Interwoven Family: Richmond, MO Cemetery

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Richmond, MO Cemetery

Recently, my uncle Wesley George Vaughn and his wife went on a trip for their granddaughter's graduation (to AZ). On their way back, they stopped by the cemetery in Richmond, MO, where three children of Cornelius and Mary (Brewen) Vaughn are buried (Stella, Emily and Joseph Thomas) and the wife of Joseph Thomas and my great-great grandmother, Mary Louise Hand Vaughn. Here is what Uncle Wesley said about the visit:

I called ahead while on the road (Dave was driving). The Polley Funeral Home referred me to Powers Alder, who is a trustee of Richmond Cemetery, as his dad had been. From the appearance, they could use money to do more work. The grass was trimmed, but bushes and trees which have sprouted next to tombstones need to be rooted out. Mr. Alder said they are damaging the stones. He did mention that there is a cemetery fund.

The record he has is not complete. The records for the cemetery (plot-by-plot) were destroyed several years ago when a lawyer's office burned. But what he has is thanks to a few people who walked through writing down what they read. Mostly a good job, but somehow Lettie S. was copied down as "Hattie S." So it does pay to see for yourself.

Mr. Alder knew where the graves were. It was a challenge to find John & Eleanor's. Young trees (which looked like filbert/hazelnut) sprouting up covered the face of the tombstone. With Mr. Alder's approval, I bent them down and cut the shoots with my penknife. (Trivia: it is the one in the set your Dad gave me as a groomsman/usher's gift at your folks' wedding.)

The first pic I took was of Francis. I found it lying face down next to the pedestal. I righted it, brushed off what dirt I could, and propped it up against the pedestal. It has been broken off at the bottom. The stone for Emily was a bit wobbly.

On the web it said something about memorials for Joseph T. and M. Louise Vaughn. When I found their graves, I saw that someone had put new (how new?) granite stones at the base of the obelisks. I would have liked to have had the time to read the stones more completely and write it down. I did see that Stella was "Dau. of C & M Vaughn." That item was not part of the listing on the web. So know we know that she was Joseph T.'s sister.

Apparently Jno. (John) C. Vaughn is not Joseph George's "Uncle John." the former died in 1908, the latter in 1900. It does appear he may be related to Charles J. Vaughn, whose grave is not far away. I would like to know their relationship to the family.

On our way back to I-70, we went through Higginsville. According to the Obit for Cornelius & Mary Vaughn, their son Daniel B. Vaughn lived in Higginsvile at the time. My Dad (your g'pa) told me that his Uncle Dan (same person) met Herb and Elmer when he (Dad) was born and told them, "Tell your Ma she's had enough." (not an exact quote) So it seems that either Dad's Uncle Dan moved to Entiat in the meantime or was there for a visit, or maybe it was one of Uncle John's boys (but then he would have been Dad's cousin instead of a great uncle).

Mr. Alder also told me that the old Christian Church building has been torn down. It had sat vacant and fallen into disrepair. But the stained glass windows were saved. The congregation had merged with a Presbyterian congregation and moved to the edge of town. My guess is that this would be the Christian Union Church.

Pictures:

(Tombstone of Mary Louise Hand Vaughn. She was the wife of Joseph Thomas Vaughn and the daughter of George R. Hand)

(Tombstone of Joseph Thomas Vaughn. He was my great-great grandfather and the son of Cornelius Vaughn Jr. and Mary Bruen Vaughn. Their only child and son, Joseph George Vaughn was my great grandfather).