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The Hedrick Cemetery |
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| Tuesday Nov 7 - One of the most exciting aspects of our trip, was 'going back to my roots' and having the pleasure of taking a trip to Salem, MO to find the cemeteries of my Hedrick ancestors. Not only did we find these fabulous old cemeteries, but we were also able to visit with some of my aunts that I hadn't seen in over 20 years. I can't begin to describe the wonderful sense of peace and emotion that I felt while walking among my ancestor’s final resting place. After having compiled our family tree this year, there was a huge sense of familiarity with all the names that we read, knowing the hardships that they all went through just to survive those difficult pioneer days. Many thanks to Ken Fiebelman, a wealth of information and local historian. Ken runs a fantastic antique store in Salem and is a Hedrick descendant himself. He supplied us with great directions, photographs of my Great-Great grandparents and their children, Ozark Heritage books and his own personal recollections. We visited The Williams Cemetery, The Boss Cemetery and The Hedrick Cemetery all along highway 32 between Salem and Bixby. The Hedrick Cemetery is the most difficult to get to and isn't visible from #32. There is no longer a Crooked Creek sign on #32 however, there are 2 yellow and black creek markers, of which Crooked Creek is the second. At this second yellow and black marker, turn left onto a gravel road marked Iron Co. #86 (there was a small green road sign when we visited...I hope it stays). Travel about 2.3 miles continually veering to the left whenever the road forks. You will eventually come to a dead-end on a property marked as 'Kates Place - Miss Ellie of Bixby'. The cemetery is on their property, however by law, they are required to grant access to family members. Since you have to leave your car parked here, it would be advisable to make your intentions known before you go trekking over her land. When we visited the lady at the house, she was guarded, yet friendly, and after a short question and answer period that established my right to be there, she gave us permission to visit and gave directions on how to get there. It is possible to continue on in a 4WD, if the owner permits it, if not, the next mile to the cemetery will have to be walked and this requires wading across a creek, since there is no bridge. The depth of the creek will depend on the season. When we crossed, it was about ankle deep and quite cold. After the creek, there is a steep climb until you get to the top of the bluff where there is a lake and a passage through the trees to the opening of the cemetery. The view is spectacular and certainly worth the trip. I have included headstone photos of my direct Hedrick ancestors on this page but only recorded the other stones in the cemetery on video. I will supply as much text transcript of the legible ones as is possible as well. This information and the pics are for public use, so feel free to copy them. If you need more information or have a comment, please use the guest book or email me. Marcus Hedrick & Helen James |
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Your tombstone stands among the rest; neglected and alone The name and date are chiseled out on polished, marbled stone It reaches out to all who care It is too late to mourn You did not know that I exist You died and I was born. Yet each of us are cells of you in flesh, in blood, in bone. Our blood contracts and beats a pulse entirely not our own. Dear Ancestor, the place you filled one hundred years ago Spreads out among the ones you left who would have loved you so. I wonder if you lived and loved, I wonder if you knew That someday I would find this spot, and come to visit you. Author -Unknown |
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John 'Spikey' Hedrick | Nancy Jane 'Jennie' (Turnbough) Hedrick |
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James Wesley Hedrick | Mary Jane (Day) Hedrick |
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The Williams Cemetery |
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| The Williams Cemetery is on highway #32 about 10 miles out of Salem going to towards Boss on the left. It's very easy to miss the driveway as it's only marked by a wire gate with a faded Williams Cemetery sign. We found the gate closed, but not locked..that's not to say that it might not be locked sometimes. We aren't sure who maintains the cemetery. It only houses a few Williams family graves and is quite small, set amongst some trees. |
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Rev. Roland C Williams | Pachence (Dill) Williams |
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Benjamin & Mahala Williams |
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William 'Ples' & 'Della' (Williams) Hedrick Front View | William 'Ples' & 'Della' (Williams) Hedrick Rear View |
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Freddie Allen Hedrick | Marcus Chester Hedrick |
