Pioneer Cemeteries and Their Stories,

Madison County, Indiana

Carver Cemetery

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aka Lily/Lilly Creek Cemetery

Boone Township

Location: north side of CR 1400N, between CRs 200W and 300W

    The Carver Cemetery lies on the south bank of Lily Creek in section 31, close to where the boundaries of Boone, Monroe, and Pipe Creek townships converge.  This traditional family burial ground, therefore, holds early settlers from all three townships. 

    The Carver is named after John Carver who died in 1871 at "78y 4m 15d."  John's son George, 1835-1908, and George's wife Elizabeth deeded to the county this ground to be used as a cemetery.  Many Carver family members are resting here including John's brother Lewis, who died in 1861 at "66y 9m 22d."  Other early settlers--Ezekiel Chalfant, 1800-1881, and Sarah, 1784-1845, and Daniel, 1808-1839, Freestone--and members of their families also repose at this location.  Additional families on the burial list with the surnames of Hasty, Runyan, Welborn, Stanley, Redding, and Dickey still populate this agriculturally based township.

 

Patriarch of the Carver family, John, above, died 1871 when he was seventy-eight years old.  This would make his birth year around 1793.  There are thirty-five members of the Carver family buried at this pioneer and later settlers' cemetery.

At right, Mary Carver, who died in 1886 at sixty-three years of age, is buried near John.

Malinda Carver, left, has one of the tallest tablet style markers in all of Madison County.  It stands almost five feet tall.  While it at one point was broken in two, the iron staple from mid 20th century still gives the soft white marble stability.  Malinda died in 1856 at thirty-one years old.

Other Carver family members are below: Left to right, Almira, wife of Lewis died in 1866 at twenty-two years; Alvin died in 1864 at twenty-four; Erastus was only one year and one month when he died in 1862; and John K. was nineteen when he passed away in 1876.

Margaret Carver, left, died in 1879 when she was fifty-eight.  The book inside the oval at the top of her stone represents the Bible.  This was a very popular symbol for gravestones in mid 19th century.

  At right, Sarah Carver has one of the earliest stones in this cemetery.  While the marker looks a bit worn, it still states that she died "July 3, 1848 aged 16ys 7m 11d."

 

Among the pioneer land owners to Boone Township was the Freestone family.  The tablet at right is for "Jane wife of Daniel Freestone died Sept. 11, 1843 aged 31ys 1m 23ds."  At left, is the rounded marker for Sarah, mentioned above, who died in 1845 at "61y 25d."

    Among the earliest burials was a man of significance: Micajah Chamness, 1779-1840.  Micajah and his large family helped settle Monroe and Pipe Creek townships.  They arrived in 1831, shortly after the last Native Americans moved to reserves in the West.  Mr. Chamness is the settler to first own the land that is now Alexandria. (For more on Micajah Chamness, go to the Monroe Township page.)

The Chamness family is represented in these four pictures.  Above is family elder and pioneer settler Micajah, 1779-1840.  His is the oldest legible stone still existing in the Carver.  Below left is his wife Sara who died in 1873 at fifty-eight years.  The clasped hands represent a married couple's partnership in life.  Middle is their daughter Nancy, and at right is their son Isaiah.

     

Pictured below, the columned monument for Daniel Welborn is flanked by the markers for two of his sons, Milton, right, who died at eleven years in 1862, and Hesikiea, left, who died in 1844.  Hesikiea lived to be just two months and four days old. Undoubtedly, other children and infants are ensconced in unmarked graves along the Carver's aisles.

The stones for some of the other infants and children of settlers to the area are pictured below, left to right: Anderson, son of A. & L Gorden; Granville George, who died when six years old in 1879; two "infants," in a double marker and probably in the same grave, for the Stroud family; and Amanda Bell of the Woolen family.  The gravestones for children, by tradition and for economy, were generally much smaller than those for adults.

 

The two stones below are females from the 1850s.  Another member of the Stroud family, Elvina, died when thirty-two years of age in 1859 while Cynthia, wife of James Smith, died in 1850 at twenty-five.

