Facts and Findings |
If you know of any interesting facts about Jasper County
and its people, please let me
know. I'm especially interested
in finding buildings that are on the Historical Register, information
about the monument to the pilot on the Courthouse Lawn in Newton,
any veterans' monuments, etc. Your information will be added to
this list for others to see (and you'll be given credit, of
course!). For more information on the people listed below, why
not "Google" them? Some of them have very intriguing stories!
Born in Hunt, Jasper County,
Illinois, Ives sang folk songs from an early age, many of which he
learned from his pipe-smoking, tobacco-chewing grandmother. In 1930,
Ives dropped out of college and hitchhiked across the country learning
folk songs from miners, cowboys, hoboes, and evangelists. It's hard to
say which song or performance is the most memorable in the career of
Burl Ives. Broadway boasts of his role in the 1950s as Big Daddy in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Millions remember Ives from the 1962
television special, Rudolph the
Red-Nosed Reindeer, which still
runs every Christmas season. Children sang along with his records on
such classic tunes as, Holly
Jolly Christmas, and Little White Duck. On the big screen, Burl's performance in
The Big Country won him an
Academy Award for best supporting actor.
Burl Ives died of cancer on April 14, 1995. He was 85. He is buried
in Mound Cemetery, Hunt City, Jasper County, Illinois.
Irene Hunt,
(1907-2001) author of "Across
5 Aprils" (based on the life of a Jasper County family during the Civil
War).
Irene Hunt was born to Franklin P. and Sarah Land Hunt in Pontiac,
Illinois. Her family moved to Newton, Jasper County, Illinois when she
was young. Her father died when she was seven years old, and she moved
in with her grandparents. During this time, Ms. Hunt listened to her
grandfather’s stories of when he was a boy during the Civil War,
providing the background for what would be Hunt's first novel, Across Five Aprils. The
time between her father’s death and her graduation from the
University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana in 1939 were Hunt's "quiet
years." Though she had originally been interested in writing after
receiving her Master’s Degree from the University of Minnesota in 1946,
Hunt did not write any literature until she'd completed thirty-nine
years of teaching. She taught French and English in the Oak Park,
Illinois public schools for fifteen years, psychology at the University
of South Dakota for four years, and language arts in the Cicero public
school system.
Hunt wrote Across Five Aprils when she retired in 1964 at age 57. This book won seven major awards, including a Newbery Honor in 1965. Her second novel,, Up a Road Slowly, received the Newbery Medal in 1967, marking it the most distinguished children's book in America that year. In all, Ms. Hunt won sixteen awards for five of her seven novels.
Ms. Hunt died on May 18, 2001 at age
94
in Champaign, Illinois.
Interesting Fact (submitted by Lawrence Kestenbaum)
Did you know about the juxtaposition of Jasper and Newton that takes place in (I think) nine states. Either it's Jasper and Newton counties side-by-side, or a Jasper County with a Newton county seat, or a Newton County with Jasper as the county seat.
The "American Heritage" magazine had an article about this, probably about 25 years ago. Jasper and Newton were war heroes (Revolutionary War or War of 1812). A friend of mine reports that his Methodist-minister father has an expression of "like Jasper follows Newton".
Jasper County Civil War Units
During the Civil
War, Jasper County men served in the following units:
Name | Rank & Unit |
Cemetery |
Contact |
|
USA |
Abbot,
James P. |
Private,
Company F, 46th Illinois Infantry |
Abbott
Cemetery, Smallwood Township |
|
USA |
Aten,
John H. |
Private,
Company E, 97th Illinois Infantry |
Aten
Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township |
|
USA |
Andrews,
William |
Private,
Company E, 97th Illinois Infantry |
Andrews
Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township |
|
USA |
Bailey,
Jacob |
Private,
Company B, 155th Illinois Infantry |
Bailey
Cemetery, North Muddy Township |
|
USA |
Bailey,
John H. |
Private,
Company I, 5th Illinois Cavalty |
