. He was found unconscious sixty five days ago on the lawn of a Mr. Howard in Marion. He was taken to the county farm and had been unconscious ever since. He carried identification but nothing on his person to show where he came from. Herrin News, Tuesday, 2 Jun 1925

Martha Appleton, died 24 Jun 1925 of carcinoma of uterus, aged 54 years 16 days, daughter of J. W. Appleton & Harett Henery. Buried County Farm.

Emma Lutice Jones, born 2 Feb 1922 in AR., died 8 Dec 1925 of pulmonary tuberculosis, daughter of Cass Jones & Frankie Davis. Buried County Cemetery.

Maurice Dean Housley, black, born 23 Aug 1930, died 16 Jan 1931 of pneumonia and whooping cough, son of Evelyn Housley. Buried County Farm.

Thresia Hall / Hill, infant, died of congestive pulmonary aleloclosis 29 Jul 1932, daughter of Lester Norman & Evelyn Hill. Buried County Cemetery.

Joseph Dunn, widowed, died 1 Apr 1933 at county jail of myocarditis & decomposition, aged 65 years. Buried County He broke a window at a clothing store in Carterville a few months ago so he would be arrested. It is said he formerly lived in Saline County. Johnston City Progress.

James Batson, died 4 Sep 1931 of alcoholism or poisonous liquors. Info from card carried on person. Buried County Farm.

Raymond E. Johnson, divorced, born 5 Dec 1884 in IN, died 5 Aug 1933, son of Andrew Johnson & Avia Rutledge. His wife is Ethel Albough. Buried County. Williamson County Coroner’s Records

Mahala Hill Boles, aged 71 years, died 14 Jan 1925 of accidental bums when her dress caught fire. Buried County Farm. Williamson County Coroner’s Records.

Nels Nelson, born Denmark, died 8 Dec 1929 at Williamson County Poor Farm of infection on right foot, a self-inflicted accident. Buried Potter’s Field.

Child of Cyrus Sylvester Ward & Dollie Ward, Stillborn 27 May 1920. Williamson County Stillbirth Records.

A body found in Oakwood Cemetery, infant, buried 31 Oct 1922 at County Farm Cemetery. Pastor’s Life Record of J.C. Kinnison 1889-1936

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For more information on the County Poor Farm, see the post Williamson County Poor Farm

Sam’s Notes: The exact location and/or disposition of the county farm cemetery is yet to be determined, it is thought that the graves were all moved to the pauper section of the Marion Cemetery. The old farm site containing the cemetery on the west side of Route 37 was once the location of the old Marion Drive-In Theater, but now is occupied by WDDD AM-FM.

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(Research by Helen Sutt Lind, Extracted from “Footprints”, Williamson county Historical Society, Volume, 9, #4, 2006)

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