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Archiver > ILFRANKL > 2000-03 > 0952121106


From: "Mary Jean Rice" <>
Subject: Melvin Cemetery (Burying Grounds) 1.1 miles due west of Parrish on County Road 525N.
Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2000 16:05:06 -0600


Thanks to James Stephenson, I was able to finally find the Melvin
Burying Grouds (or Melvin Cemetery). James gave excellent directions
and my husband and I visited the Cemetery yesterday and had no
problems finding the cemetery at all. Just realized that it is fairly
close to the old Crawford Cemetery which we had visited last summer.
We were unable to find the infant half-brother of my husband at the
cemetery, but there were many graves with illegible stones or none at
all. Probably one of these is the final resting place of the infant.
We were hunting the grave or graves of two of the infants of Caramon
Lee Bell who married John A. Smothers in 1911. The first one was born
on 14th day of March 1912 and died the next day (premature birth) The
other infant was born between 1912 and 1920. She had 2 other sons by
John - Cecil and Muriel Smothers. Caramon's second marriage was to
Smith Rice, born in Logan, IL and son of John Albert Rice and Louella
Smothers.

At the Melvin Cemetery however, we did find two of the brothers of
Matilda C. (Susie) Kerley and Margaret Adeline Kerley. The girls were
sisters and were both gr gr grandmothers of my husband, Millard Smith
Rice). Matilda was married to Richard Henderson Smothers (parents of
Louella Smothers), and Margaret Adeline ws married to Charles A. Rice
(parents of John Albert Rice) Millard's grandmother, Louella
Smothers, was the daughter of Matilda and Richard Henderson (Henry).
King Kerley was the younger brother of the Kerley girls. King was
married to Sarah Crawford and was her first husband. Sarah's second
husband was John K. Polk Smothers (father of John A. Smothers) John
A. Smothers was the first husband of Caramon Lee Bell . Caramon's
second husband was Smith Rice, son of John Albert Rice and Louella
Smothers. They had 2 sons, George Willard Rice and Millard Smith
Rice). See why I am so interested in the Rices, Smothers, Kerley, and
now Melvins. Haven't got all that much info on the Melvins yet, but I
will!

I am posting here the names of the only tombstones still standing at
the cemetery with names on them. There are several really old stones
which are worn so badly that names are not legible at all. I'm sure
there are many other graves in this same location. Perhaps a
"witching branch" could be used??

Nancy KERLEY William KERLEY
b. March 27, 1843 Pvt CO F IL Inf Civil War
d. July 2, 1912 b. August 7, 1846 d. Jan.
21, 1904

(My note: This would be Nancy Melvin and William Stephen Kerley)


John W. MELVIN Druesilla SPAIN 1888-1975
Cpl. 31 Regt. IL Vols
Mexican and Civil War Frank SPAIN 1893-1968
b. April 21, 1826
d. March 7, 1862 SPAIN
Rosemary
Helen Jean
King KERLEY 1922-1947 1945-1945
Ovt, CO F
15 IL Cav Roy SPAIN Henry
"Buz" SPAIN
Civil War 1947-1982
1918-1983
1843-1963

(My note: William Stephen Kerley and King Kerley were both brothers
of Matilda C. "Susie" Kerley Smothers and Margaret Adeline Kerley
Rice, both gr gr grandmothers of my husband, Millard Smith Rice, son
of Smith Rice, son of John Albert Rice, son of Charles A. Rice.)

The following was found in the First 1000 Recorded Deaths in Frankliln
County, IL 1877-1915 .
291 Book 1 Page 23 Recorded Jan. 9, 1880.

Arnold MELVIN (infant) b. Franklin County, IL age 6 hours.
d. 8 Jan. 1809 at 1 p.m. in Franklin County, IL. Parents- James
Arnold MELVIN and Rebecca . Married 17 NOv. 1875. Baby died of
premature birth. Buried in Melvin's Burying Grounds 9 Jan. 1809 by
William Price. Physician H.P. Brown, Frankfort, IL.

I thought others might like to have this information since I have had
such a difficult time in locating the cemetery. None of the funeral
homes around had any idea where it was located. I really appreciate
James Stephenson sharing this information with me.

Mary Jean Neal Rice

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