Bailey Cemetery, North Muddy Township | |
USA |
Bailey,
John L. |
Private,
38th Illinois Infantry |
Bailey
Family Cemetery, Hunt Township |
|
USA |
Banta,
William H. |
Private,
Company E, 97th Illinois Infantry |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
Billman,
John |
Unknown |
Aten
Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township |
|
USA | Bostick, James L. | Private, Company K, 32nd Illinois Infantry | Shiloh Cemetery, Willow Hill | |
USA | Bostick, John T. | Private, Company K, 38 Illinois Infantry | Eidson Cemetery | |
USA | Bostick, Richard | Company I, 98th Illilnois Infantry | Unknown | |
USA |
Brooks,
Nathan |
Private,
Company H, 38th Illinois Infantry |
Plainfield
Cemetery, Crooked Creen Township |
Julia
Allison |
USA |
Brooks,
Nelson |
Private,
Company H, 38th Illinois Infantry |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township |
Julia Allison |
USA |
Bower,
J. W. |
Private,
Company I, 12th Indiana Cavalry |
Bethel
Cemetery, Grandville Township |
|
USA |
Brothers,
Gustavius A. |
Private,
Company D, 42nd Ohio Infantry |
Riverside
Cemetery, Newton |
David
Phillips |
USA |
Brothers,
John M. |
Sergeant,
Company B, 28th IA Infantry, 42nd OH |
Bethel Cemetery, Fox Township | |
CSA |
Brown,
Henry |
Unknown* |
Trexler
Cemetery, North Muddy Township |
|
USA |
Brown,
Oliver Perry |
Captain,
39th Ohio Volunteer Infantry |
Shiloh
Cemetery, Hunt Township |
Charles
R. Jenkins |
USA |
Brown,
Robert H. |
Sergeant,
21th Indiana Battalion |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
Bryan,
Reuben |
Private,
Company I, 98th Illinois Infantry |
Bailey Cemetery, North Muddy Township | |
USA |
Chapman,
Isaac |
Private,
Company D, 97th Illinois Infantry |
Hunt
Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township |
Annette
Rockeman |
USA |
Chapman,
Thomas S. |
11th
Missouri Infantry |
Bethel Cemetery, Grandville Township | |
USA |
Carr, M.
H. |
Private,
111th Illinois Infantry |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
Carter,
Joseph |
Private,
Company D, 143rd Illinois Infantry |
Ward
Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township |
Mary Garrison |
USA |
Carter,
Solomon |
Private,
Company H, Regiment 38 Private, Company D, 143rd Illinois Infantry |
Ward
Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township |
Mary
Garrison |
USA |
Casey,
Mathew |
Private,
Company K, 32nd Illinois Infantry |
Roman
Catholic Cemetery, Ste. Marie |
|
USA |
Cheek,
George W. |
Private,
Company I, 98th Illinois Infantry |
Bethel Cemetery, Grandville Township | |
USA |
Cherry,
Jesse M. |
Private,
Company F, 146th Indiana Volunteers |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
Choate,
Henry |
Private,
Company G, 62nd Infantry |
Bailey Cemetery, North Muddy Township | |
USA |
Clark,
Austin |
Private,
Company E, 123rd Illinois Infantry |
Bethel Cemetery, Grandville Township | |
USA |
Clark,
Henry H. |
Private,
Company E, 123rd Illinois Infantry |
Bethel Cemetery, Grandville Township | |
USA |
Clark,
Josiah |
Private,
Company E, 123rd Illinois Infantry |
Bethel Cemetery, Grandville Township | |
USA | Clark, Noah S. | 2nd Lieutenant, Company G., 117th Infantry, Ohio | Trexler Cemetery | |
USA |
Clemons,
John T. |
Private,
Company E, 123rd Illinois Infantry |
Bethel Cemetery, Grandville Township | |
USA |
Combs,
Joseph |
Private,
Company E, 97th Illinois Infantry |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
Cowger,
John B. |
Corporal,
Company K, 21st Illinois Infantry |
Plainfield
Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township |
Julia Allison |
USA |
Cowger,
Milton Shiver |
Private,
Company K, 21st Illinois Infantry |
Songer
Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township |
Julia Allison |
USA |
Cramer,
Alvin I. |
Private,
Company K, 32nd Illinois Infantry |
Bethel Cemetery, Grandville Township | |
USA |
Cramer,
R. L. |
Private,
Company K, 32nd Illinois Infantry |
Bethel Cemetery, Grandville Township | |
USA |
Cummins,
John F. |
Sergeant,
Company E, 97th Illinois Infantry |
Plainfield
Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township |
Julia Allison |
CSA |
Cummins,
Robert Scott |
Corporal,
Company I, 19th Kentucky Mounted Infantry 5th (Hunt's) Kentucky Mounted Infantry |
Hunt
Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township |
|
USA |
Dare, C.