Grave markers from the last half of the 19th century stand for Catherine Dickey, left; A.F. Moyer, who fought in the Civil War, middle; and Calvin McNair, right.  The Moyer stone's style, referred to as "a tree cut off," was popular in the last twenty years of the century.  Different ornaments, symbols, and flowers could be attached to the trunk.

 

The three stones above are interesting for their uniqueness.  The one on the right is for Vina Gorden, who died at fifty-five years in 1877.  While this stone has the typical arches and curving lines of Victorian architectural style, it also has atop the data plate the upper torso of a female angel with wings, the only one of this design in the county. 

As demonstrated in the middle marker, the soft marble, so popular in mid 19th century, allowed the stone cutter to add decorative embellishments like this unusual sign or scroll with hook.  The porous material, however, also allowed the incising to fade rapidly with time. 

To the left, the arched top, Bible, and ribbon can be found on other Victorian grave markers.  However, the hand with sleeved arm draped over the top is unique.  As seen from the front of the stone, this feature suggests that a hidden mourner is kneeling behind the stone and is holding on to it and the bible for support--a very evocative picture.

    In the summer of 2008, the MCCC voted to give the Carver Cemetery a major cleanup.  Contactor Larry Brown and his crew tore out unwanted growth, weeds, small trees, and anything else that was obstructing the stones.  Vegetation preventatives were applied afterward.  The pictures above, showing an unobstructed view of the individual stones, were taken after the refurbishment.  The ones below show how the cemetery appeared before.

Sometimes, especially in a small agriculturally based township, the trustee does not have enough money to give the proper care to the pioneer cemeteries.  Such, unfortunately, had been the case before the fall of 2008 at the Carver where basic mowing was accomplished but spraying against encroaching vegetation was not.  The Carver's plight was made sadder in light of the fact that back in 1998 the Summitville Boy Scout Troop #328 spent much time and energy clearing, cleaning, and researching this cemetery.  Member T. J. Fech was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout for his contribution in researching the cemetery's history as well as reclaiming, at the time, its physical integrity.  However, since the late 1990s, weeds and undergrowth were allowed to obscure even the Carver's largest stones.

 

 Below is a general shot of how well  the Carver Cemetery can be appreciated now.

 

The Runyans, early settlers to Boone Township, have a popular and more elaborate style marker which sits between their graves.  It is a pedestal or podium covered in a mourning drape with fringe and tassels and topped by a Bible.  Ovals front and back contain the couple's data and the medallion on the side proclaims "Mother and Father."  The pictures, left and right, also illustrate the before and after of the Carver's refurbishment since Mary's information could not be seen until the heavy vegetation was eradicated.

 

