Pioneer Cemeteries and Their Stories,

Madison County, Indiana

Donahoo Cemetery

Home Up

aka  Mahoney/Foland/Burton

Monroe Township

Location: east side of SR 9, between SR 128 and CR 900N

A gravestone filled with symbolic meaning from the late 19th century--"a tree cut off" as it was called--is framed by a gnarled living representative (2004).

    Along busy SR 9, which runs north to south through the middle of Madison County, are several pioneer cemeteries.  The Donahoo is one of them.  It lies along that stretch of four lane highway that used to be part of the old Anderson-Alexandria Pike.  While a few of the burials recorded are earlier, the legible stones are from the 1850s into the early 20th century.

    While the earliest burial on the list below is that for Nancy Carroll who died, according to transcribers, in 1847, the earliest Donahoo burial is that for Mary Ellen who "died Nov. 18, 1849 Aged 9 ms. & 20 ds." (Mary Ellen's death date was misread by transcribers.)  There are a number of unmarked graves in this family burial ground as evidenced by the sunken rectangular patches in the earth.  Any of these might be the reason why the Donahoos began the cemetery. As was customary, once a family began a burial ground, other settlers in the farming neighborhood utilized its services.

There are ten stones here marking the graves of Donahoo family members, and a modern genealogist always has the graves of some of the more recent ancestors decorated.  An early stone for daughter Mary Ellen is pictured left, and the decorated stones for late 19th century ancestors are pictured right. 

At left, "J. & C. Donahoo" lost another child in 1853, son Thomas who was only nineteen days old.  At right, "Rebecca wife of Thomas M. Donahoo died May 14, 1871."  She was "33 y. 1 m. and 17 ds." old.

 

Other pioneer and settlers' families from Monroe Township are also represented by the stones above: left to right, Burton, Babbit, Coon, and Ring.

Two Civil War veterans from Monroe Township are also interred at the Donahoo, Joseph Bishop and James McKinney.

 

The stone for William Smith is beautifully preserved even to the small inscribed poem or Bible verse at the bottom.  These traditional additions were usually the first to disappear with the passage of time.  William died March 17, 1856, at fifty-seven years.

 

Two markers are missing their tops.  At far right, the marker for John Speece, 1809-1878, has lost its column, but at least the data has been retained.  However, the stone at near right, while at first glance looking well preserved, is missing the name.  This is all the more perplexing in that the top edge looks professionally cut and finished, not broken.

 

Like the stone statues on Easter Island, these sentinels calmly look out upon the bustling modern world.  The picture (2004) was taken looking west toward SR 9 and the businesses on the opposite side of the highway.

 

Looking east from SR 9, this is the view seen by motorists.

 

