News Article - Potter's Field - Peoria County, Illinois THE PEORIA JOURNAL, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1916 NUMBER HIDES NAMES OF THE PAUPER DEAD In upkept graves in Peoria County Potter's Field They Rest Unknown SERVICE FOR FEW A sunswept acre, in a corner of the Peoria county farm, unshaded save for a feeble attempt by a single line of poplars along one side, long rows of heaped-up, clay-topped mounds with unkempt grass growing between them-that is Potters' field, where Peoria county buries its paupers and unidentified dead. There the bodies are laid to rest without any service except the dead have some one who cares and arranges that a minister shall say a few simple words over the body or other inmates of the Peoria county farm care enough to read something from the Bible and sing a few songs at the grave of the last of their number to go to make one more grave in that unkempt acre. There are 694 graves there, 18 rows of 60 filled graves and one row just starting with four mounds. At the head of each is a sandstone with a number on it, upon which depends any chance of the body in the grave beneath ever being removed to some place that is not a Potters' field. For that number and the number on the slab set at each row's end are the cues to the records that may let a rich brother know where his poorer brother has been buried. At the office of the superintendent of the county farm is a huge ledger and in it are the 694 names or brief "unknowns" of every one buried in Potters' field since the first grave was filled January 1, 18(?)9. After the column marked "Name" come other columns, headed Age, Color, Married or Single, Birthplace, Died At, Date Buried, Row No., Grave No., Cause of Death, Former Place or Residence. If ever the richer brother does come to rescue the poorer brother-and sometimes they do-it is that ledger that tells in under what headstone to dig to find the poorer one. The inmates of the county farm wish for a different last resting place than Potters field, and some of them, after they have entered the farm and seen the heaped-up graves, some weathered down until there is scarcely any mound left, are able to buy a single lot in some place that is not a Potters' field. The others must be buried there unless some friend or relative provides for their burial elsewhere. The county has only one place for its pauper and unidentified dead-and that is Potters' field. Over in the southwest corner of the farm are two small enclosed places-Potters'field once-and walking inside them, one slips into slight depressions that are above the graves of some one, but there is no way of telling who or even learning. From the time the county farm was first established a half century ago until the present burying ground was made, the county buried it's dead in these two enclosures and kept no records who was buried there and how many are buried there are questions that may not be answered. NOTICE: The only word not clear in this printed article is the date! I decided to use (?) rather than guess. I gather from the last paragraph they were burying there at least around 1866, but feel maybe before that. Anyway, to learn when for sure would have to come from some authority in IL. I thought it interesting, since I read the query that a person was asking about the burial of an ancestor at Bartonville, IL. In my day it was know as the State Hospital, but recall it was also the state farm. Often wonder what this beautiful old building is being used for now, since it has been closed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Peggy Carey