OLD BURYING GROUND AT PRARIE CHURCH, Clark Co., MO
       HOLDS PARTICIPANTS IN EARLY WARS.
         --------------------------------
INSCRIPTIONS DATING BACK TO 1783---LIST OF ALL THE MONU-
        MENTS THE LETTERING ON WHICH IS READABLE
         --------------------------------

[Written by Jasper Blines on Request for Daughters of the Ameri-
                       can Revolution]

"Some are away, the dead ones dear,
Who thronged with us this giant heath,
And gave to life its guiltless mirth --"

  In fine inspiration the poet thus
exclaimed.  Long thru the pioneer
years of our land the sacred
church and the reverenced ceme-
tery or burial place of the dear
departed relatives were closely as-
sociated.  What an interesting and
pathetic history of the people and
the flight of years even in a
neighborhood of the rural people.
  Some five miles northwest of
the old town of St. Francisville is
the Prarie church, deriving its
name from the immense territory
all around the holy edifice.  The
church and the cemetery are upon
a five-acre enclosure donated by
Robert A. McKee, the first church
building being erected, or raised, on
April 16, 1851.  David Lapsley gave
this record to the writer today, and
states that on that day he was 21
years old.
  The building was small for church
worship, and owing to necessity,
was used for school purposes.  A
generation or so later the building
was replaced by the present large
edifice.  It belongs to the Presby-
terian denomination, and is seldom
used, the people taking up the
fancy to attend divine services in
the nearby towns.  This leaves many
families without places of worship,
and thus results in a moral loss to
the citizens of the community.
  The cemetery is east of the
church, and is enclosed with a
common wire fence.  Like most
places of the class, Prarie church
cemetery needs better care.  There
are about one hundred and fifty
eight monuments.  Many graves
are unmarked, and quite a number
of removals have been made.
  On Wednesday, May 10, 1916, I
made the following records, which
are substantially complete and of-
ficial:
  Lizzie A. Hess, died Feb. 24, 1889,
aged forty-six years.  Leaves en-
graved on marble.
  Samuel H. Hess, died Januar[y] 10,
1851, aged 6 years.
  Mary, wife of John Compton, died
September 23, 1857, aged forty-
four years.
  Lena Ferguson, died August 12,
1896.
  Charles Morris, died August 1,
1896, aged twenty-fivi years.
  John D. Stauffer, died October
25, 1854.  This monument has the
name Waterloo at the base.  Made
probably in the town of Waterloo,
this county.
  Monument with name of George
W., died March 1, 1853.
  Name of maker, A. B. Bonners-
ville, S. C.  No other inscription.
  Manena Wilson, died December
22, 1862, aged twenty-one years.
  Daniel F. Wilson, died Decem-
ber 21, 1862.
  Wm. Wilson, died March 23, 1854,
aged eleven years.
  Mary A., daughter of W. and P.
Hiller, died February 2, 1862, aged
three years.
  James H. Lapsley, died March 6,
1889, aged sixty-four years.
  Farley J. Lapsley, died Septem-
ber 4, 1881, aged three years.
  John S. Lapsley, died December
19, 1878, aged seven years.
  Laura Virginia Lapsley, died Feb-
ruary 16, 1871, aged four years.
  John A. Lapsley, an officer in
the war of 1812, born Sept. 5, 1783,
died Dec. 13, 1859.  He was a son
of John Lapsley, Sr., an officer in
the Revolutionary war, born Dec.
29, 1753, died July 14, 1801.
  Mary Wear McKee, wife of John
A. Lapsley, born November 20,
1783, died October 21, 1859.
  Mary Jane Lapsley, died Septem-
ber 16, 1851, aged forty-three years.
  Miriam Robertson, died July 6,
1847, aged one year.
  Sarah, wife of David Johnson,
died June 5, 1878.
  Mary Johnson, died September 11, 1857,
aged ten months.
  John Johnson, born May 3, 1854,
died January 12, 1863.
  Burlie Johnson, born July 10,
1859 died Sept. 6, 1868.
  James E. Johnson, Company O,
Missouri Home Guards, Monument
marked In. E. Mo. H. G. No dates.
  Barbara Johnson, died April 11,
1833.
  James Johnson, born October 27,
1827, died Nov. 11, 1908.
  William Johnson, died September
9, 1883, aged one year.