Names
ID Names Birth Date Death Date Cemetery
1667 ASHBY, MARGARET J. 90Y. AUG. 16, 1921 DONAHOO
1989 BABBIT, CLARENCE G. 1Y. 3M. 15D. JAN. 12, 1874 or 75 DONAHOO
4680 BING, DAVID WILSON 63Y. 9M. JUL. 17, 1878 DONAHOO
4782 BISHOP, JOSEPH CO C 35 IND INF   DONAHOO
6515 BREWER, LEVI JAN. 7, 1824 MAR. 12, 1903 DONAHOO
6523 BREWER, PHEBIA A. DEC. 20, 1826 AUG. 23, 1896 DONAHOO
8369 BURTON, CHARLES 1M. AUG. 12, 1865 DONAHOO
8377 BURTON, EDWARD   JUL. 12, 1863 or 65 DONAHOO
8383 BURTON, GEORGE 63Y. 25D. FEB. 18, 1873 OR 77 DONAHOO
8416 BURTON, VIOLET 71Y. 8M. 15D. AUG. 5, 1888 DONAHOO
8415 BURTON, VIOLET 71Y. 6M. 15D. MAY 5, 1899 DONAHOO
9525 CARROLL, NANCY 84Y. 1847 DONAHOO
12388 COON, CONRAD 68Y. JUL. 30, 1871 DONAHOO
12958 COX, AMANDA E. 1868 1920 DONAHOO
13149 COX, WILLIAM R. 1866 1932 DONAHOO
16591 DONAHOO, ALPHA A. 4Y. 6M. 8D. APR. 18, 1892 DONAHOO
16590 DONAHOO, ALPHA A. 4Y. AUG. 11 1892 DONAHOO
16592 DONAHOO, BEELE or BELLE 1867 1940 DONAHOO
16593 DONAHOO, JAMES A.   1887 DONAHOO
16594 DONAHOO, JANES A. 27Y. 1M. DEC. 6, 1881 or 84 DONAHOO
16595 DONAHOO, JOHN L. 1859 1933 DONAHOO
16597 DONAHOO, MARY ELLEN 9Y. AUG. 18, 1848 DONAHOO
16596 DONAHOO, MARY ELLEN 9M. 23D. NOV. 18, 1819 DONAHOO
16598 DONAHOO, PHEBE J. 1831 1913 DONAHOO
16599 DONAHOO, PHEBE J. AUG. 25, 1837 MAR. 3, 1918 DONAHOO
16600 DONAHOO, REBECCA 33Y. 1M. 17D. MAY 11, 1871 DONAHOO
16601 DONAHOO, T. L. 33Y. 1M. 5D. MAY 7, 1897 DONAHOO
16602 DONAHOO, THOMAS LEROY 33Y. 1M. 8D. MAR. 7, 1897 DONAHOO
16603 DONAHOO, THOMAS LEROY 19Y. or 19D. JAN. 20 or 26, 1853 DONAHOO
16606 DONAHOO, THOMAS M. MAY 11, 1833 DEC. 17, 1906 DONAHOO
16604 DONAHOO, THOMAS M. JUL. 24, 1834 APR. 25, 1908 DONAHOO
16605 DONAHOO, THOMAS M. 55Y. OCT. 3, 1846 DONAHOO
20363 FOLAND, ALBERT F. or DELBERT F AUG. 31, 1895 SEP. 18, 1905 DONAHOO
20378 FOLAND, BERTHA H.   1884 DONAHOO
20396 FOLAND, DORA F. 25Y. 10M. 4D. AUG. 16, 1896 or 98 DONAHOO
20405 FOLAND, EVA 1Y. 2M. 4D. SEP. 10, 1900 DONAHOO
20431 FOLAND, JACOB 1840 1903 DONAHOO
20434 FOLAND, JAMES W. 1865 1942 DONAHOO
20458 FOLAND, MARY E. 1814 OR 41 1912 DONAHOO
20470 FOLAND, ORPHA L. 1872 1912 DONAHOO
20525 FOLLAND, BERTHA H. 1Y. 9M. 9D. AUG. 9, 1894 DONAHOO
20526 FOLLAND, DELBERT F. AUG. 31, 1895 SEP. 18, 1905 DONAHOO
20527 FOLLAND, DORA 25Y. 10M. 4D. AUG. 16, 1898 DONAHOO
20528 FOLLE, GEORGE D. 1845 1883 DONAHOO
20529 FOLLE, JAMES M. MAR. 26, 1880 OCT. 3, 1905 DONAHOO
24231 GRIFFIN, ESABELLA 1846 1931 DONAHOO
24235 GRIFFIN, JACOB 1840 1882 DONAHOO
26760 HARTWELL, ANTHONY W. 1908   DONAHOO
26762 HARTWELL, EDITH 1909   DONAHOO
26763 HARTWELL, HELEN D. 1906 1907 DONAHOO
27703 HENDERSON, MARY J. 33Y. 6M. 19D. JAN. 1, 1863 DONAHOO
32559 JOHNS, ROBERT JUL. 24, 1834 APR. 25, 1908 DONAHOO
33472 JONES, ROBERT JUL. 24, 1834 APR. 1908 DONAHOO
36176 LAGLE, EMMA J. 59Y. 8M. 18D. DEC. 15, 1917 DONAHOO
37430 LEGG, ALMEDA L. 2Y. 11M. JAN. 1, 1875 DONAHOO
37711 LERC, ALMEDA L. 2Y. 11M. JAN. 1, 1875 DONAHOO
37716 LEROY, THOMAS   JAN. 26, 1853 DONAHOO
41937 MCKINLEY, JAMES     DONAHOO
41957 MCKINNEY, JAMES 15 IND LA   DONAHOO
45121 MULVANEY, JENNIE OCT. 17, 1864 MAR. 28, 1901 DONAHOO
46916 OLDHAM, RILEY T. 29 REG US CO K JAN. 15, 1905 DONAHOO
47374 OWENS, NANNY 1857 1909 DONAHOO
51991 RIDGE, CYNTHIA THEODOSIA 12Y. 1M. 4D. FEB. 19, 1876 or 73 DONAHOO
52264 RING, BESSIE E. JUN. 17, 1894 OR 14 SEP. 8, 1906 DONAHOO
52265 RING, CARL A.   1905 DONAHOO
52266 RING, CHESTER 1908 1909 DONAHOO
52269 RING, DAVID WILSON 68Y. 49D. JUL. 17, 1878 DONAHOO
52278 RING, JANES 12Y. 10M. 5D. SEP. 24, 1869 DONAHOO
52307 RING, W. A. S. 8Y. 6M. 28D. FEB. 21, 1875 DONAHOO
53647 RUNION, CHARLES 1M. AUG. 12, 1865 DONAHOO
54174 SAPPINGFIELD, BLUEFORD 1843 FEB. 14, 1862 DONAHOO
55176 SEEGE, JOHN 1809 1878 DONAHOO
55753 SHAW, JAMES E. JAN. 27, 1880 FEB. 1880 DONAHOO
55754 SHAW, JAMES H. APR. 9, 1844 JAN. 28, 1900 DONAHOO
57589 SMITH, BERT 1880 1916 DONAHOO
57815 SMITH, HANNAH A. JUN. 28, 1833 AUG. 24, 1894 OR 49 DONAHOO
57859 SMITH, ILISHA D. 1832 1920 DONAHOO
57866 SMITH, ISABEL 22Y. 8M. or 7M. 26D. SEP. 23, 1882 DONAHOO
58054 SMITH, MARY E. 19Y. 1M. 26D. or 28D MAY 18, 1875 DONAHOO
58230 SMITH, WILLIAM 57Y. 6M. 6D. or 3D. MAR. 17, 1856 DONAHOO
58789 SPEECE, JOHN 1809 1878 DONAHOO
62271 THOMAS, DANIEL A. AUG. 4, 1854 AUG. 27, 1909 DONAHOO
62432 THOMAS, SARAH A. NOV. 15, 1861 JAN. 4, 1911 DONAHOO
63033 TOLLE, GEORGE D. 1845 1883 DONAHOO
63036 TOLLE, JAMES M. MAR. 26, 1880 OCT. 23, 1905 DONAHOO
63037 TOLLE, JONAH P. 1872 1915 DONAHOO
63039 TOLLE, LOUISA 1849 1936 DONAHOO
65337 WALLACE, SIDNEY A. NOV. 3 or 20, 1890 AUG. 4, 1896 DONAHOO
66318 WEBBER, ELIZABETH J. NOV. 2, 1869 FEB. 28, 1907 DONAHOO