Exploring old cemeteries has been a favorite past time & hobby for me.
I recently came across an old newspaper article talking about one of my favorite small cemeteries in Baxter County, Arkansas, The Old Talburt/Casey Cemetery. As it was, at one time, neglected over the years, it has been recently groomed under the leadership of Captain Jeff Lewis of the Baxter County Sheriff's Office Inmate Restoration Program. Captain Lewis has also begun a blog on the old cemeteries he is working on. It is located at: http://baxtercountycemeteries.blogspot.com/. I urge you to visit this link & share it. Maybe, you could share this link & idea with you local sheriff's office.
The Old Talburt/Casey Cemetery is located at the corner of Cone & Crosswell in Mountain Home, Arkansas.
I also took a picture of the laminated place card placed by the wonderful team headed by retired Lt. Col. Lynn D. Baker. Lynn is the area coordinator for the Arkansas Gravestones Project. They have recently finished completing the project of photographing & documenting all 21,800 gravestones in Baxter County, Arkansas.Lynn will also be speaking at our upcoming Arkansas Genealogy Roadshow.
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| Click this link to see the Arkansas Gravestones Project. |
The Baxter Bulletin - April 4, 1974
Casey Cemetery holds history.
A segment of Mountain Home’s history almost obliterated by time is the old Casey (or Talburt) Cemetery, located in the east part of town adjacent to the Indian Creek subdivision.
The one-acre cemetery was once part of a farm whose owners included Dr. J. M. Casey, son-in-law of Major Jacob Wolf at Norfork and this area’s first white settler. The farm was purchased by Isaac Morris in 1919 and acquired by his son, Robin Morris, in 1934.
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| 1969 Newspaper Picture of the unattended cemetery. |
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| 2011 Picture after Captain Jeff Lewis' Inmate Team worked on the old Casey/Talburt Cemetery. Outstanding Work. |
Among the stones with still legible legends is a broken one marking the grave of William and Elizabeth Hancock. It is believed that they were the parents of Robert M. Hancock, Baxter County’s second clerk and recorder.
Among the older headstones is in memory of “Levisa, wife of Robert McCrary,” who was born March 1, 1801, and died Sept. 6, 1865.
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| 1969 Newspaper Picture of Levisa McCrary's Tombstone. |
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| 2011 Picture of Levisa McCrary's Tombstone. |
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| 1969 Newspaper Article Picture of Pulina H. Lyles' Tombstone. |
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| 2011 Picture of Pulina H. Lyles' Tombstone. |
Among the Talburts buried in the cemetery are Samuel T. Talburt, "Uncle" S. Walter Talburt, Fanney Talburt, Mary J. and W. B. Talburt, Jennie Talburt and Edward M. Talburt. (The stones reflect the spelling followed by various members of the family.)
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| 1969 Newspaper Picture of Samuel T. Talburt's Tombstone. |
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| 2011 Picture of Samuel T. Talburt's Tombstone. |
A twisted oak sapling bows over the resting place of William Conditt (Feb. 10, 1839-July 31, 1908) who fought with Tarall’s Battery in the Confederate Army.
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 William Conditt's Tombstone. |
Works Cited:
“Casey Cemetery Holds History.” The Baxter Bulletin 74.28 (4 Apr., 1974) B-1. Baxter County Microfilm Archive. Donald W. Reynolds Library, Mountain Home, AR. 15 June, 2011.
9 comments:
You always do a fantastic job with these. I wish I had some of your talent.
We just moved to the area in November of 2011. We were out riding our bikes this afternoon and found the cemetery. We walked around and marvelled at the history right here in our neighborhood! Thank you for what you have done here.
While walking my dogs yesterday, I came upon this cemetary. As I walked among the graves, the sunlight partially obscured by the big, beautiful trees, I was transported to another time by the history that surrounded me. Your web site is a wonderful tribute to people that should not be forgotten. Thank you
isounat1868My name is Carol Miiller, I live in Logansport, Indiana. This cemetery is part of my ancestery. Edward M. Talburt was my great-great grandfather. His daughter Virginia or Jennie is also buried there. She was my great grandmother Cora Edna Talburt Vickerys sister. She fell or was pushed down a flight of stairs in anger by her mother so I was told. The last time I was home the place was a jungle. I am so pleased with your hard work. The Vickery's are buried at Oak Grove where most of the rest of my family is. I hope it is in better repair also. Do you know if Oak Grove church is still there? Cora was baptised, married and funeral was in that little church. She sleeps just outside the window. Thanks again, Carol Miiller PS I also was born in Mt. Home in 1946
We just came back from visiting family in Mountain Home and came across the Talburt Cemetary. It is beautiful and full of history. We too live in Indiana (Bringhurst/Flora area) - small world isn't it :) I took many photos and my 10 year old daughter was simply amazed.