Names
ID Names Birth Date Death Date Cemetery
4190 BENJAMIN, J. 1861 1889 CARVER
6682 BRINSON, A. R. 1858   CARVER
7581 BROWN, PRUDENCE 1852 1908 CARVER
7682 BROWN, WILLIAM D. 1875 1877 CARVER
7871 BRUNT, CLAUDE   JUN. 30, 1860 or 80 CARVER
9709 CARVER, (INFANT DAU. OF BARNAB   1853 CARVER
9710 CARVER, (INFANT DAU.)   DEC. 7, 1855 CARVER
9711 CARVER, (INFANT DAU.)   DEC. 1875 CARVER
9712 CARVER, (INFANT SON) 20D. OCT. 12, 1856 CARVER
9713 CARVER, (NFANT DAU.)   JAN. 19, 1882 CARVER
9716 CARVER, ALMIRA 22Y. 5M. 24D. APR. 2, 1866 CARVER
9717 CARVER, ALVIN 24Y.or 4Y. 5M. 18D. MAY 31, 1864 CARVER
9720 CARVER, BARNABAS 71Y. 10M. 18D. DEC. 23, 1889 CARVER
9722 CARVER, CAROLINE 30Y. 1M. 2D. DEC. 8, 1891 CARVER
9728 CARVER, ELIZABETH JUN. 15, 1841 JUN. 8, 1871 CARVER
9733 CARVER, EMILY   APRIL 1866 CARVER
9735 CARVER, ERASTUS R. 1Y. 1M. 2D. JUL. 25, 1862 CARVER
9736 CARVER, EUNICE 1Y. 1M. 25D. SEP. 11, 1850 CARVER
9738 CARVER, GEORGE W. DEC. 19, 1835 or 36 DEC. 3, 1908 CARVER
9746 CARVER, JANE 6M. 20D. AUG. 28, 1855 CARVER
9745 CARVER, JANE 52Y. 8M. 27D. APR. 3, 1880 CARVER
9747 CARVER, JOHN 78Y. 4M. 15D. MAR. 10, 1871 CARVER
9748 CARVER, JOHN K. 19Y. 8M. 26D. OCT. 14, 1876 CARVER
9749 CARVER, JOHN M. 1854 1890 CARVER
9756 CARVER, LEWIS 66Y. 9M. 22D. ___________1861 CARVER
9757 CARVER, LEWIS A. or R. NOV. 19, 1840 JUN. 3, 1897 CARVER
9759 CARVER, LORENZO 57Y. 11M. OCT. 17, 1874 CARVER
9760 CARVER, LORINE 79Y. 10M. 11D. SEP. 24, 1901 CARVER
9761 CARVER, LUCY DT. OF J. & MARY 11M.   CARVER
9762 CARVER, MAHITABLE 46Y. 8M. 11D. JUL. 17, 1848 CARVER
9763 CARVER, MAHITABLE / MALINDA 31Y. 9M. 29D. NOV. 26, 1856 CARVER
9765 CARVER, MARGARET 27Y. _M. 17D. FEB. 7, 1882 CARVER
9764 CARVER, MARGARET 58Y. APR. 13, 1879 CARVER
9767 CARVER, MARY 52Y. 6M. 23D. SEP. 23, 1864 CARVER
9766 CARVER, MARY 63Y. 11M. 10D. SEP. 6 or 8, 1886 CARVER
9768 CARVER, MARY E. 1840 1923 CARVER
9769 CARVER, MARY F. 23Y. 10M. APR. 18, 1888 CARVER
9771 CARVER, RACHEL 3Y. 8M. 19D. APR. 2, 1854 CARVER
9773 CARVER, SAMANTHA DAU. OF JOHN 31Y. 1M. 3D. DEC. 15, 1865 CARVER
9774 CARVER, SARAH 16Y. 7M. 11D. JUL. 3, 1848 CARVER
10020 CHALFANT, (INFANT DAU.)   MAY 29, 1887 CARVER
10021 CHALFANT, CHARLES 18Y.or 38Y. 9M. 14D. JUL. 14, 1897 or 79 CARVER
10024 CHALFANT, EZEKIEL 81Y. 8M. DEC. 12, 1881 CARVER
10126 CHAMNESS, ISAIAH H. 11Y. 10M. 15D. AUG. 2, 1853 CARVER
10131 CHAMNESS, MICAJAH 61Y. JUL. 1840 CARVER
10132 CHAMNESS, MICAJAH 89Y. 8M. 11D. MAR. 14, 1907 CARVER
