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Following the Platte Purchase in 1836 many pioneer families from Kentucky, Virginia, and other states, traveled to Buchanan County to start new lives. Some continued westward following the Oregon trail, while others purchased large tracts of farming land outside of the new town of St. Joseph. At this time it was quite common to be buried on family land, which has led to a surprising number of small family cemeteries throughout the county. Some of these burial grounds stayed very small, only serving the individual families, but others started to grow slightly, serving others in their small farming communities.Nestled into the bluffs, Kerlin Cemetery is located on land that belonged to the Kerlin family. There are burials dating back to the mid 1840’s. Oddly enough, there are no stones indicating that any members of the Kerlin family are buried in their namesake cemetery. Some of the earliest burials in Kerlin belong to the Gabbert family who came to this county in the early 1840’s from Virginia. It is located in the Bluffwoods Conservation Area, just south of Halls, MO.

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Nestled into the bluffs, Kerlin Cemetery is located on land that belonged to the Kerlin family. There are burials dating back to the mid 1840’s. Oddly enough, there are no stones indicating that any members of the Kerlin family are buried in their namesake cemetery. It is surrounded by the Bluffwoods Conservation Area.

Kerlin Cemetery

The St. Joseph Public Library Reference Department, in collaboration with the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau, present a tour of a small percentage of Buchanan County's cemeteries. 

Stories in Stone: Cemeteries of Buchanan County

Bowen Cemetery is a small pioneer cemetery with under 300 interments. The oldest monument in the cemetery is that of Johann Kessler, 2 year old son of Sebastian and Scholastika Kessler, who died in 1839. The land was donated by the Bowen family, and the cemetery served the surrounding German farming community. The cemetery is still active. A notable individual buried in the cemetery is Dr. John Hiram Wright (1821-1908). Dr. Wright traveled to the goldfields of California, treating fellow travelers for cholera. His group struck gold near Sacramento. After a couple years of travel, Wright returned to the area and continued to practice medicine for the community.

Bowen Cemetery is a small pioneer cemetery with under 300 interments. The oldest monument in the cemetery is that of Johann Kessler, 2 year old son of Sebastian and Scholastika Kessler, who died in 1839. The land was donated by the Bowen family, and the cemetery served the surrounding German farming community. The cemetery is still active.

Bowen Cemetery

Memorial Park is the largest cemetery in St. Joseph, covering 92 acres with over 30,000 interments. Memorial Park was opened in 1924 and was designed in the modern park style. The modern memorial park design style eliminates the use of vertical monuments, keeping all headstones flush to the ground giving it a feeling reminiscent of a well manicured lawn. This aesthetic of “refinement and uniformity” mirrors the midcentury shift towards suburbia. The cemetery was created by Cemeteries of America, Inc., which was a company specializing in park plan cemeteries across the country. Paul F. P. Mueller, a pioneer and authority in reinforced concrete construction, designed the mausoleum located at the cemetery. Mueller was best known for serving as site foreman for Frank Lloyd Wright on his work on the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. Three U. S. Congressmen are buried within the cemetery, Richard Duncan, David Hopkins, and Philip Welch. Another notable burial is that of radio and television pioneer Ralph Foster.

St. Joseph Memorial Park is an endowed care cemetery and the only cemetery in the area with a trust fund to adequately maintain the cemetery for perpetuity. No matter what your choice for a final resting place may be, Memorial Park provides the largest variety of options. Traditional ground burial, community or family mausoleums, private family estates, veterans section, upright marker section and our unique Whispering Pines Cremation Garden and indoor Reflections Cremation Area offer families the answers to their final wishes they seek. Memorial Park has burial and cremation options to fit every family in our community.