"Among the stones with still legible legends is a broken one marking the grave of William and Elizabeth Hancock. It is believed that they were the parents of Robert M. Hancock, Baxter County’s second clerk and recorder."
Yes! William A. and Elizabeth were the parents of Robert M. Hancock. They are ancestors of mine. I have been to the cemetery twice in the last 15 years and was never able to locate any headstones (I live in CA). If anyone has a photo, please, please, I would love to have a copy.
Is there any documentation as to the location of the grave sites? How can I get info?
Thank you,
Sherri Sayers sherrisayers@hotmail.com
Having done more research on my family history, I have discovered that "Levisa, wife of Robert McCrary" is the mother of Elizabeth Hancock and grandmother of R.M. Hancock. Both R.M. Hancock and his father, W.A. Hancock were Confederate Civil War Vets.
Continued research indicates that W.A. Hancock was a member of the soldiers known as the "Immortal 600". According to his Gratiot St. Prison interview he was born in Wilson County, TN and a resident of Marion County. He is 40 years old. His full name is William Andrew Hancock.
In 1861, he joined Shaver's regiment (Confederate)but resigned. He reenlisted January of 1863 in Newton's regiment Company F of the 8th Arkansas Calvary and was with that command until taken prisoner below Little Rock. He was captured October 28th, 1863 in Arkadelphia while on a detail to sell salt to the government. Subsequent military records read "On or about October 30th, 1863). He was sent to Gratiot Street Prison where he was interviewed and recommended for exchange on December 23, 1863. From there he was sent to Rock Island, Illinois, then to Ft. Delaware. In the summer of 1864, 600 Confederate officers were selected from among the POWs held at Fort Delaware to be sent south in an act of retaliation. They are known to history as the Immortal 600 and 1st Lieutenant William A. HANCOCK, Company F, Newton’s Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry was selected to be one of them. He was sent to Hilton Head, and was among the officers placed under fire on Morris Island near Charleston, South Carolina from September 7,1864 until October 20,1864. He was eventually sent to Fort Pulaski and then to Red River Landing in Pointe Coupee Parish. After 18 months of hardships and privations, was finally given an exchanged date of May 4, 1865.
William Andrew Hancock and his wife, Elizabeth (McCreary or McCrary) were both natives of Middle Tennessee, William was born in Wilson County in 1823/1824. They also lived in Bedford County, which became Coffee County, TN. After their marriage they moved to Gibson County, West Tennessee, and from there to Arkansas in 1861. They resided on a farm a little over a mile from Mountain Home. His marriage resulted in the birth of seven children: Robert Martin (also a CSA soldier), James Dawson, Margaret, William Nathan, Susan F., Martha, and Electa L. (born after his release as a POW in the Civil War). He died Dec 7, 1876 and was buried in Talburt Casey Cemetery.
In "The Immortal 600 A Story of Cruelty to Confederate Soldiers of War" by Major John Ogden Murray, he is identified as W.A. Hancock, Liet of Neat's Bty captured Arkadelphia, AR October 30, 1963, and resident of Marion County, AR.
In Mauriel Phillips Joslyn's work, "Immortal Captives" he is identified as William A. Hancock First Lieutenant Co F 8th AR Infantry Regt, captured Oct 30 1863. The term "Infantry" is an error; it should read Cavalry. (There are also no Hancocks listed as participants in the 8th AR Infantry).
Unfortunately, in the "Biographical Roster of the Immortal 600" by Mauriel Joslyn, the true W.A. Hancock of Mt. Home, Marion County (now Baxter County), buried in Talburt Cemetery was misidentified. The W.A. Hancock in this manuscript was born in Illinois, resided in Missouri during the Civil War, married Delilah and is buried in Yell County, AR. Although he was a confederate soldier and later a resident of AR, his military records he was not a member of the Immortal 600. His pension application and the National Park Soldier's Database show he served as a private in Co G of the 16th Missouri Infantry at the age of approximately 25. He was captured in May, 1865 below New Orleans and was paroled in June 1865. He did not become a resident of AR until after the Civil War. In the 1870 census, he is still living in Newton County, MO. The 1880 census of Magazine, Yell Co., AR is the first record of his residency in Arkansas and this was after the death of the actual Immortal 600 soldier, William Andrew Hancock, who at this time had already passed away.
Wow. I just bought a house on Cone St near the Cemetery. If I can be of help, let me know!
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