Rock Island County, Illinois , Walker (or Canoe Creek) Cemetery File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Lisa R. Franklin (© 1997 Lisa R. Franklin ) ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************ Walker (or Canoe Creek) Cemetery Canoe Creek Township, Rock Island County, Illinois -The following is among the notes of my grandfather, Herbert A. Curtis: "The graves of Peter and Minerva Curtis are in Canoe Creek Cemetery on the Bluff overlooking what is now hard road number three, near Hillsdale, Ill. On Oct 3, 1925, My father, G. J.. Curtis, my cousin, Simon Peter Curtis, and myself, H. A.. Curtis , visited the graves, and father pointed out the graves to us. He recognized the monument and the graves which were in good condition, and the inscription easy to read. Later I again visited the graves and took a photograph of them. Joseph Martin second husband of Minerva Palmer-Curtis, is also in the same cemetery, buried by his first wife, Sally Martin." On July 31, 1994, my wife Polly and I traveled to Canoe Creek Township, Rock Island County, Illinois, to see if I could locate the graves of my Great-Great grandparents. We discovered, with the help of the librarian of the Moore Memorial District Library, located in the town of Hillsdale, that this cemetery has been abandoned for many years, and is known locally as the Walker Cemetery. Luckily, some local people with an interest in local history had surveyed the cemetery and had compiled a list of monuments and markers. The librarian furnished us with a copy of this list, which I have transcribed and appended to this narrative. The librarian's husband showed us to the location of the cemetery, we obtained the permission of the current landowner to visit it, and we proceeded to enter the overgrown stand of trees and brush now on the site. We were able to locate a monument base named "MARTIN", the surname of Minerva's second husband, and several stones not related to us, but could not locate Peter's and Minerva's. The landowner, who had only purchased the property in January of this year, told us that he hopes to be able to go into the plot with a brush cutter this fall and clear the cemetery up some. He took my name and address and promised to notify us when he does so. I failed to get his name--I should have done so. I offer the following corrections to the list: -Peter Curtis' age was 46 years, not 16. -The final person recorded as "Martha A./Wife of /Joseph Martin....." probably is "Minerva/Wife......." Minerva Palmer was married first to Peter Curtis, then to Joseph Martin. Hugh A. Curtis 14341 Woodmont Detroit, MI 48227 August, 1994 WALKER CEMETERY This abandoned cemetery is located in Canoe Creek Township, Rock Island County, IL on a farm occupied by Paul G. Lind, 296111 Rt. 2 N, Hillsdale, IL. Many of the stones are broken off base and some are buried in the earth and could not be read. The following information was copied 26 October 1982 by James R. and N. Lucille Saddorie Sampson. Trowbridge Mon. broken off base. West side Mary/Wife of /G.D. Trowbridge/ Died/ Nov. 4, 1856/ Aged 33 Y. 3 M. 14 Da. Abott North side. Elizabeth/Died Oct. 4, 1833/ aged 8 Ms. & 22dys/ M. C./ Died Aug. 27, 1834/Aged 7 yrs. 3 Ms & 14Dys/ Martha A./ wife of/A. Abott/ Died Oct. 4, 1836(?)/ Aged 26 yrs. 11 Ms. & 12 days. East side. Sarah A. /Died Oct. 29, 1839/Aged 13 Yrs.2Ms. & 3 dys./ America /Died April 16, 1843/Aged 1 Yr. 8 Ms. & 11 Dys./M. H./ Died April 12, 1848 Aged 1 Yr. 11 Ms. & 28 Dys/ Infants/ Died May 3. 1844/ & Dec. 2, 1831(?) Martin South side. Joseph Martin/Died/Oct. 31, 1875/ Aged 71 Yrs. 4 Ms. & 10 Dys./Sallie/wife of /J. Martin/Died/Aug. 21, 1857/Aged 54 Yrs. 9 Ms. & 10 Dys. Sargent Mon. Old Willow Design. In Memory /of Clara W /Daughter of Samuel & Mary/ Sargent/Died/ Sept.__, 1838/Aged 9 Mos. Walker Mon. base. Walker. Beardsley Mon. flat. Sheaf wheat. Beverly Beardsley/ Fully Ripe/ Died Aug. 21, 1853/Aged 40 Yrs./3 Mos. & 1 Day. Beardsley Mon. flat. Broken off base. Martha /Wife/B. Beardsley/Died /Aug. 11, 1841. Walker Hdst., small. Mother. Hdst., small. Baby. Mon. broken off base. Holy Bible on top/ Francis M. Walker/ Sept. 22, 1850-Feb 7, 1932/ Susan Jane/His Wife/ Mar. 24, 1856-Nov. 17, 1911/ Know That My Redeemer Lives. Walker (Pioneer Settler). John Walker/Born/April 29, 1779/Died/April 6, 1856. Hdst., small. M. W. /husband Mon. off base, large. George W. Walker/Oct. 18, 1833-July 31, 1912/ Isabel L. His Wife/ June 29, 1850-Dec. 23, 1931/ Walker Hdst., Small. Wife. Walker Hdst. Brother/ Elmer E. Walker/ 1869-1916 Hdst. Mother Walker Mon. off base. Large. James B. Walker/Sept. 20, 1838-Dec. 24, 1916/ Mary E. His Wife/April 29, 1841-Oct. 29, 1910. Mon., flat. R. W. Walker Mon. base. Hiram Walker/born/July 7, 1806/Died Dec. 19, 1890/A Sinner saved by grace/Mary Walker/Born April 13,1821/Died Mar. 5, 1904. Martin Mon. tipped over. Milden W. /son of /J.W. & R. Martin/Born July 19, 1856/Died Sept. 24, 1856/Ere sin ....had....the breast/Jesus took his to rest. Sheppard Mon. off base. Rachel A./Dau of/N. & L. E. Sheppard/Died/Aug 6. 1856/ aged (couldn't read) ftst. B. A. S. North section of cemetery plot: ftst. F. J. T. Tebben Mon. broken. Farewell/Peter J. Tebben/Died/Apr. 18, 1871/ In the 65th year/ of his age. Tebben Mon. flat 3 or 4 letters not readable. Tebben/A member of /Co. A 53 Regt. Ill. Inf./ Died Feb 17, 1871/ Aged (not readable) Kauffman Mon. base. J. H. Kauffman/Rock Island, Ill. (probably Monument company) ftst. L. T. Tebben Mon., flat. Henrietta/Dau. of/F.E. & M. G. Tebben/Died/Nov. 3, 1857/ Aged 3 Ys. & 12 Ds. Tebben Mon. broken in two parts. Lodi/Dau of P. E. & M. G. Tebben/Died/ May 30, 1867/ Aged / 19 Yrs. 10 Ms. 20 Ds. Looker Mon. flat. Rebecca J./Dau of/Rev J. K. M. & S. E./Looker/Died/ April 26, 1856/ Aged 6 Yrs. 7 Ms./& 25 Ds. /I take these little lambs said he/ And lay them in my breast/ Protection they shall find in me/ In me be ever blest. Curtis Col. Mon. Broken. First side. Peter Curtis/Died/May 25/ 1858/ Aged 16 yrs. 7 Mos. Second side. Our parents/Clasped hands. Martin Third side. Martha A./ Wife of /Joseph Martin/Died /Apl. 2, 1873/ Aged/ 53 Ys. 7 ms. 9 Ds.