Caldwell County MO Archives History .....COMMENTARY ON THE OLDEST GRAVES IN HIGHLAND CEMETERY, HAMILTON, MO 
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COMMENTARY ON THE OLDEST GRAVES IN HIGHLAND CEMETERY, HAMILTON, MO
	Narrators:  Elmer E. Clark, etc.

     This graveyard was started 1876, the first burial being of Mrs. 
Edminster.  There are, however, many older graves there, which were moved 
there after certain graveyards fell into disuse.  The main narrator is E.E. 
Clark, president of the Highland Cemetery Association, who knows the history 
of most moved graves.
     Most of these "moved graves" came from the old Rohrbaugh cemetery on the 
west edge of Hamilton, now in a sad state of neglect.  Mrs. Caroline Colby, 
first wife of the pioneer lumberman J.F. Colby died 1869 and with some of the 
early Colby babes were moved from there.  Others were:  Dr. Joseph Doddridge 
who came here in 1875 to buy a farm and practice medicine.  He was from 
McArthur Vinton Co. O.  He was here but a short time when he died 1876.  He 
now rests under one of the most costly monuments in the new cemetery.  He is 
grandfather of Geo. Doddridge, west of town.  Mrs. Mary Claypool Green, 
daughter of the pioneer Perry Claypool and second wife of Judge M.T. Green, 
the stage coach man died 1874 aged 63.  The Dort family began burial in the 
Rohrbaugh 1875 at death of daughter Barbara and then the mother 1876.  (See 
the story of the Dort family and the removal to the Highland lot.)  The Crow 
burial plot is another removal.  Alex Crow was killed in the Hamilton mill 
explosion 1870 and his two children had died previously.  All these stones are 
badly smashed now, probably before removal.  
     Mrs. Jane Collins died 1868 aged 47 and was one of the first to be 
interred in the Rohrbaugh.  She was the wife of the farmer-pioneer, Michael 
Collins who lived east of town, on the so-called Geilker place.  Samuel 
Farabee died 1873 aged 62.  His widow married William McCoy and lies with the 
McCoys.  He was the father of Harve Farabee.  The Partin family used to lie in 
the old cemetery but were moved some ten years ago by their son Will Partin of 
Wyo.  He had some trouble in locating his mother's grave, because of the brush 
which had grown up heavily.  Mrs. Partin was a daughter of Rev. Eli Penney.  
(The Penney "moved graves: will be dealt with below.)  Ethelinda Reddie, first 
wife of Geo. Reddie, another early lumberman, died 1873.  Marinda Sigman, 
first wife of John Sigman died 1872, and his mother Margaret died 1874.  Mr. 
Sigman was a millwright of the 60s and built the Hamilton Flour Mills.
     Thomas family had the grandparents of Frank Hooker of Hamilton.  They 
were James and Diadama Thomas, who died 1870 and 1889, also the wife and 
daughter of Milo Thomas who died 1871 and 1868.  Sanborn - Mrs. Phoebe (or 
Phebe as spelled) was the wife of Ira and died 1868 aged 54.  She was the 
mother of Mrs. Louella Wilson, mother of Dr. I.C. Wilson.
     Then there is a group of graves taken from the old Brown cemetery in the 
country.  These include James Cox died 1859, aged 41 his first wife Mary who 
died 1841 aged 24, his second wife Sarah who died 1864 aged 40.  Mary a child 
died 1855 aged 2.  Malvina died 1864 aged 4.  James Cox was an early 
millwright of the county in the Kingston township and was the father of John 
Cox, wealthy farmer, who lived north of Hamilton.  These graves are the oldest 
in the cemetery.  From the old Paxton plantation grave yard in Mirabile 
township came most of the graves in the Paxton-Kemper lot.  James D. Paxton's 
dates were 1806-1863.  Mary Ritchie, his wife had dates 1815-1878.  Her sister 
Louisa Ritchie 1812-1859.
     The Penney Plantation graves were located on the old Rev. Eli Penney farm 
near Mirabile where he settled before the fifties.  He had a plantation of 
about 80 slaves.  Slaves and family were buried on their own plot.  From there 
were moved - Rev. Eli Penney died May 1871 aged 72.  Mary his wife 1802-1875.  
He was a very early preacher in the "Hardshell Baptist" church, was one of two 
first preachers in Hamilton.
     From the old Singleton graveyard north of town came the grave of Nannie 
Thornton died 1866, aged two.  She was the daughter of Henry Thornton, early 
  
stage coach driver and livery barn man in Hamilton, who came into the county a 
little after 1860.  This old cemetery has fallen into ruin, with few markers 
left.
     There are probably a few more moved graves in this Highland cemetery 
which Mr. Clark and others have failed to enumerate.
     Interview  1933.


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