I received a call from one of my readers in regards to the cemeteries. Ed Bracco stated he and his wife live close to Rock Creek. They explored the old cemetery and found one marker somewhat visible. It had been broken and from a distance it looked as if it was a large boulder. So, I did some digging and found in the "History of Old Farmington" there were two of the older cemeteries listed.
One of the cemeteries was located on land that was owned by M.J. Drais on Little John Creek about a mile west of Farmington. The Old Immigrant Trail ran along John Creek and may have been a way to get to the cemetery. The fence around the cemetery was not kept up and soon disappeared; and when the land was leveled in later years, the graves were run over and stones knocked down and broken. Leland Drais thought this site should be kept so he planted a row of evergreen trees to protect the grave sites from being further destroyed. There were 15 grave markers. The oldest was a Mr. Staples, buried in 1857. The dates on other markers were 1861-1864-1869 and 1871. Two of them were the Harrold's children. (He was one of the large land owners in this area.)
The "Old Brooks Burying Ground" was located about three miles east of Farmington on the north shore of Rock Creek on grazing land which was originally owned by Tom J. Brooks. The book states there were 17 broken markers. The oldest marker was for David Glass, who died in December, 1852. There was also a beautiful stone erected by Farmington I.O.O.F. Lodge No. 296 for George Handley who died March 6, 1885. It had the Lodge emblems on it and it was too bad that it had been broken by cattle. Most of the stones dated 1865 to 1884.
In 1889 Nathaniel Harrold gave four acres of land for a cemetery located a quarter-mile south of Farmington near John Creek. The first person buried there was John Rogers who died in 1889. Some of the residents of Farmington moved their loved ones from other cemeteries to this new spot, so dates on stones go back further than 1889.
Subscriptions were taken to build a white picket fence around the cemetery. Soon the fence was completed at a cost of $450. It was known as Farmington Memorial Cemetery. The hard work of several Farmington residents had made it one of the nicest looking cemeteries around.
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Please contact me if you have items for the Farmington News column. E-mail me at farmingtonnews@gmail.com or phone 896-6697.
One of the cemeteries was located on land that was owned by M.J. Drais on Little John Creek about a mile west of Farmington. The Old Immigrant Trail ran along John Creek and may have been a way to get to the cemetery. The fence around the cemetery was not kept up and soon disappeared; and when the land was leveled in later years, the graves were run over and stones knocked down and broken. Leland Drais thought this site should be kept so he planted a row of evergreen trees to protect the grave sites from being further destroyed. There were 15 grave markers. The oldest was a Mr. Staples, buried in 1857. The dates on other markers were 1861-1864-1869 and 1871. Two of them were the Harrold's children. (He was one of the large land owners in this area.)
The "Old Brooks Burying Ground" was located about three miles east of Farmington on the north shore of Rock Creek on grazing land which was originally owned by Tom J. Brooks. The book states there were 17 broken markers. The oldest marker was for David Glass, who died in December, 1852. There was also a beautiful stone erected by Farmington I.O.O.F. Lodge No. 296 for George Handley who died March 6, 1885. It had the Lodge emblems on it and it was too bad that it had been broken by cattle. Most of the stones dated 1865 to 1884.
In 1889 Nathaniel Harrold gave four acres of land for a cemetery located a quarter-mile south of Farmington near John Creek. The first person buried there was John Rogers who died in 1889. Some of the residents of Farmington moved their loved ones from other cemeteries to this new spot, so dates on stones go back further than 1889.
Subscriptions were taken to build a white picket fence around the cemetery. Soon the fence was completed at a cost of $450. It was known as Farmington Memorial Cemetery. The hard work of several Farmington residents had made it one of the nicest looking cemeteries around.
*****
Please contact me if you have items for the Farmington News column. E-mail me at farmingtonnews@gmail.com or phone 896-6697.