10133 CHAMNESS, NANCY M. 19Y. or 9Y. 6M. 24D. NOV. 9, 1869 or 68 CARVER
10134 CHAMNESS, SARAH 58Y. 12D. SEP. 27, 1873 CARVER
12591 GORDEN, VINA 55Y. or 35Y. 1M. 25D JUN. 2, 1877 CARVER
12599 GORDON, (INFANT DAU.) "ELIZA"     CARVER
12600 GORDON, ANDERSON (SON OF A. &   AUG. 12, 1863 CARVER
12601 GORDON, EMERY (SON) AUG. 21, 1865 or 63 CARVER
14345 DAILEY, M. A. DEC. 9, 1857 MAY 19, 1902 CARVER
15668 DELINGER, ARTHUR M. 1882 1889 CARVER
15669 DELINGER, CHARLES S. 1880 1895 CARVER
16108 DICKEY, CATHERINE FEB. 20, 1843 OCT. 31, 1867 CARVER
16131 DICKEY, MARION JAN. 10, 1838 MAY 14, 1890 CARVER
16885 DOYLE, JESSE 14Y. 14D. JUN. 18, 1894 CARVER
18239 ELLIS, ZILLAH AUG. 25, 1842 NOV. 23, 1870 CARVER
19834 FINNEY, JOHN 3Y. _M. 11D. NOV. 11, 18_8 CARVER
21422 FREESTONE, DANIEL 31Y. 11M. SEP. 17, 1839 CARVER
21427 FREESTONE, GEORGE W. 5M. 7D. FEB. 2, 1873 CARVER
21434 FREESTONE, JANE 31Y. 1M. 23D. SEP. 11, 1843 CARVER
21445 FREESTONE, SARAH 61Y. 25D. OCT. 10, 1845 CARVER
22496 GEORGE, BASEL 26Y. 5M. 12D. AUG. 28, 1849 CARVER
22506 GEORGE, GRANVILLE 6Y. 7M. APR. 28, 1879 CARVER
22821 GILLIAM, (MRS. J. E.) 17Y. 11M. 26D. 1883 CARVER
22822 GILLIAM, CHARLES T. 17Y. 11M. 26D. OCT. 30, 1883 CARVER
22824 GILLIAM, EDWIN 11M. NOV.25/ 27, 1871 /74 CARVER
22825 GILLIAM, EMILY E. 40Y. JAN. 10, 1874 CARVER
23401 GOODMAN, JULIA 1887 1912 CARVER
26454 HARRISON, IVA MAY 10Y. 2M. 11D. AUG. 6, 1912 CARVER
26544 HART, WILLIAM EVERETT 1M. FEB. 2, 1882 CARVER
26905 HASTY, (INFANT SON)   OCT. 21, 1864 CARVER
26910 HASTY, MARY L. 15Y. 6M. 18D. FEB. 1, 1878 or 73 CARVER
26912 HASTY, ROBERT 50Y. 6M. or 3M. 3D. MAR. 8, 1889 CARVER
26913 HASTY, WALTER R. _Y. 7M. 3D. SEP. 3, 1876 CARVER
32430 JESSEI, DOYLE 14Y. 14D. JUN. 18, 1894 CARVER
32595 JOHNSON, AMBROSE L. JAN. 15, 1840 FEB. 10, 1906 CARVER
32601 JOHNSON, ANNON 1Y. 2M. 29D. MAY 27, 1877 CARVER
32676 JOHNSON, EVY A. or "EMMA" 8Y. 11M. 6D. OCT. 28, 1879 CARVER
32780 JOHNSON, LETTY 4Y. 9M. 9D.(?) SEP. 14, 1880 CARVER
32789 JOHNSON, LYDIA JAN. 5, 1850 JUL. 4, 1923 CARVER
32871 JOHNSON, STELLA 5M. 21D. SEP. 11, 1877 CARVER
32894 JOHNSON, WILLIAM 69Y. 8M. JAN. 2, 1885 CARVER
33022 JONES, ARLIE F. 1876 1877 CARVER
33253 JONES, JENNIE E. 1857 1887 CARVER
33545 JONES, THURLOW M. 1879 1882 CARVER
36605 LARUE, ELIZABETH 7Y. 4M. _D. JUL. 5, 1863 CARVER
36613 LARUE, MARY (DAU. OF A. & S.) _Y. 4M. _D. ____ 9, 18__ CARVER
36967 LAYCOCK, MARTIN V. 1847 1912 CARVER
36971 LAYCOCK, SARAH 1851 1930 CARVER
38468 LOGAN, (INFANT SON) 3M. JUN. 10, 1862 CARVER
