Tales The Tombstone Tell Columns
from the Republican Observer
Written by S. W. Fogo
Page 151

March 20, 1858. His wife was born in 1803 and died in 1893.  There are markers on the lot for a son William, born in 1841 And died in 1886, and one for another son, M. E., born in 1834 and died in Minneapolis in 1898.
 There are a number of the Post family here. Joseph H., born in 1821 in the state of New York, came to Sextonville in 1850 and died in 1870. An I.O.O.F. emblem is on his tombstone. His wife was Mary De Voe. Joseph, with his family, came to Milwaukee in 1849, making the entire journey by team and then drove to near Sextonville where he settled. Two of his sons Luther W. and James are buried in the cemetery. Luther W. was the oldest of the children when his parents died and he took charge
of the household and cared for the younger members of the family.
 Guy Welton, for many, many years the town clerk of Orion, is here. He was born in 1891 and died in 1952.
 The DeVoe family came to Richland county from New York in 1850. Charles DeVoe, the pioneer, was born in 1801 in the Mohawk valley as was his wife, Catherine. Mr. DeVoe was a blacksmith by trade and had a coal pit.
 His house was said to be the first in the village and he was one of the first blacksmiths in the county. He followed his chosen profession until 1875 when he retired. He died at Sextonville in 1882 at the age of 81 years, eight months and three days. His wife died March 2, 1879 at the age of 80.
 On the monument are these lines:
   "Eighty full years of duty well done,
    Of life's cherished friendship
    It's shadows and fears,
    Of its joys and its sweetness
    The suffering and tears
    But now there is rest on the dear Lord's breast,
    And the rapture of Heaven's begun."

 Edwin DeVoe, a son of Charles and Catherine DeVoe, is here. He died in February, 1895, at the age of 73. A line on his marker reads: "At rest beyond the river."
 Charles G. DeVoe, another son, was born in New York in 1835 and came to Sextonville in 1850 where he died in 1905. His wife was Isabella Telfair, who was born in 1836 and their marriage took place in 1858. She died in 1921. Another member of the family was Cordelia, who was born in New York in 1832 and in 1848 married A. H. Bush. They came to Wisconsin the following year. She died at Blooming Grove, Oregon, in 1904 and was buried at Naponee, Nebraska. Irene DeVoe has a monument here even though she was buried at Turin, New York; her death taking place in 1835 when she was six years old. There are other members of the DeVoe family here. Helen, was married to Charles Thomas. She was born in 1841 and died in 1920. Mr. Thomas was born in 1835 and died in 1916. Andrew J. DeVoe, another of the clan, was born in 1837 and came to Sextonville in 1850. He was married to Oliva Bangham at Richland City in 1865 and died in Richland Center January 8, 1910. Mrs. DeVoe was a native of Michigan and came to Richland City when she was four years old. Her father was the first postmaster of Richland City. Mr. and Mrs. Andrew DeVoe were the parents of seven children, four of whom became well known in Richland Center, Fred, Charles B., Alice, who married E. H. Edwards, and Maude. Fred and Maude are buried on the lot with their parents.

PART TWO
 The first death to take place in the town of Buena Vista was that of Philip H. Miller who passed away, November 19, 1846, at the age of 27. He was a son of Isaac and Elizabeth McCloud Miller and he died of a fever induced by exposure while hunting. He was buried near his home but the body was afterwards removed to the Sextonville cemetery. The second death was that of Mrs. Sarah Janney, a sister of Philip Miller. She died March 21, 1847, at the age of 21. She was the wife of Phineas Janney, who came here in 1846. Elizabeth Boswell McCloud, born November 17, 1775, is here buried. Jacob Krouskop, born in 1800, has a tall monument 

Page 152

on his grave. He died in 1878 and his wife, Elizabeth, born in 1802 and died in 1884, is also on the lot. They were the parents of A. H. Krouskop, long identified with the business life of Richland Center and Richland county. A daughter, Cynthia, died April 18, 1855, at the age of 11 years.

 The McCloud brothers, Robert and William, came from Ohio in 1845, located at Muscoda and then came to Buena Vista in 1846. Mrs. Elizabeth McCloud, born in 1775, was the mother of Robert and William, a fine lady with an excellent memory. Her death took place at the James D. Keys home in Buena Vista. All these people, the Janneys, Krouskops, Keys and Millers were related through the McClouds. James D. Keys at whose home Mrs. Elizabeth McCloud died, was married in Ohio to Marie B. Miller, a daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth McCloud. Mr. and Mrs. James D. Keys were the parents of J. M. Keys, long identified with Richland Center. J. D. Keys was born in 1825 and died in 1901. His wife was born in 1821 and passed on in 1906. Three of their children also have markers in the Sextonville cemetery.