R. |
Private,
Company D, 98th Illinois Infantry |
Bethel Cemetery, Grandville Township | |
USA |
Davee,
Grant |
Private,
Company C, 2nd Illinois Cavalry |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
Davison,
John |
Private,
Company E, 97th Illinois Infantry |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
Dougherty,
William A. |
Private,
Company A, 20th Illinois Volunteer Infantry |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
Downey,
John F. |
Private,
130th Infantry |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
Edwards,
William D. |
Private,
Company K, 63rd Illinois Infantry |
Bethel Cemetery, Grandville Township | |
USA |
Ervin,
Andrew J. |
Private,
Hospital Steward, 155th Infantry |
Bailey Cemetery, North Muddy Township | |
CSA |
Eskridge,
William M. |
Corporal,
Company D, 27th Kentucky Infantry |
Bethel Cemetery, Grandville Township | |
USA | Evans,
William F.F. "Fletch" |
1st
Lieutenant, Company G, 38th Indiana Infantry |
Riverside
Cemetery, Newton |
|
USA |
Finney,
James K. |
Private,
Company E, 97th Illinois Infantry |
Backbone
Cemetery, Grandville Township |
|
USA |
Foreaker,
Kizzine |
Private,
Company B, 123rd Illinois Infantry |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
Gibson,
Lewis |
Private,
Company D, 59th Indiana Infantry |
Bailey Cemetery, North Muddy Township | |
USA |
Goodin,
Orville S. |
Private,
Company G, 21st Illinois Infantry |
Backbone
Cemetery, Grandville Township |
|
USA |
Hall, William Cyryus |
Corporal, Company G, 136th Illinois
Infantry |
Shiloh Cemetery, Willow Hill |
Violet
(Hall) Toler |
CSA |
Halley,
John
H. |
Colonel,
Missouri Infantry CS Staff as Recruiting Officer |
Riverside
or
Calvary Cemetery, Wade Township |
|
CSA |
Hambric,
James L. |
Private,
Company K, 60th Virginia Infantry 3rd Regiment, Wise Legion |
Riverside
Cemetery, Newton |
|
USA |
Hampsten,
Henry |
Private,
Company E, 62nd Illinosi Infantry |
Backbone Cemetery, Grandville Township | |
USA |
Harding,
George Columbus |
First
Lieutenant, Company E, 97th
Illinois Infantry |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township |
Will
Urban |
USA |
Harding,
John H. |
Corporal,
Company E, 97th Illinois Infantry |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
Harrell,
Joseph T. |
Private,
Company H, 38th Indiana Volunteers |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
Harrell,
Thomas H. |
Private,
Company I, 33rd Indiana Volunteers |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
Harris,
John |
Private,
Company I, 79th Illinois Infantry |
Backbone Cemetery, Grandville Township | |
USA |
Henderson,
Martin |
Unknown |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
Hickox,
Ezra A. |
Corporal,
Company G, 5th Illinois Cavalry Company D, 38th Illinois Infantry |
Backbone Cemetery, Grandville Township | |
USA |
Higgins,
Austin T. |
Company
B,
155th Illinois Infantry |
Todd
Cemetery, Willow Hill |
|
USA | Hile, Jacob F. | Private, Company C., 62nd Illinois Infantry | McFadden Cemetery, Granville Township | |
CSA |
Hilton,
G. W. |
Private,
Company K, 51st Virginia Infantry |
Brockville
Cemetery, Hunt Township |
|
CSA |
Hilton,
G. W. (also spelled Hylton) |
Private,
Company D, 10th Virginia Cavalry |
Brockville
Cemetery, Hunt Township |
|
USA |
Holsapple,
John W. |
Private,
Company I, 10th Indiana Cavalry |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
Holsapple,
William A. |
Company
I, 10th Indiana Cavalry |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA | Hunt, William T. | Corporal, Company H, 123rd Illinois Volunteers | Swick Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
CSA |
Johnson,
James T. |
Unknown* |
Trexler
Cemetery, North Muddy Township |
|
USA |
Kibler,
Isaac |
Corporal,
Company E, 97th Illinois Infantry |
Plainfield
Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township |
Marie
Miller |
USA |
Kilbourn,
James C. |
Private,
Company E, 97th Illinois Infantry |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
Kilbourn,
John H. |
Private,
Company E, 97th Illinois Infantry |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
CSA |
Knotts,
John K. |
Private, Company H, 13th Tennessee
Cavalry |
Mound
Cemetery, Hunt Township |
|
USA |
Lake,
Francis M. |
Private,
Company F, 59th Illinois Volunteer Infantry |
Backbone Cemetery, Grandville Township | |
CSA |
Lanter,
James
Lewis |
Private,
Company A, 37th Virginia Infantry |
Mound
Cemetery, Hunt Township |
John