38838 LUDLOW, DANIEL S. DEC. 8, 1861 SEP. 12, 1868 CARVER
38841 LUDLOW, HAMPTON AUG. 23, 1826 MAY 29, 1906 CARVER
38842 LUDLOW, JAMES A. OCT. 4, 1871 SEP. 4, 1872 CARVER
38843 LUDLOW, LIEUVISA APR. 25, 1833 JAN. 28, 1874 CARVER
38848 LUDLOW, WILLIAM FRANK APR. 20, 1856 OCT. 27, 1885 CARVER
40891 MCCLEAD, CARL A. 1Y. 4M. 25D. FEB. 18, 1885 CARVER
40892 MCCLEAD, CHARLES A. FEB. 19, 1820 NOV. 29, 1911 CARVER
40893 MCCLEAD, CHARLES A. JUL. 16, 1826 AUG. 12, 1899 CARVER
40894 MCCLEAD, FAY R. 5Y. 6M. 8D. NOV. 28, 1891 CARVER
40895 MCCLEAD, NEWTON M. FEB. 14, 1855 MAR. 21, 1889 CARVER
40896 MCCLEAD, PHEBE JUL. 16, 1826 AUG. 12, 1899 CARVER
40901 MCCLEM, AMANDA BELL 1Y. 9M. 22D. SEP. 31, 1855 CARVER
42039 MCLEAD, NEWTON M. FEB. 14, 1855 MAR. 21, 1889 CARVER
42052 MCMAHAN, ARTHUR E. 4Y. 3M. 17D. OCT. 26, 1892 CARVER
42119 MCMAHAN, SAMUEL Co. G 75 Ind. Inf.   CARVER
42120 MCMAHAN, SAMUEL S. 75 IND INF CO G   CARVER
42207 MCNAIRY, CALVIN 41Y. 8M. 1D. DEC. 1, 1883 CARVER
42209 MCNAIRY, EARNEST 2Y. 5M. 24D. JUN. 24, 1884 CARVER
44992 MOYER, A. F. 1841 FEB. 1, 1895 CARVER
44993 MOYER, ALMEDA E. OCT. 1, 1850 JUL. 19, 1896 CARVER
44997 MOYER, CAROLINE SEP. 2, 1851 NOV. 9, 1911 CARVER
45004 MOYER, GEORGE 90Y. DEC. 5, 1909 CARVER
45007 MOYER, HANNAH 72Y. 10M. 21D. JAN. 29, 1908 CARVER
45009 MOYER, JOHN 97Y. 6M. 18D. DEC. 24, 1907 CARVER
45012 MOYER, LOUISA A. 74Y. or 77Y. JUN. 11, 1895 CARVER
45016 MOYER, PETER 67Y. 3M. 18D. MAR. 20, 1891 CARVER
45018 MOYER, SARAH 67Y. 4M. 25D. AUG. 27 or 8, 1881 CARVER
46271 NOBLE, GORGIA 5Y. 9M. 9D. DEC. 16, 1885 CARVER
46645 OBANION, DANIEL B. 1Y. 8M. 6D. OCT. 12, 1865 CARVER
46647 OBANION, JASPER L. 2Y. 9M. 21D. SEP. 15, 1845 CARVER
46726 OBRYANT, ELMIRA 57Y. 10M. 2D. DEC. 29, 1888 CARVER
47126 ORSBORN, ELIZABETH C. MAR. 15, 1827 JAN. 15, 1904 CARVER
47127 ORSBORN, JONATHAN JUN. 25, 1823 AUG. 17, 1896 CARVER
47128 ORSBORN, WILLIAM A. MAY 23, 1885 OCT. 28, 1885 CARVER
49203 PLACKARD, GEORGE W. 37Y. 11M. 23D.or 28D JUN. 22, 1895 CARVER
49515 PORTER, CECIL L. 1898 1909 CARVER
49523 PORTER, ELIZABETH L. 1827 1877 CARVER
49526 PORTER, EONA V. 1908 1909 CARVER
49528 PORTER, ESTELL 1887 1891 CARVER
49534 PORTER, HARVEY V.   1889 CARVER
49571 PORTER, WILBURN C. 1826 1877 CARVER
50914 REDDING, HIRAM 73Y. 10M. 24D. APR. 29, 1894 CARVER
50915 REDDING, JAMES M. 16Y. 9D. FEB. 11, 1876 CARVER
50920 REDDING, NANCY 49Y. or 29Y. 3M. 21D JUN. 25, 1874 CARVER
53650 RUNYAN, AMY MAY   1881 CARVER
