Mitchell Cemetery, Harrison County, Missouri 1964 Located in Harrison County, T62N-R247, Section 26. It is approximately 1and 1/2 miles over border of Grundy County, and is important to our records because of those families from Grundy County, buried there; because of the number of service men buried there. The following clipping from Trenton Republican Times offers further information concerning the cemetery: "MITCHELL CEMETERY LAYS CLAIM TO MORE HONOR THAN JUST ITS OLD AGE" A headstone in the Mitchell Cemetery, four miles east of Gilman City, and one mile west of Melbourne, Mo., dated 1840 is proof that the Cemetery is the oldest in the area. The fact was realized by persons visiting the Cemetery on Decoration Day. The Cemetery is unusual not only in its age but in it is buried a relative of Abraham Lincoln and Negro slaves. It is a small Cemetery and because of neglect and no proper markings, a score of graves are believed lost. The graves were not laid out in rows, but were selected at random. The Cemetery is now cared for by Sherman Payne and Gilbert Gamble from funds received by donations and from royalties from the New Diamond coal mine, which is nearby. More than 30 Civil War Veterans, both union and southern soldiers, and Spanish American War were buried in the Cemetery. Flags are placed on the Veterans' graves each Decoration Day by the American Legion of Gilman City. The Cemetery was named for William Mitchell, who with his wife, Sally Conduitt Mitchell, and six children, came to Missouri from Kentucky as a pioneer in a covered wagon in October, 1837, and entered government land for witch he paid the government 90 cents an acre. The Mitchell home was built on land now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Lew Dunn. A Negro slave named Luce, was given to Mrs. Mitchell by her father at the time of her marriage. A relative of Luce, a young Negro boy named Charlie who had come to live with her, died after a short illness. As there was no Cemetery in the country, Charlie was buried in the Mitchell Yard. The next year, 1840, Mr. Mitchell's wife, Sally, died and was buried beside the Negro boy. Other Settlers moving into the country asked that they might bury their dead beside the others. Mr. Mitchell set aside a portion of his land for this, known as the Mitchell Cemetery. After the death of Mrs. Mitchell, Luce cared for the Mitchell children. Mr. Mitchell bought from Archibald Peery for $100.00 a Negro named Stephenie, who later married Luce. Instead of taking the name of their master, Mitchell, as was the custom, they took the name of Johnson after President Johnson. At the time of his death, Mitchell gave the Negroes their freedom, 40 acres of land, stock and machinery. This 40 acres of land is a part of the farm now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Roy Waggoner. Among the papers of William Mitchell was a tax receipt dated 1858 that showed in that year on 55.71 acres of land he paid $11.94 taxes. The tax collector was Charles Cravens. At the present time (1952?) there are two living grandchildren of William and Sally Mitchell. (check Coon Creek records for Peery dates). They are; Mrs. Alice Mitchell Peery, 96, Gilman City, and Ella Willis Smith, 90, Long Beach, California. The relative of Abraham Lincoln, buried in Mitchell Cemetery was Elizabeth Dillon, who was a sister of Nancy Hanks, Mother of Abraham Lincoln. Elizabeth Dillon was a Hanks and first married to a Ray and was the Grandmother of Tony, Frank Ray and the late John and Jim Ray, all of this community. One centenarian, Margaret Herrin Couch, Mother of Mrs. John Hughes of Melbourne is buried in the Mitchell Cemetery. Near the year 1880, the church was built, where it now stands. Willis B. Mitchell, son of William and Sally, donated a large portion of the timber from which the lumber was sawed and with the help of others, the church was built. The church was a union church, non-denominational, and could be used by any group. Bought Mar 20,1883 for $25.00 from Wm. I Booram-Filed for record Aug 16, 1884-Fee-.75 cents Bethany, Mo. First trustees of the church were Robie Burril, Benny Dewitt, and Tom Oram. The church is now in poor repair and cannot be used for services. In the churchyard, under the lofty trees, Decoration Day services are held each year and are attended by persons from all parts of the state. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. 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