St. Joseph Memorial Park

Mount Auburn was established in 1903, though there are burials going back to the 1850’s. The cemetery was plotted and incorporated by prominent pioneers Napoleon and Isaac Miller. Originally the Miller family had a small family burial ground on their property located off of Lover’s Lane (the Miller house still stands at 3003 Ashland Avenue). Upon purchasing Mt. Auburn, Napoleon and Isaac moved their family members from the Miller cemetery on Lover’s Lane to Mt. Auburn in the 1920’s. Mt. Auburn is notable due to its exceptionally large number of veteran burials. In the late 1980’s, the cemetery opened a new section called the “Field of Honor” where veterans and their spouses could receive free burial lots. The cemetery received a lot of local attention when opening this new section; 200 concrete coffin vaults were stacked along the front lawn of the cemetery directly across from what is now Coleman Elementary.

For over 100 years, Mount Auburn Cemetery has provided families with a peaceful setting for their burial needs. With burial spaces to fit every family’s budget, Mount Auburn offer upright and flat marker sections for burial, as well as space for private family estates or mausoleums. The Veterans Field of Honor is special section reserved for veterans and their families.

Mount Auburn Cemetery

The Jewish community began in St. Joseph in the wake of the 1848 gold rush. Very quickly they established the Jewish Burial Society and opened Adath Joseph Cemetery. The cemetery predates Temple Adath Joseph by nearly a decade with the congregation beginning to hold services in 1856 in a hall on Felix Street. The congregation of Temple Adath Joseph were largely of German ethnicity. One of the early burials is that of Levi Rosenblatt who died in 1859 at the age of 31. Levi was the first leader of Rosenblatt’s Band which arrived in St. Joseph in 1854. Rosenblatt’s Band was the first brass and string band that had ever been seen in St. Joseph and were very popular for many years, often being referred to as one of the “finest musical organizations in the west.” Levi’s headstone is adorned with a Lyre, often representing heavenly music, and is undoubtedly a nod to his musical gifts.The Rosenblatt family lived in several homes in the 600 block of S. 10th Street. Others who lived on S. 10th Street and who are buried here include George Silberman and the Block Family. Those associated with the Felix Street Commercial Corridor whose graves can be found here are Aaron J. Strauss, Samuel Kahn, and William Lehman. Other notable burials include the Westheimer family who were important figures in the wholesale liquor business in St. Joseph. Several of their impressive homes are still standing including the Whiskey Mansion Inn at 1723 Francis

In 1848, St. Joseph began to grow rapidly as a jumping off point for those heading west to find gold and broader horizons. The influx of people created a diverse and rather cosmopolitan community in what had been little more than a backwater trading post. A relatively large community of Jewish immigrants from Germany arose. Before long they established the Jewish Burial Society which opened Adath Joseph Cemetery at 3155 Beck Road (the cemetery predated the synagogue by the same name). This cemetery served as the primary burial place for members of the German Jewish community of St. Joseph and so many of the most prosperous members of the St. Joseph Jewish community were buried here. It is currently the least used of the three Jewish cemeteries and is suffering from the effects of deferred maintenance.It is said that Adath Joseph cemetery is the oldest Jewish cemetery west of the Mississippi, with its first burial taking place in 1843. The cemetery served Temple Adath Joseph and the German Jewish population.

Adath Joseph Cemetery

Ashland Cemetery was originally 2 separate cemeteries; Oakland and Ashland. Oakland Cemetery was established in 1848 by the congregation of German Evangelical Zion church. Ashland Cemetery was established in 1869. At that time, both cemeteries were several miles outside of town, and what is now known as Ashland Avenue was known as Rochester Road. In 1913, due to their close proximity, the two cemeteries were merged.The burials within Ashland Cemetery are wildly diverse, which makes for a fascinating visit. Within what was originally Oakland Cemetery stand 2 stones that mark the graves of early members of St. Joseph’s once thriving Chinese population. The stones do not seem to have ever been translated. Throughout the Oakland section of the cemetery, many stones bear German inscriptions. Two Pony Express riders, Mich L. Whalen and John Philip Koerner, are buried within the cemetery, along with over 200 Civil War Union veterans. Another notable burial is that of Frank Grouard, an Army chief of scouts during the Indian Wars who was captured by the Sioux and knew Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull.

