Booth Cemetery
SW corner of the NE 1/4 Section 36, Town 4N, Range 9EMadison Township, Jefferson County, Indiana.
By Ruth Hoggatt
© Feb 14, 2001 & Sep 14, 2002
The Booth Cemetery is located on the east side of Grange Hall Road, about a half mile south of Interstate Block Road. A path leads back into the woods approximately 195' where the cemetery is located on the south (right) side.
On Aug. 14, 1837, Israel & Harriet Jack conveyed a parcel of land for $12, in the West lot of the SE ¼ of Section 36, T4N, R9E, on the Brownstown Road from Madison [now Grange Hall Road] to Jonathan Brody, William Bouldin, Charles Jacobs, David Washington & Jonathan R. Thurman, Trustees of the Graysville Meeting House of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The property dimensions were 33' north & south, and 330' east & west. The trustees were instructed to erect a house or place of worship for the use of the members of the Methodist E. Church. It is not known whether or not a church was built on this lot, as no evidence remains. However, nineteen years later, on Jun. 7, 1856, Harriet Jack, for $2.50, conveyed an additional acre adjoining the north side of the above property, to William Kersey, Nelson Ellington & John Beatie, trustees. The property was located in the SW corner of the NE ¼ of Section 36, T4N, R9E. The dimensions were 132' north & south, and 330' east & west. The trustees were to erect a house or place of worship for the use of the members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
The GPS reading from the center of the cemetery is 85° 28.181' longitude, and 38° 44.745' latitude. The dimensions of the cemetery are approximately 105' north and south, and 117' east and west; and, sets back approximately 195' from the road.
Peter Booth was a preacher in the Graysville community. On Jun. 19, 1855, Edgar and Lydia Ann Knowles sold to Peter Booth 40 acres in the North ½ of the West ½ of the NE ¼ of Section 36, T4, R9E; and 2 acres in the SW corner of the SE ¼ of the NE ¼. On the 1876 plat map, it shows that Peter Booth also owned land which stretched along what is now the Grange Hall Road. Further research is needed to learn when the A.M.E. Church sold their property, and when the Booth family purchased the section of land where the cemetery is located.
The two Civil War veterans who are buried here served in the United States Colored Troops. The 28th U.S.C.T. was organized at Indianapolis Dec. 24, 1863 - Mar. 31, 1864; and, mustered out in Texas, on Nov. 8, 1865. The 117th U.S.C.T. was organized at Covington, Kentucky Jul. 18 to Sep. 27, 1864. The 117th served at Camp Nelson, Ky until October, 1864. According to the Camp Nelson Restoration and Preservaton Foundation, Camp Nelson was a Union quartermaster and commissary depot, recruitment center, and hospital facility located in Jessamine County, Kentucky. "Many of the black recruits, who were emancipated upon enlistment, brought their families with them to Camp Nelson in the hope that they would also be freed or at least escape slavery." Both of these brave men were in siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond, and the occupation of Richmond, as well as several skirmishes. The 117th mustered out at Texas Aug. 10, 1867.
Source used for locating the 1837 (Deed book N: 517) and 1856 (Deed book 13: 285) deeds: Bob Scott's records.
Forcen, J.R., Co. D., 28th U.S.C.T. [Another view of stone] [John R. Forson is listed in the "Register of Negroes & Mulattoes." He was born on Nov. 3, 1826, in Bourbon Co., KY; in 1853, he lived near Hanover, IN.] Vincent, Henry, Co. G, 117th U.S.C.T. Vincent, Susan, Died Dec 5, 1921, Aged 123 yrs There are many unknown burials: Broken off stone, with top missing. Credit to the stone carver: A. Pool & Son, Lou., KY Foot stone - P. B. [Perhaps Peter Booth.] [Proximity of broken stone and P.B. foot stone to one another.] Field stone - F. A. Approx. 7 field stones [No visible inscriptions.] Approx. 56 burials indicated by ground depressions, mostly found in rows.
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