  Goldie A. Williams, born Sept.
2, 1886, died August 6, 1888.
  Caleb W. Mowshaw, born April 14
1867, died October 2, 1879.
  Thomas J. Davis, born June 22,
1809, died Feb. 16, 1892.
  Charle[s ]W. Davis, born Dec. 7,
1834, die[d] March 6, 1887.
  Abigail Alice Little, died May 12,
1857, aged three years.
  R. A. McKee, died April 25, 1872,
aged sixty-six years.
  Amanda M., wife of R. A. Mc
Kee, died April 17, 1863, aged fif-
ty-five years.
  James A. McKee, born October
14, 1844, died March 27, 1845.
  John W. McKee, died Feb. 4,
1859, aged seventeen years.
  John Willie Mc Kee, died August
26, 1869, aged five months.
  R. S. McKee, born 1832, died 1903.
  T. A. McKee, born 1857, died 1904.
  Bede Roy Strickler, born March
29, 1870, died August 8, 1883.
  Francis Ann Estill, died April 17,
1856.
  Walter Hudson, born July 6, 1873,
died October 1, 1906.
  Biddy Hudson, born April 15,
1842, died November 22, 1888.
  Bryan McNally, died January 16,
1885, aged eighty-four years, na-
tive of county Monaghan, Ireland.
  Henry Walker, born August 1,
1828, died March 1, 1892.
  Allie A. Patterson, born January
14, 1859, died January 14, 1884.
  Mary J. Walker, born November
26, 1830, died January 7, 1888.
  Henry Little, died January 4,
1884, aged seventy-six years.
  Abigail Little, born March 11,
1811, died October 6, 1886.
  Georga A. Little, born April 27,
1862, died July 22, 1883.
  Calvin Jones, born March 17, 1885,
died September 4, 1908.
  Arizona Little, born April 26,
1869, died March 20, 1887.
  Chas. Guy, born May 14, 1867,
died April 10, 1890.
  Bessie Davis, born January 29,
1892, died October 16, 1904.
  Walter G. Cronin, born March 31,
1872, died Jul7 27, 1898.
  Jesse N. Moore, died April 22,
11895, aged forty-five years.
  Jefferson Price, born November
14, 1829, died November 30, 1885.
  George Leach, died March 28,
1884, aged seventy-four years.
  Thomas Boggus, born August 23,
1834, died March 26, 1887.
  Sarah E. Boggus, born November
21, 1842, died March 14, 1907.
  Edward J. Boggus, born January
6, 1875, died June 6, 1883.
  Thomas C. Buggus, born April 11,
1873, died May 22, 1903.
  Lula Blanche Montgomery, born
February 10, 1891, died March 4,
1894.
  Louis A. Enderwies, born June
9, 1834, died June 10, 1888.
  Susan M. Enderwies, born March
12, 1845, died January 10, 1913.
  Ella S. Enderwies, born Novem-
ber 8, 1871, died June 19, 1901.
  S. J. Wilson, died April 4, 1861,
aged five months.
  Anna S. Wilson, died March 9,
1863, aged fourteen years.
  E. A. Morris, born April, 1833,
died May, 1900.
  Royal E. Keester, died July 30,
1884, aged one month.
  J. H. Keester, died August 17,
1875, ages twenty-three years.
  Hannah Irvin, born August 12,
1804, died June 11, 1887.
  Maggie Wade, born October 14,
1879, died July 3, 1904.
  Jacob Legan, died November 26,
1877, aged fifty-one years.
  Mollie Schrempshire, born Aug.
13, 1881, died January 3, 1883.
  Margaret McNally, died Aug. 16,
1903, aged eighty years.
  Abigale Thorington, died October
31, 1853, aged thirty-one years.
  John M. Sherrick, born February
13, 1867, died March 14, 1867.
 Henry Sherrick, Born October 27,
1862, died December 25, 1862.
  Anna Sherrick, born July 31, 1840,
died February 13, 1852.
  Mary Sherrick, born December
11, 1842, died February 20, 1852.
  Sarah Sherrick, born March 5,
1836, died February 9, 1852.
  Edwin Nelson, died September 8,
1887, aged six years.
  Machael Marmion, born 1794, died
May 12, 1889, aged ninety-five years.
  Henry C. Marmion, born in the
year 1838, in county Unta Loud,
Ireland, died July 2, 1896.
  Cassily M. Doore, born December
14, 1891, died December 27, 1909.
  Mary Jane Doore, born August 22,
1851, died May 6, 1908. Monument
decorated with large cross.
  Mary Cassily, born in the county
Monaghan, Ireland, November 15,
1800, died December 11, 1904.
  Lucy White, died June 13, 1876,
aged twelve years.
  Frank White, born October 7,
1892, died April 4, 1893.
  Mary J. Doss, born May 17, 1835,
died January 27, 1893.
  Sisson McCarty, died July 1,
1890, aged seven days.
  Aaron Beckner, born December