Ashland was originally 2 separate cemeteries; Oakland and Ashland. Oakland was established in 1848, and Ashland was established in 1870. The two were joined in 1913. Notable interments are those of 2 pony express riders, Michael Whalen and John Phillip Koerner.

Ashland Cemetery

In the Late 1880’s Jewish immigrants primarily from Russia began arriving in St. Joseph, fleeing waves of violent anti-Semitism that washed across Eastern Europe. This community quickly founded the conservative Jewish temple of Shaare Sholem. With this temple came the development of Shaare Sholem cemetery in the mid 1890’s. Despite humble beginnings as refugees, this community flourished within St. Joseph for many years, and this is evident when walking through the cemetery. While rather modest in design, the headstones are often impressively large. One will also see many familiar names associated with prominent businesses in town, such as Einbender or Leibowitz (which is still in business today.) Many of the individuals associated with the Felix Street Commercial Corridor and the 600 Block of S. 10th Street entries are buried at Shaare Sholem. Those who had businesses on Felix Street are Abe Leibowitz, Jacob Rositzky, Jacob Saferstein, Abraham and Sylvia Einbender, and Joseph and Lillian Optican. The neighbors on S. 10th Street who have graves here are Esther Kalis, the Dolginoff family, the Gordon family, the Borofsky family, and Harry Vegder.Others of note who are buried here include Rabbi N. Braude and Rabbi H.D. Borofsky.While both cemeteries are aesthetically quite different, one will notice several commonalities that are typically not seen outside of Jewish cemeteries. Many headstones will have small rocks or pebbles placed on top of them. This is a practice done to show respect, and to remind the dead that the living have not forgotten them. The other is the Cohanim or Kohanim hands. These hands are a symbol of the priestly tribe of Aaron, Moses’ brother, which is passed down from generation to generation. The Cohanim is depicted as two hands joined at the thumbs, and sometimes forefingers.

Shaare Sholem is a Jewish cemetery primarily serving the Jewish community of eastern european descent. The oldest burials date back to the late 1890’s.In the late 1880s St. Joseph had a large influx of Jewish immigrants from Russia who were fleeing the anti-Semitic violence that was washing across Eastern Europe at that time. This conservative community quickly founded Shaare Sholem temple, and in the 1890s they established the Shaare Sholem cemetery. In 1919, the congregation purchased an additional tract of land with plans to expand the size of the cemetery; however, neighboring residents objected to the expansion and the debate became quite heated. In 1949, architect Eugene Meier released the sketches for the chapel which was dedicated as the David Friedman Chapel in 1963. This community flourished and grew in St. Joseph for several decades and as one walks through the well-kept grounds you see many familiar names on the stones. Though most of the members of St. Joseph’s once large Jewish community have left the city, some come back in death and many are buried at Shaare Sholem.

Shaare Sholem Cemetery

Over the course of St. Joseph’s history, the Catholic community has been served by 2 cemeteries: Calvary and Mt. Olivet. Only Mt. Olivet is still in existence.In 1894 Bishop M. F. Burke of the St. Joseph diocese purchased land on Lover’s Lane for a new cemetery stating that “the location of Calvary has never been desirable.” The new Catholic cemetery was consecrated on May 30th, 1895 with Frank Browne, an early settler of St. Joseph, being the first interment. Many families began moving their loved ones from the old Calvary Cemetery to the newer, more desirable, Mt. Olivet. The most notable, and perhaps dramatic, reinterment was that of Joseph Robidoux and his family in 1908. Heavy rains first delayed progress, then the lack of headstones or records made it necessary to excavate the entire lot. After digging all day on August 13th, workers were left with more questions than answers. The metallic coffin that was described in accounts of Robidoux’s funeral in 1868 was not located. One grave was found to be empty, while another contained two skeletons. Two days later the St. Joseph News Press ran the article “Soon Will Have Body- Grave of Joseph Robidoux is Probably Found.” but heavy rains again halted progress. After exhuming everyone from Robidoux’s plot and failing to locate the metal casket, exhumations were extended to neighboring plots. By the 22nd all who had been exhumed in the search for Robidoux had been moved to Mt. Olivet, but the metal casket had still not been found. No further updates were given. The last burial took place at Calvary Cemetery in April of 1910, after which it fell into a state of utter neglect. Nearly 50 years later, Bishop John P. Cody of the Catholic diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph asked for Calvary Cemetery to be vacated fully. By 1963 the Calvary property was sold to the Steele Trucking Co. and all burials uncovered during the grading work were reburied in Mt. Olivet. The land was ultimately never developed and remains an empty field. Not suffering the same fate as Calvary, Mt. Olivet is still in active use and kept beautifully. Covering nearly 49 acres off of both the Parkway and Lover’s Lane, Mt. Olivet’s winding paved paths make for a wonderful afternoon walk. The gothic Horigan Memorial Chapel is particularly striking. Mt. Olivet is one of the few cemeteries in St. Joseph that has headstones with porcelain memorial portraits that became particularly popular in the 1920’s and 30’s.