Jeffers |
USA |
Lewis,
George W. |
Corporal,
Company K, 59th Illinois Infantry |
Trexler
Cemetery, North Muddy Township |
Linda
(Kralman) Lambert |
USA |
Lyda,
Michael |
Private,
Company D, 97th Illinois Infantry |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
Manifold,
Henry |
Unknown |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
Martin,
William R. |
Private,
Company B, 38th Illinois Infantry |
Vanderhoof
Cemetery, Newton |
Linda Gerus |
USA |
Mathews,
Lee |
Unknown |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
McCormick,
James |
Unknown |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
McCormick,
William A. |
Corporal,
Company D, 26th Indiana |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
McFadden,
James |
Private,
9th Indiana Cavalry |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
McKinley,
Lewis |
Private,
Company B, 155th Illinois Infantry |
Vanderhoof
Cemetery, Newton |
Sue Mendenhall |
USA | Mendenhall,
Benjamin C. |
Private,
Company E, 97th Illinois Infantry |
Songer
Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township |
Avice Woodard |
USA | Morey, Charles | Corporal, Company I, 98th IL Infantry | Bethel Graveyard | |
USA | Morey, George W. | Private, Company I, 98th Illinois Infantry | Bethel Graveyard | |
USA |
Murphy,
Cornelius |
Private,
18th Indiana |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
Nickerson,
W. H. |
Chaplain,
32nd Ohio Infantry |
Bethel
Cemetery, Fox Township |
|
USA |
Nickerson,
W. V. |
Sergeant,
Company E, 125th Ohio Infantry |
Bethel Cemetery, Fox Township | |
CSA |
Perkins,
Isaac (Note: Could also be Isaac "Pickens" |
Unknown |
McFadden
Cemetery, Yale (aka Mattison Cemetery) |
|
USA |
Powell,
Elijah |
Private,
98th Illinois Infantry |
Bailey Cemetery, North Muddy Township | |
USA |
Reisner, Elephos (Eliphas) |
Private,
Company K, 38th Illinois Infantry |
Aten
Cemetery, Hidalgo |
Julia Allison |
USA |
Rice,
Francis M. |
Corporal,
Company E, 97th Illinois Infantry |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
Robins,
Albert S. |
Private,
Company E, 154th Illinois Infantry |
Bethel Cemetery, Fox Township | |
USA |
Rodeffer,
William |
Private,
Company F, 46th Illinois Infantry |
Bethel Cemetery, Fox Township | |
USA |
Roney,
Samuel A. |
Private,
Company D, 79th Indiana Infantry |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek
Township |
|
USA | Shedelbaur/Shedelbower, Joseph | 38th Illinois Infantry | Ste. Marie | |
USA |
Smith,
Abraham |
Private,
Company B, 48th Reg. Illinois Infantry |
Bailey Cemetery, North Muddy Township | |
USA |
Smith,
J. W. |
Private,
Company H, 38th Illinois Infantry |
Aten
Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township |
|
USA |
Snedeker,
George |
Private,
Company G, 85th Indiana Volunteers |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
Southerland,
Henry |
Private,
Company E, 97th Illinois Infantry |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
Stewart,
William |
Private,
Company F, 46th Illinois Infantry |
Bethel Cemetery, Fox Township | |
USA |
Thompson,
Willis |
Private,
Company E, 26th Indiana Infantry |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
Torbutt,
James W. |
Private,
Company E, 37th & 97th Illinois Infantry |
Aten Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township | |
USA |
Turner,
Christopher "Price" |
Private,
Company D, 97th Illinois Infantry |
Cummins
Cemetery, Rose Hill |
Annette Rockeman |
USA |
Von
Ruedgisch, Otto (served twice) |
Private,
Company B, 155th Illinois Infantry Recruit, Company F, 11th Illinois Infantry |
Fairfield
Cemetery, Grove Township |
Jim Von Ruedgisch |
USA |
Ward,
Stephen |
Private,
Company E, 66th Regiment Illinois |
Songer
Cemetery, Crooked Creek Township |
Julia Allison |
USA |
Weaver,
Abraham |
Company
B, 155th Illinois Infantry |
Pleasant
Ridge Cemetery, Smallwood Township |
Lenette Johnston |
USA |
Wilson,
Joseph Allen |
Private,
Company D, 97th Illinois Infantry |
Riverside
Cemetery, Newton (Wade Township) |
Julia Allison |
USA |
Wright,
William W. |
Private,
Company D, 1st Org Cavalry |
Backbone Cemetery, Grandville Township |
Please, please, add to this list. If possible, include
the
location. As you can see, I don't have locations for several cemeteries
listed above.
JASPER COUNTY CEMETERY NAME CHANGES:
These Jasper County cemeteries are "lost" because the name change is not known. If you know of any of these, please let me know.