12, 1810, died December 25, 1892.
  Rachael Beckner, born October 3,
1818, died July 29, 1899.
  Lena May Morris, died March 26,
1876, aged ten months.
  W. A. Johnson, born June 25,
1826, died January 22, 1894.
  Mary J. Johnson, born February
26, 1850, Still living.
  Sarah M. Johnson, died Sept. 18,
1872, aged twenty-seven years.
  J. A. Shrimpshire, born Febru-
ary 24, 1807, died January 21, 1881.
  Malinda Shrimpshire, born May 3[0,]
1816, died January 29, 1904.
  Jacob Tinsman, died November
14, 1857, aged fourteen years.
  Ezra H. Morris, died July 23,
1865, aged six years.
  Arthur coffeen, died October 22,
1846, aged one year.
  Edwin G. Coffeen, died November
26, 1849, aged eight months.  These
two inscriptions are on one monu-
ment.
  Mariam Morris, died August 24,
1895, aged forty-five years.
1877, aged sixty-three years.
  Justis Morris, born March 25,
1809, died May 23, 1901.
  Rebecca Morris, died April 8,
1851, aged thirty-seven years.
  Samuel Morris, died November 17,
1852, aged seventeen years.
  Hannah E. Morris, born Septem-
ber 20, 1838, died April 2, 1872.
  George Morris, born May 28, 1870,
died November 2, 1872.
  Manerva Smallwood, died Nov-
ember 3, 1868, aged twenty-seven
years.
  Thomas Smallwood, died Nov. 10,
1870, aged two years.
  Andrew White, born November
2, 1882, died March 8, 1892.
  Ida B. White, died May 2, 1883,
aged twenty-four years.
  Lucy A. White, died June 13, 1876,
aged twelve years.
  Charles White, born January 19,
1870, died February 25, 1870.
  Alvin S. Peckham, died August
13, 1875, aged four months.
  Willie Hardy, died April 28, 1878,
aged seven days.
  Jesse Hardy, died May 13, 1878,
aged twenty-one days.
  Arthus G. Hardy, died November
23, 1881, aged eight months.
  H. M. Green, died August 16, 1895,
aged sixty-two years.
  James A. Robinson, died Septem-
ber 23, 1879, aged nine years.  Mon-
ument broken.
  Margaret E. Hess, wife of Samuel
Hess, died July 2, 1868, aged fifty-
eight years.
  Samuel Hess, died December 12,
1878, aged sixty-four years.
  Joseph Pence, died December 21,
1864, aged fifty years.
  Jacob Price, died April 21, 1855,
aged sixty years.
  Charles O. Sanford, born 1807,
died 1884.
  Jane E. Sanford, born 1825, died
1863.
  Sarah H. Sanford, born 1856, died
1914.
  Sarah M. Ditmars, died February
7, 1861, aged four months.
  Georgiana Ditmars, died Febru-
ary 21, 1858, aged five years.
  Alfred Lawrence, born June 23,
1817, died October 4 1892.
  Thomas Whalan, born December
18, 1845, died January 7, 1914.
  Hester, wife of Alfred Lawren[ce,]
born December 12, 1818, died Ja[n-]
uary 27, 1892.
  David Johnson, born June 25,
1797, died October 26, 1863.
  Mary Eliza, wife of A. Overman,
died April 5, 1855, aged twenty
years.
  James N. Huston, died November
25, 1854, aged twenty-three years.
  John W. Huston, died April 3,
1855, aged forty-nine years.
  Henry Sherrick, died October 6,
1875, aged seventy years.
  Anna Sherrick, wife of Henry
Sherrick, died October 6, 1875, ag-
ed sixty-seven years.
  Mr. Sherrick and wife were taken
seriously illl while returning from
a visit at the home of Wm. Strick-
ler, near the present town of Me-
dill, and both continued to grow
worse, and died soon after reach-
ing their own home one mile west
of Prarie church.  Andrew Nelson
owns and occupies the old Sher-
rick farm.
  Joanna Parsons, died June 29,
1887, aged sixteen years.
  Charles Parsons, died August 7,
1865 aged fifty-five years.
  Rosa B. Bell, born January 27,
1869, died April 12, 1896.
  Silas W. Gates, died November
16, 1854, aged ten years.
  Anna Webster. No other inscrip-
tion.
  Robert Webster, died November
1, 1855, aged two years.
  Henrietta Webster, William Web-
ster.  No other inscription.
  Perninnah E. Webster, born No-
vember 19, 1858, died March 14,
1882.
  Johnathan C. Webster, born May
20, 1821, died November 29, 1904.
  Margaret Webster, born July 31,
1823, died March 28, 1904.
  [This contribution dated at Ka-
hoka, Clark county, Mo., May 16,
1916.]

(Transcription by J. Nelson Howell, October, 1998)

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