Mt. Olivet was consecrated in 1895, becoming the more desirable Catholic cemetery over the original Calvary Cemetery. Mt. Olivet is one of the few cemeteries in St. Joseph that has headstones with porcelain memorial portraits that became particularly popular in the 1920’s and 30’s. Notable burials include Joseph Robidoux and his family. 

Mount Olivet Cemetery

While it is thought to have begun originally as a family burying ground, in July of 1857 the rather new city of St. Joseph purchased 20 acres of land about half a mile north of what is now Krug Park. Since that time, that land has been used as the city cemetery. Some time after this, the city entered an agreement with the county deeming the cemetery to become the burying ground for the local poor. Despite the primary function of the cemetery being a burial ground for the poor of St. Joseph, the city cemetery was also a community cemetery where anyone could be interred, as well as a place the victims of epidemics could be brought and safely buried. Very few headstones appear at this cemetery; it was customary for those buried there to have received wooden markers, but those do not tend to last and there are currently none remaining. A fire at the caretaker’s home in the early 1930’s destroyed all early records of interments within the cemetery. Due to the lack of headstones and early records, it is unknown exactly how many are buried in the cemetery. In 1959 the city cemetery was renamed Sunbridge, not to be confused with the Sunbridge Hills Conservation Area. A notable burial in Sunbridge is that of Lloyd Warner. Lloyd Warner was only 18 years old when he was horrifically murdered in St. Joseph’s only recorded lynching in 1933. He has no headstone, received no funeral, and is buried in the segregated section of the cemetery.

Used as the city cemetery since the town’s conception, Sunbridge was platted in 1897. Very few headstones appear. The city cemetery was run by the Welfare Board, and provided decent burial to the poor and indigent. Due to the lack of headstones and records, it is unknown how many are buried in Sunbridge.

St. Joseph City Cemetery/Sunbridge Cemetery

In 1837, 24 year old Logan Maxwell, his 19 year old wife Sarah, and their infant daughter traveled by wagon to an area 2 miles north of what is now Krug Park. The only other settler nearby was Joseph Robidoux at what was known as Blacksnake Landing, later St. Joseph. The Platte Purchase had only taken place the year prior, so the land had yet to be surveyed and there was no Land Office yet established. Logan claimed his land essentially using squatter’s rights, and soon built a log cabin that would stand until the late 1920’s. Logan’s brother, James, came the following year, and a third brother, Edward, followed shortly after. The Maxwell brothers claimed adjoining plots of land, and became the first in the area to grow tobacco. It is said that the brothers dried their tobacco in a shed owned by Robidoux, burying the money they earned selling it to an itinerant preacher passing through. Once the land office in Plattsburg opened in 1843 the Maxwell's were able to legally purchase their land.The cemetery has been used by the Maxwell family since the mid 1800’s, and is still in use today- the latest burial being in 2004. Over 80 members of the Maxwell family are buried there. One of the earliest burials in the cemetery is that of little Tobie Maxwell, infant son of Logan and Sarah. Edward S. Maxwell, another son of Logan and Sarah, was a member of the Paw Paw Militia during the civil war.The neighborhood that developed around the Maxwell's is now known as Maxwell Heights, and the family had a lasting effect on the community. Devout Presbyterians, the Maxwell's founded Oak Grove Presbyterian Church, which is now Maxwell Heights Presbyterian that stands on Maxwell Road across from the cemetery. Logan Maxwell also helped develop a school which was in use until it was replaced with Lindbergh Elementary.