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There are 5 plain headstones there marked with a cross (+) and the name Williams on them. They belong to the 5 infant children of Benjamin and Mahala Williams and were made and placed by Marcus Chester Hedrick, son of Ples Hedrick. Text marked with * is supplied by Ken Fiebelman, local historian in Salem, from his Ozark Heritage books. All other text is from the original headstone as photographed by us. * WILLIAMS, 5 Inf. ch. of Benjamin F. & Mahalia A. nee Ellis * WILLIAMS, REV. ROLAND C. ; b. c1820-24, Jackson Co. TN, s/o Emanuel & Tobitha; m. Pachence Dill, ch.: Benjamin F., ?Rebecca M. (m. Jasper N. Tucker of Reynolds Co., 1877 Dent Co. at Roland Williams home); Roland was one of first ministers, Osage Twn., settled on Barney Creek on old Iron Mt. Trail * WILLIAMS, PACHENCE w/o Rev. Roland C., nee Dill; b. 1820-26 - d. bef. 1900; mother of Nancy Jane Harris (m. Joseph Nelson) * WILLIAMS, BENJAMIN F. 1/10/1861 - 3/11/1929, s/o rev. Roland C. & Pachence; m. Mahalia A. Ellis, 12/23/1886, Short Bend, Dent Co. (by Rev. John Worsham), 12 ch.: Ora (Mrs. Joseph Martin), Della (Mrs. Ples Hedrick), Mrs. Albert Lawson, Margie Belle (m. Louis Lawson)----Frankclay, MO, Ada (m. Elner Davis), Mrs. Earl McGee (Viola Cross), Frank & 5 ch. d. inf.; residen on farm settled by his father; many of his family moved to Lead Belt * WILLIAMS, MAHALIA A. w/o B. F. 6/9/1867 TN - 4/16/1842, Frankclay, home of son Frank, d/o Dr. Jeremiah Stanton & Sarah Capps Ellis (bur. Ellis Cem.); to Dent Co. when small child; Christian since early life * HEDRICK, WILLIAM PLEASANT "PLES" 10/8/1889 near Bixby, Iron Co. - 3/19/1973, St. Louis, s/o James Wesley & Mary nee Day (bur. Hedrick Cem.); m. Della Williams, 2/6/1909, Dent Co. 11 ch.: Inf., Freddie A., Thelma (Mrs. Vernon Asbridge)---bur. IL, Jess E. (6/9/1917 - 2/22/1974 ,Benld City Cem. Benld IL), Leo, Wesley, Marcus, Mildred (Mrs. Vernon Roney), Mary (Mrs. William Maskell), Carmen (m. Joseph C. Utnage, m.--May), Earl (bur. Boss Cem. m. Irene Baker), Cletis (Mountain View); early life spent Bixby & Boss * HEDRICK, NORA IDELLA "DELLA" w/o Ples, 2/14/1891, Howes Mill - 7/6/1970, d/o Benjamin & Mahalia A. Williams; Christian * HEDRICK, FREDDIE ALLEN 5/29/1938 - 9/14/1938 s/o Ples & Della * NELSON, JOSEPH 12/24/1844 TN - 3/18/1939, home, boss, s/o Robert (d. TN) & Nancy Jane nee Pryor ( Iron Co.) m. Nancy Jane Harris, 5 ch.: Mincie (m. Jack Raper, m. John Hedrick, bur. Boss Cem.), John, W. F., Dolly J. (Mrs.William "Pony" Crocker), Mary E. (Mrs. J. F. Short) & Cora A. (Mrs Isaac Burger); step-father of Martha A. Harris Cunningham (b. 1867, bur. Boss Cem.); reard family on Barney Creek (known as Barney Joe Nelson); joined Christian Church, later joined Church of God Joseph Nelson Born Dec 24, 1844 Died Mar 18, 1939 * NELSON, NANCY JANE w/o Joseph 12/2/1840 - 2/27/1910, d/o Pachence Dill Williams & step-dau. of Rev. R. C. Williams Nancy Jane Wife of Joseph Nelson Born Dec 2, 1840 Died Feb 27, 1910 * CROCKER, NETTIE d/o Effie A. 8/24/1916 - 1/13/1920; Effie A. (Mrs. Louis Grosse, d. 6/12/1981 bur. Mt. Hope Cem., St. Louis, mother of Mary Hoepfner) Nettie Dau of Effie Crocker Born Aug 24, 1916 Died Jan 13, 1981 * CROCKER, NANCY DOLLY J. w/o Wm. T. "Pony" 8/14/1874 - 5/9/1900, nee Nelson, d/o Joseph & Nancy J.; mother of Effie A. (Mrs. Louis Grosse), Belle Dietrich Howell, Mattie Develey, Ollie, Maggie Miller Nancy D Wife of W Crocker Born Aug 14, 1874 Died May 9, 1900 * SHORT, MARY EVELINE 8/9/1871 - 3/11/1900, d/o Joseph & Nancy J. Nelson; m. James "Jim" Frank Short, 10/29/1891, Dent Co., ch.: Bertie (M rs. William Hicklin Hedrick), Elmer J. & Inf. son (bur. Short Cem., Crawford Co.); J. F. later m. Amanda J. Adams, d/o Mathew & Josephine Gallaher Adams, & reared another family, he is bur. Mountain View Mary E Wife of J F SHORT Born Aug 9, 1871 Died Mar 11, 1900 * BURGER, HARVEY ISAAC 3/27/1878, Dent Co. - 6/10/1938, home, St. Louis, s/o Isaac & Martha nee Watson (m. 1873, Dent Co.); m. Cora A. Nelson, 1902, 6 ch.: Martha Alice (Mrs. Herman Norris Sr.) Zora Belle Sullivan & Doris Delphia Dallmeyer (all bur. Cedar Grove Cem., Salem), Lester, Howard & Vada; m. Emma Hunter 1 dau. Margaret; bro. to: Ottie Goff (St. Louis); lived at Boss, last 25 yrs. St. Louis. * BURGER, CORA ALICE w/o Isaac 12/5/1885 - 2/27/1914, nee Nelson, d/o Joseph & Nancy J. * BURGER, LESTER s/o Isaac & Cora nee Nelson d. young * BURGER, HOWARD s/o Isaac & Cora nee Nelson d. young * BURGER, VADA d/o Isaac & Cora nee Nelson d. young * MARTIN, JOSEPH P. 6/11/1888 - 7/24/1966, s/o Robert & Polly Ann nee Williams (moved to Lead Belt); m. Ora a. Williams, ch.: Oggie Marie (m. Clifford Arisman, m. Elmo Price, bur. Tedder Cem. - Van Buren), Edna M. (m. Edward Tyree), bennie (dec.), Dorsey, & 2 Inf. girls; WW I, Mo. Pve. Co. 165 Depot Brig. * MARTIN, ORA ANNABELL w/o Joseph P. 4/4/1889 - 4/7/1968, nee Williams, d/o Benjamin F. & Mahalia A.; grew up on place where she is bur. * MARTIN, Inf. d/o Joe & Ora nee Williams * MARTIN, Inf. d/o Joe & Ora nee Williams * NELSON, JOHN W. F. s/o Joseph & Nancy J. 4/9/1876 - 6/21/1904 * TYREE, HENRY EDWARD 1907 - 1978; m. Edna M. Martin (b. 1911, d/o Joe & Ora Williams Martin) ch.: Edward Jr. * TYREE, EDWARD JR. 11/25/1928 - 9/2/1930, s/o Edward & Edna M. |
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