Minnear Cemetery is the final resting place of my great-great-great grandparents and I would love to visit their graves but have had no luck in determing the exact location of the cemetery.
Here is what I know:
1. I have a copy of the deed from 1874 that gives the location on the farms of W.L. Bird and W. H. Minnear (both of which don't exist today) and is listed as rods and feet. Here is a transcription of that deed.
This indenture witnesseth that William H. Minnear and Huldah J. Minnear his wife of Wabash County in the state of Indiana.
Convey and warrant to the Heir of John Minnear deed for burying ground for said family of Wabash County in the state of Indiana for the sum of as a donation to said family the receipt thereof is hereby acknowledged. The following real estate in Wabash County in the state of Indiana. Towit.
Commencing 41 rods & 5 feet east from the south west corner of south west quarter of the north east quarter of section 26 township (26) north of range 7 east and running due east on said line between W.L. Bird and W. H. Minnear 3 rods and 2 feet thence south 8 rods and 2 feet thence west 3 rods and 2 feet thence north 3 rods and 2 feet to the place of beginning.
In witness thereof the said William H. Minnear and Huldah J. Minnear his wife have hereunto set their hand and seal this eighth day of October 1874.
William J. Minnear
Huldah J. Minnear
State of Indiana
Wabash County ss:
Before me B.F. Lines a Justice of the Peace in and for said county. This 8th day of October 1874 came William H. Minnear and Huldah J. Minnear his wife and acknowledged the execution of the __________ deed.
Witness my hand and Justice seal
B. F. Lines
Justice of the Peace
Duly recorded this 5th day of Jan 1875 at 3 o’clock pm
James M. H_______
I also have a copy from Ancestry.com of the County Plat map of 1875.
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I can clearly see section 26 and even see where W.L. Bird's farm is located.
My madness is this - how do I use this information to determine where the cemetery is located today?
Any suggestions or help is greatly appreciated!
Contact the history club maybe they can give you an exact location:
ReplyDeleteThe information was recorded from existing stones in 1981 by members of the Wabash Middle School History Club.
http://www.ingenweb.org/inwabash/cem/minnear.html
I would go to the court and give them the description. You have everything you need in the plat description to translate this to the current survey. You may wish to to verify every 20-30 years to see if the survey has changed, but it should be accurate, as even with a new survey, the plat map should still be the same. If the cemetery has been moved, you can ask the city who would be responsible. Sometimes it is a historical society who has the information, or the Parks and Recs (if a city managed cemetery).
ReplyDeleteThis info is there for you. Also make sure the local society has not researched or the DAR (or such) society has not already researched.
Good luck, Kathleen, a3Genealogy
Kathleen/Kathleen:
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for all of your suggestions! I ended up calling the Wabash County Tax Assessor who directed me to the Liberty Township Trustee who gave me not only the location of the cemetery but the name and telephone number of the family who lives there now! I spoke with them this evening and am going to visit the cemetery on Sunday! Thank you both again!
Lisa