Founded in the mid 1800’s, this cemetery served the pioneer Maxwell family. The Maxwell’s were original settlers of the St. Joseph area, arriving shortly after the Platte Purchase. The church, road, and cemetery are all named after this original family. The cemetery is still used by descendants of the family.

Maxwell Family Cemetery

Nestled in the Sunbridge Conservation Area off of Huntoon Road lies a small family cemetery commonly known as Felix’s Grave. It is not unusual, there are many family cemeteries scattered throughout Buchanan County, but this particular one has become the stuff of legend. From ax-murdering maniacs, witchcraft, devil worshiping cults, to hauntings; every urban legend that could be told, there is a version attached to this tiny cemetery. Unsurprisingly, absolutely none of it is true, though some of the Liligers did meet a tragic fate. The land where Sunbridge Conservation is now was once known as “Billy Goat Hill” and was the Liliger family farm. Joseph Liliger immigrated here in the mid 1840’s from Germany. Before acquiring his farm, Mr. Liliger earned a bit of a fortune conducting a Blacksmith shop on the corner of Main and Michel Streets. The first stroke of bad luck befell Joseph Liliger himself in 1904 when some masked acquaintances, hearing he may have a small fortune hidden away, beat him quite mercilessly. Ultimately, the robbers stole about $8 and left poor Joseph in rough shape. Five years later, in June of 1909, tragedy struck. Six year old Joseph Edward Liliger, grandson of the elder Joseph Liliger, fell into the south reservoir of the waterworks. His father James, who worked at the waterworks, jumped in despite not knowing how to swim, in an attempt to save the little boy. Another employee, John Lewis, also jumped into the reservoir in an attempt to save the boy and his father. Sadly, all three drowned. James and his boy are both buried in the Liliger family plot. No stone in the small graveyard bears the name Felix, thus the origin story of the Liliger plot becoming known as “Felix’s Grave” is a matter of speculation and local legend. It is said that there was a headstone with that name, but it was stolen sometime in the 1980’s.

Known as Felix’s Grave, more legend is attached to this cemetery than truth. The Liligers’ were farmers who owned the land near the old waterworks which is now the Sunbridge Conservation Area. James and his son Joseph both drowned in the waterworks in 1909 and are buried in the cemetery. 

Liliger Family Cemetery

St. Joseph began to be settled sometime before 1830 when fur trader Joseph Robidoux founded a trading post for the American Fur Company. He eventually bought the company's interest in the post in 1830. The location attracted him and other settlers because it was where Blacksnake Creek and Missouri River met. Robidoux filed a plat for the city in 1843 and the city quickly grew (the Platte Purchase of 1837, which opened up Northern Missouri to white settlement, facilitated this growth). When gold was found in California in 1848, St. Joseph became the starting point for the Oregon Trail.  As St. Joseph grew, the need for a local cemetery became apparent. Sadly, disease was prevalent and many people died even before starting off on their journeys west. Residents buried their loved ones on their own property or in cemeteries in other parts of the county. Finally, a civil engineer and businessman named Simeon Kemper bought land for the cemetery. Its naturalistic setting and design made it a popular burial place. It does not appear that it is open to more burials.Established in 1851 and redesigned by noted architect W. Angelo Powell in 1872, Mount Mora Cemetery spans twenty acres and is a beautiful example of the rural garden cemetery movement in landscape architecture. Mount Mora was the preferred burial place for the city’s elite who could afford to hire architects to design their grave markers. The cemetery possesses a significant collection of funerary art including elaborate headstones, as well as twenty-one mausoleums that house some of St. Joseph’s most influential citizens, lining what is known as “Mausoleum Row.”  Not only a final resting place for the city's elite, within the gates of Mount Mora is a significant cross section of St. Joseph history, including approximately 280 civil war veterans, three Missouri governors, Pony Express riders, writers, inventors, musicians, the first licensed embalmer/funeral director in the U.S., and many more. Though its architectural significance hinges on the monuments to the city’s elite, its history is enhanced by the life stories of all those who are buried there.

Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006, Mount Mora Cemetery is the oldest cemetery in St. Joseph, Missouri. It was established in the early 1850s to meet the needs of a growing town. People buried here include three Missouri governors, musicians, Civil War officers from both the Union and the Confederacy, Pony Express riders, and governors. Though it was primarily used by the rich, there is a variety of graves from mausoleums to simple headstones, showing the wide range of people interred in the cemetery. The mausoleums, of which there are 30, are particularly notable. Resembling small buildings, their ornate design reflects Egyptian and Classical architecture and the wealth of the those within them.  

Mount Mora Cemetery

Over the course of St. Joseph’s history, the Catholic community has been served by 2 cemeteries: Calvary and Mt. Olivet. Only Mt. Olivet is still in existence.Beginning in the mid 1850’s, Calvary Cemetery was the leading burial ground for the Catholics of St. Joseph, including town founder Joseph Robidoux and his family. Calvary quickly began to fill up and began to fall into a state of disrepair. By 1890, complaints were being made by community members on the lack of upkeep. One citizen wrote to the Catholic Tribune in the summer of 1891 “This graveyard is badly neglected. The grass and weeds in many places require cutting […] instead of walks, there is a few uneven paths; no taste displayed in any way […] The sexton is fully doing his duty, but one man cannot do much.” In 1894 Bishop M. F. Burke of the St. Joseph diocese purchased land on Lover’s Lane for a new cemetery stating that “the location of Calvary has never been desirable.” The new Catholic cemetery was consecrated on May 30th, 1895 with Frank Browne, an early settler of St. Joseph, being the first interment. Many families began moving their loved ones from the old Calvary Cemetery to the newer, more desirable, Mt. Olivet. The most notable, and perhaps dramatic, reinterment was that of Joseph Robidoux and his family in 1908. Heavy rains first delayed progress, then the lack of headstones or records made it necessary to excavate the entire lot. After digging all day on August 13th, workers were left with more questions than answers. The metallic coffin that was described in accounts of Robidoux’s funeral in 1868 was not located. One grave was found to be empty, while another contained two skeletons. Two days later the St. Joseph News Press ran the article “Soon Will Have Body- Grave of Joseph Robidoux is Probably Found.” but heavy rains again halted progress. After exhuming everyone from Robidoux’s plot and failing to locate the metal casket, exhumations were extended to neighboring plots. By the 22nd all who had been exhumed in the search for Robidoux had been moved to Mt. Olivet, but the metal casket had still not been found. No further updates were given. The last burial took place at Calvary Cemetery in April of 1910, after which it fell into a state of utter neglect. Nearly 50 years later, Bishop John P. Cody of the Catholic diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph asked for Calvary Cemetery to be vacated fully. By 1963 the Calvary property was sold to the Steele Trucking Co. and all burials uncovered during the grading work were reburied in Mt. Olivet. The land was ultimately never developed and remains an empty field.

Founded in the 1850’s Calvary was the leading burial ground for the Catholic community in St. Joseph for about 40 years. The last burial took place in 1910, and was badly neglected until the 1960’s. Founder Joseph Robidoux and his family were originally buried here. All interments were moved to Mt. Olivet.