53653 RUNYAN, C_NI DT. OF J & M 1Y. 7M. 8D. OCT. 30, 1877 CARVER
53658 RUNYAN, CLIFFORD 9M. 10D. ___ 11, 1887 or 1883 CARVER
53669 RUNYAN, JAMES 78Y. 11M. 4D. MAR. 30, 1876 CARVER
53672 RUNYAN, LEMUEL 1Y. 4M. 4D. APRIL 2, 1862 CARVER
53673 RUNYAN, MARIA 50Y. JUN. 1879 or 74 CARVER
53674 RUNYAN, MARY 68Y. 17D. AUG. 16, 1874 CARVER
53676 RUNYAN, MARY (DAU. OF J. & M.)     CARVER
53677 RUNYAN, MARY J. 52Y. 9M. 2D. MAY 9, 1886 CARVER
53957 RYNO, NOAH 57Y. or 52Y. 2M. 25D NOV. 4, 1882 CARVER
56315 SHIPLEY, SARAH APR. 19, 1864 SEP. 13 or 19, 1903 CARVER
57658 SMITH, CYNTHIA 25Y. 10M. 17D. 1850 CARVER
58027 SMITH, MARTHA 73Y. 25D. AUG. 7, 1879 CARVER
58028 SMITH, MARTHA 72Y. 25D. APR. 7, 1879 CARVER
58141 SMITH, RHODA MAY 13, 1812 APR. 6, 1890 CARVER
59319 STANLEY, JOHN H. 1Y. 1M. 9D. DEC. 25, 1852 CARVER
59337 STANLEY, MAR_ dt of THOMAS & 1Y. 6M. or 1M. 10D. AUG. 31, 1851 or 50 CARVER
59397 STANLEY, THOMAS 28Y. 9M. 22D. FEB. 9, 1853 CARVER
60677 STROUD, (INFANT) 1853 1853 CARVER
60678 STROUD, (INFANT) 1860 1860 CARVER
60679 STROUD, ________ 12Y. _M. _D. MAY 29, 187_ CARVER
60682 STROUD, CHARLES A. 19Y. 2M. 17D. MAY 29, 1878 CARVER
60685 STROUD, ELVINA 32Y. SEP. 22, 1859 CARVER
60686 STROUD, EVERT     CARVER
60691 STROUD, JOSEPH 1Y. 5M. 12D. MAR. 5, 1852 CARVER
60694 STROUD, JOSHUA 49 or 19Y. 11M. 28D. JUN. 11, 1847__ CARVER
60693 STROUD, JOSHUA 1Y. _M. 26D. SEP. 12, 1856 CARVER
60692 STROUD, JOSHUA NO DATES ON STONE   CARVER
60696 STROUD, MAHETABEL 34Y. 9M. 12D. JAN. 27, 1863 CARVER
60698 STROUD, MARTHA CARVER 1863 1938 CARVER
61087 SWAIM, JEMIMA 75Y. 6M. 13D. AUG. 27, 1887 CARVER
61089 SWAIM, LABAN 60Y. 10M. 3D. FEB. 26, 1870 CARVER
61889 TAYLOR, RUDOLPH F. DEC. 25, 1819 JUL. 28, 1894 CARVER
61897 TAYLOR, SARAH C. DEC. 5, 1827 JUL. 8, 1891 CARVER
62337 THOMAS, JOHN B. SEP. 18, 1842 AUG. 1, 1906 CARVER
62373 THOMAS, MARY APR. 14, 1845 MAY 6, 1891 CARVER
62630 THORNBURG, BENJAMIN J. 1861 1889 CARVER
66140 WEAVER, HENRY H. 49Y. 9M. 26D. FEB. 11, 1881 CARVER
66502 WELBORN, DANIEL 55Y. 6M. 24D. DEC. 28, 1874 CARVER
66513 WELBORN, HESIKIEA T. 2M. 4D. OCT. 3, 1844 CARVER
66523 WELBORN, MILTON D. 11Y. 6M. 15D. JUN. 11, 1862 CARVER
67149 WHITAKER, HERMAN SEP. 11, 1893 JAN. 18, 1929 CARVER
68507 WILSON, DORA E. 1Y. 4M. 1D. OCT. 23, 1874 CARVER
68583 WILSON, LAURA ELLEN 15Y. 4M. 22D. NOV. 16, 1881 CARVER
68589 WILSON, LEWIS C. 1Y. 7M. 8D. JUL. 11, 1848 CARVER
69560 WOOLEN, AMANDA BELL 1Y. 9M. 22D. SEP. 8, 1855 CARVER
69561 WOOLEN, HARRIET 25Y. 9M. 13D. JUL. 19, 1868 CARVER