BUTLER COUNTY MISSOURI  appleby-epps cemetery
 Copyright 1997, 2001 by Betty Hanks and Terry  McLean,   tmclean@earthlink.net. )



 
  
APPLEBY-EPPS CEMETERY (#22)  ?
T25N R5E SEC 30
Map #6
(location approximate)

While there is apparently nothing here to be found here these
days, tradition indicates that a cemetery was located in this
section, and the following records seem to support this fact.
This area is known to have been the home of  Martin and Earmel
(APPLEBY) EPPS. Earmel was a daughter of Robert APPLEBY, who had
settled in this area by 1820. He eventually owned about 1000
acres. These early records were kept in Wayne County, as Butler
County had not yet been formed. Wayne County records have been
burned, and it is difficult to piece together all of  the
activities of these families. It is believed that the land that
Martin and Earmel EPPS settled on may have been a gift or
inheritance to Earmel from her father, Robert APPLEBY. The
APPLEBY, EPPS, and KITTRELL families were related through
marriages, and they were all settled in this region between and
around the Cane Creek and Ten Mile Creek.

My mother-in-law was an APPLEBY. I have personally done research
on these families and over the years have been the recipient of
additional information from others who have also researched
them. Many years ago older family members took me out to this
region where the APPLEBY and EPPS families lived and pointed out
to me where the homes had been and shared with me some of the
history and background that had been passed on to them. I still
have in my possession the letters and notes of interviews that I
had with these local residents, as well as an accumulation of
correspondence with other descendants who have shared
information and family records, as well as the results of their
own personal research. 

According to the EPPS records that I have: Martin EPPS owned all
or a part of what was later known as the TUBBS place on Ten Mile
Creek. On 2 July 1859 he made a gift deed to Solomon Kittrell,
his brother-in-law, of a tract of land  28 by 56 rods  (approx.
10 acres) as a trustee for a church and a cemetery. This tract
was in the southeast 1/4 of  the northwest 1/4 of  Twp 25 Range
5 Sec 30. It is said  that a small church was built and later
moved. But there is a small burial ground with a few stones.
Most stones have been moved off and the ground plowed over and
cultivated. There was another cemetery near by where slaves were
buried. The EPPS that died in Missouri, Daniel, Nancy, Earmel,
(Martin EPPS’ first wife), and probably William C. EPPS, were
buried here. This property was Martin EPPS home place.

"The old chimney in the photograph [accompanying this letter] is
located  on the original homesite of Martin EPPS and his wife
Ermel APPLEBY EPPS. It is believed that their children were born
here. To the right of the chimney a spring of cool water comes
out of the hill and flows away to the creek. The place is on Ten
Mile Creek in Epps Township,  Butler County Missouri. In the
late 1800's the original house burned or was removed and
replaced with a two-story frame house. The chimney was extended
with an opening for a stove pipe on 2nd floor. I first saw this
house in 1901 - the place then was owned by Mr. TUBBS. About a
city block from this chimney is a small cemetery (family and
neighborhood) which probably was started with the burial of
Martin's wife, Earmel. About 25 persons were buried there
including a few negro slaves.”


Research by Betty Hanks


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   ----CEMETERIES of BUTLER COUNTY MISSOURI   -----
   
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    October 22, 2001 by: Mary Hudson mahud@fidnet.com