Calvary Cemetery

Very little documentation regarding the history of Odd Fellows cemetery seems to remain, with only partial records having been found in an old chicken coop on the property in the mid 1990’s. The cemetery has been in operation since the early 1900’s, and is still in some use today. The land on which the Odd Fellows Cemetery resides was donated in the early 1900’s by Georgetown Lodge No 627 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, which is where it received its name. The cemetery served the south end, receiving a high number of the communities’ poor. While there are many traditional headstones located within the cemetery, one will notice that a substantial number of individuals’ graves are only marked by the small temporary metal markers provided by the funeral home. There are also quite a few homemade markers within the cemetery, often made of concrete. One of the earliest burials within Odd Fellows Cemetery is that of Nancy Elizabeth Strange. Her headstone is very simple, reading “Mother Strange 1838-1916”. No obituary ran in the paper following her passing and very little could be found on her life. It does appear that Mrs. Strange was married to Pleasant Strange, a section hand employed by the Burlington Railway. In 1903, Pleasant was struck and killed by a train on the railroad tracks in the Florence Addition of St. Joseph.

The land of the Odd Fellows Cemetery was donated by Georgetown Lodge No 627 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, which is where it received its name. The cemetery served the south end, receiving a high number of indigents and infants. The cemetery has been operating since the early 1900’s, and still is today.

Odd Fellows Cemetery

Located behind Sparta United Methodist church, the cemetery and church is all that remains of the small town of Sparta. Sparta had but a brief existence of six years beginning in 1840. Initially designated as the Buchanan County seat, after losing the seat to St. Joseph, the town simply disappeared overnight. Land owners in Sparta were compensated by the county to relocate when the town lost its designation. Sparta United Methodist Church was originally founded in 1845, with the current structure being built in 1889. The church was founded in part by Amanda and Bartlett Duncan, both buried in the cemetery. The Duncan family came to the county in 1845, making them some of the earliest settlers in the area. The Duncans were a rather prominent family in the area; one son, John, became a judge, and their grandson was Dr. John Lockwood. Amanda and Bartlett’s 11 year old daughter, Salina, is one of the earliest burials in the cemetery.

Located behind Sparta United Methodist church, the cemetery and church is all that remains of the former county seat, Sparta. The current church was built in 1889, though an older church predated it. The cemetery is quite small, with under 400 burials, dating back to the 1840’s. The original, slightly older Sparta cemetery is located across the road in the middle of a field. 

Old Sparta Cemetery

Following the Platte Purchase in 1836 many pioneer families from Kentucky, Virginia, and other states, traveled to Buchanan County to start new lives. Some continued westward following the Oregon trail, while others purchased large tracts of farming land outside of the new town of St. Joseph. At this time it was quite common to be buried on family land, which has led to a surprising number of small family cemeteries throughout the county. Some of these burial grounds stayed very small, only serving the individual families, but others started to grow slightly, serving others in their small farming communities.Turner Cemetery is located on land originally owned by the pioneer Turner family. The oldest headstone located in the cemetery is that of George Washington Turner, who died in 1860. Following George’s death, Mary Ann continued to raise their six children and run the farm, despite not knowing how to read or write. George, Mary Ann, and four of their children are buried in the cemetery. Since the mid 1800’s, Turner Cemetery continues serving the small farming community of Wallace.

Turner Cemetery is located on land originally owned by pioneers Sarah Jane and Mary Ann Turner. The oldest headstone located in the cemetery is that of George Washington Turner, who died in 1860. Since that time, Turner Cemetery has served the small farming community of Wallace.

Turner Cemetery

Located in the heart of the small town of De Kalb, Westlawn cemetery has continuously been the burial ground for the region of Bloomington Township for nearly 180 years. Among the earliest settlers of Buchanan County, and one of the very first in the area that would become De Kalb, was Hiram Roberts. Roberts came to the county from Kentucky in 1836, one year before the county was officially opened. When it came to the attention of the government that squatters such as Roberts had illegally moved onto the land, troops were sent from Fort Leavenworth to remove them. Due to the secluded location Hiram Roberts chose for his home, he was one of the only squatters to successfully evade capture. Hiram Roberts and his wife Rachel stayed in De Kalb for the next 45 years until their deaths in April of 1881. Despite being prominent members of the community, both Hiram and Rachel share a modest monument in Westlawn Cemetery. One of the most impressive monuments within the cemetery is that of William and Ellen Farris, prominent farmers in the late 1800’s. The monument consists of two pillars connected at the top by an arch, representing the bonds of matrimony, behind an elaborate wrought iron fence. (Due to the fragile nature of the monument, please take great care and refrain from touching.)Within the older section of the cemetery nearest to the school, there are also many beautiful examples of mid 19th century iconography and engraving:Rose- Purity, often on the graves of womenWeeping Willow- Grief and sorrow, one of the most popular motifs of the early 19th centuryDove- PurityClasped hands- matrimony or heavenly welcome/earthly farewell. Hand pointing up- the soul has risen to heaven

