Belknap Cemetery, Park Co., WY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Submitted March 20, 2005 by Leon C Batey ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LYDIA JONES 1899-1905 LYDIA JONES was born in Mahaska County, Iowa, before her parents moved to Ishawooa, Wyoming. They homesteaded on the South Fork of the Shoshone River approximately 20 miles up stream from Cody. LYDIA’S birth date was March 5, 1899 and she was named LYDIA IRMA. The correct pronunciations of the first name was “Liddy”. She died on June 5, 1905 from complications following Whooping Cough. Her parents were Chester Wycoff and Ure Rachel (Bradley) Jones. They homesteaded in 1900 approximately 20 miles upstream from Cody, Wyoming. This was on the South Fork of the Shoshone River. Lydia’s burials site is approximately 1 mile from her parents homestead site. She is buried in an unregistered cemetery above Belknap Creek. There were two previous burials at the site. One was an aged man, and the other a baby. Both identities were unknown, and Lydia Jones was the last burial at this site. The Cemetery is located on the 1st bench on the right side of Belknap Creek, approximately 1/4 mile from South Fork Road when traveling upstream. The cemetery is on the bench immediately south of the Belknap Ranch’s barn and corrals. On top of the bench is a fence line running north and south. The cemetery is approximately 60 feet east of the fence line and approximately 100-150 feet south of where the bench drops off into Belknap Creek. Below the Belknap Ranch, along Belknap Creek, approx 60-80 yards is a red log building, which used to be Ishawooa’s “Town Hall”. On downstream along Belknap Creek and immediately across South Fork Road is the old red building that was at one time the Ishawooa, Wyoming, Post Office. GPS grids are 44 deg 20.609 N- 109 deg 21.396W. In 1953 nearly 50 years after her death, Lydia’s brother, Roy Raymond Jones visited the site. He and his son Larry carried cement and water up the hill and, at the site, poured a concrete marker for Lydia’s grave. The lettering on the marker reads: LYDDIA JONES 1905 In 1947, my mother, Zora (Jones) Warner, (Lydia’s Sister), and I attempted to visit the site but we were restrained by a ditch full of water. We were unable to bridge it. Then in September 2002, I along with my son & wife, (Leon and Kay Batey), and local Cody cousins, Grace and Henrietta McGary and Paul and Lois Purvis, made the climb up from Belknap Creek to the bench and finally the grave site. All three graves are clearly visible due to the rocks stacked on top of them and all are facing east. Lydia’s is the only grave with a headstone with markings. This headstone lies flat on the ground, not in a up-right position. The other two have larger stones at the head, but have no markings. Lydia’s grave is in the center of the other two. A fourth grave has been added to the south of the three, someone’s pet dog named Buster. Grace McGary and Paul Purvis are grandchildren of Martin Luther Jones. Martin Luther Jones was a brother to Lydia’s Father, Chester Jones. Martin Luther Jones also had a homestead at the confluence of South Fork of the Shoshone River and Belknap Creek The site of his homestead is visible from Lydia’s grave. In 1900 Lydia’s sister, Maggie Jones, suffocated in a house fire. She was buried in the same cemetery only to be exhumed 1 week later and shipped to Bussy, Iowa, for final burial. Approximately 15 feet east of Lydia’s grave there appears to have been an excavation, perhaps it was the grave of Maggie Jones before being exhumed. In 1907 Lydia’s brother, Asa, died following an appendicitis operation at age 13. His body was shipped to Bussy, Iowa and buried beside Maggie. In 1914 Lydia’s mother, along with her sister Zora and brother Aaron, returned to Bussy, Iowa. In 1916 her brother Roy left the homestead and enlisted in the Army. In 1917 her father returned to Iowa and the homestead was abandoned. Lydia’s brother, Roy, married and raised his family in Iowa. He returned to Wyoming in the 1950s and is buried at Lingle, Wyoming. Her sister, Zora (Jones) Warner, married and raised her family in Iowa and is buried at Eddyville, Iowa. Her brother, Aaron, married in Iowa, he returned to Wyoming in the early 1940s. He raised his family and is buried at Big Piney, Wyoming. Catherine (Warner) Batey niece of Lydia Jones