Located in the heart of DeKalb, Westlawn has been the burial ground for Bloomington Township for nearly 180 years. Notable burial is original buchanan county pioneer Hiram Roberts. Roberts came to the county in 1836 before the land was open to settlers, and had to evade capture by troops sent from Ft. Leavenworth to evict squatters.

Westlawn Cemetery

Cemetery is located at the intersection of MO Hwy 116 (State Hwy M) & MO Hwy 253 (Bisel Rd SW).

The owner of the cemetery is the Sugar Creek Christian Benevolent Burial Association.

The Sugar Creek Christian Church across the road from the cemetery has no affiliation with, nor has any information about, the cemetery.

Sugar Creek Cemetery

King Hill Cemetery is the largest cemetery serving the south end of St. Joseph with over 2,000 interments. King Hill contains burials dating back to the early 1840’s, and is still in use today. One of the earliest burials within the cemetery is that of John Davis, a Revolutionary War veteran who died in 1844. Davis enlisted in the spring of 1775 while residing in William County, Virginia and served as a private in the Virginia Continentals. Davis moved to Buchanan County in 1843 and died of old age shortly after arriving. King Hill Cemetery got its start like most of the cemeteries in the county did, as a small private family burial ground. In 1868 the King Hill Cemetery Association was formed and the land was held by 16 people, most of whom had ties to the earliest burials at the cemetery. This first association of the cemetery only covered about 4 acres, but over the years more land has been added and it now covers 24 acres of King Hill. The burials within King Hill Cemetery are just as diverse as the South Side has always been. The cemetery contains veterans from three centuries of American wars, relatives of Lewis and Clark, immigrants from all over the world, packing house laborers and business owners. King Hill also represents the most well documented Native American excavation site in the city of St. Joseph. Prehistoric tribes populated the area where St. Joseph now exists and by the time Joseph Robidoux settled in the area, the Ioway, Sac &amp; Fox, Kansa, Kickapoo, and many others utilized the area for trading, resulting in Robidoux’ prosperity and the growth of the region. The Platte Purchase removed these tribes to reservations across the Missouri River in the Kansas territory and the legends of their people became integrated into the American society which migrated to the northwest of the state.Robidoux told of the myths and legends of the various Native American burials grounds across the newly founded city, including a great battle which he alleged took place on King Hill. Local author, Mary Alicia Owen, perpetuated the legend of the Road to Paradise which deemed the area of St. Joseph a meeting ground where all Native American tribes would bring their elderly, sick, and dying to cross the “Sunbridge;” where the setting sun touched the Missouri River to the “Happy Hunting Ground” of the afterlife.These myths arose from the numerous burial mounds located throughout the city. As the city developed, more and more artifacts and remains were unearthed. King Hill is perhaps the most well documented archaeological site with digs occurring throughout the twentieth century. Items collected from dig sites across Buchanan County were donated to the St. Joseph Museums, Inc. as a repository of archaeological research. As the museum receives federal funding, it must comply with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act which requires consultation and repatriation of burial remains and associated funerary objects to their associated tribes. As such, these sites are protected to avoid further disruptions of burials.

King Hill Cemetery is the largest cemetery still serving the south end of St. Joseph. King Hill contains burials dating back to the early 1840’s, and is still in use today. Notable burials include Revolutionary War, Civil War, and War of 1812 veterans, and relatives of explorers Lewis and Clark. 

Stories in Stone: Cemeteries of Buchanan County

Kerlin Cemetery

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information