 James Banks, born in 1812, is here. He was 47 years of age when he died in 1859. He was a native of England and came to the Sextonville area in 1849, settling on section 31, Ithaca township. He came back to Sextonville in 1855 and opened a hotel. He also carried mail.
 Jacob Esselstyne came to Sextonville in 1849 from Ft. Atkinson, having been employed by E. M. Sexton to build him a house. He liked the new country and took up his home here. He was born in 1806 and died in 1880. His wife Sarah, was also born in 1806 and she also died in 1880.
 George Miller, one time sheriff of the county, is buried here. He died in 1938.

 Rev. J. H. McManus, born in 1853, is in this cemetery. He was retired as a pastor for some time before his death which took place in 1930. His wife, Priscilla, died the same year.

 Among the soldier dead to be buried here are James Nolan and his son, Burns. James was a veteran of the Civil War and was a member of the 19th regiment, was a prisoner for a time in a rebel stronghold and discharged in 1865. James was born in 1846 and died in 1915. Burns, the son, was born in 1890. He was a World War I veteran, reaching the rank of lst Lieutenant. He served as county superintendent of schools following the war and met his death in an auto accident July 28, 1932.  Woven into the history of the Sextonville cemetery is the life throb of the nation and the soldiers, sailors and marines who took part in the fierce and bloody wars. Many a "Boy in Blue" found the end of life's journey here. World Wars soldiers are also here in the quiet confines of this sacred spot.
 There was one brave lad, who has a monument here, that never came back home, but his memory is kept alive by the tombstone erected by his parent.
     It reads:
    "Morris Sexton
    Co. B, 20 Regt. Wis. Vol.
    Who fell at the battle of
       Prairie Grove, Ark.
         December 7, 1862
      Aged 22 Years
         A Brave and Gallant Soldier
    And a True Patriot."

 Morris Sexton was a son of Mr. and Mrs. E. M. Sexton and his death upon a southern battlefield was greatly mourned by them. Morris Sexton gave Richland Center as his residence when he enlisted on June 14, 1862. He was named lst Sergeant; Brevet Captain on December 7th, and was killed in action on the same date at Prairie Grove.    


   
Page 153

 There were several others from Richland county who met death in the same battle or died later at Fayetteville, Ark., from wounds received in the same battle. Byron W. Telfair, Richland Center, was a captain of this regiment at the battle. Other Richland county, Boys in Blue to meet death in this bloody fray or died of wounds received were: S. F. Curtis of West Lima; Henry Fazel, Sylvan; Samuel Marsh, Richland Center; Nathaniel S. Standish, Eagle; William A. Yakeley, West Lima.

 Roland Bush, a native of Massachusetts, was born March 12, 1793. He served in the War of 1812 and came to Richland county in 1850 where he died March 23, 1886. His wife Harriet, was born in 1796, coming to Wisconsin with her family in 1850. She passed on January 15, 1885.

 According to the records of the cemetery the following Civil War veterans are buried here. S. C. Barnett, R. D. Gibbons, C. Hoke, E. M. Sexton, Morris Sexton, B. W. Telfair, Reisen Dye, Wm. Knapp, D. Nichols, Eph Dockerty.
  J. Knapp, Thomas R. Jones, John Kuykendall, Wm. Clinton, Cornelius Lee, Albert Lee, W. A. Cooper, F. Hapgood, G. F. Jones, A. N. Bush, D. Titsworth, G. M. Hoke, Jerry Crapser, Lewis Sippy.
 Albert Brewer, John Carter, Jas. Nolan, Graves Dudley, Thomas McCarthy, Francis Harris, David Henry, Amasa Towers, Ed Bristol, Obe Driscoll, H. H. Brittian.
 Spanish-American War- Eugene Dye.
 World War I - Burns Nolan, Harold Putz, James Maly, Newton Finger.
 World War II - Lisle Hole, Marshall Tanner. Lisle Hole died in the service of his country in 1944.
 This list, cemetery officials tell us, is subject to correction and efforts are to be made to get it corrected if any errors are found.

 Walter T. Case, born in 1838, and died in 1917, is buried here. On the gravestone are the names of his three wives, Frances. 1839-1867; Mary, 1838-1867, and Mary P. 1850-1920.
 Wilhelm Schuerman, a native of Germany, was born in 1825 and died in 1902. His wife, Carolina, also a native of Germany, was born in 1822 and died in 1905. Mr. Schuerman was one of the pioneers of the county, coming here in 1850, settling on Ash Creek, later moving to section 36 in the town of Richland where he engaged in dairying, keeping about 60 cows. He manufactured creamery butter and Sap Sago. Mr. Schuerman also owned an interest in the Sextonville Mills. Their oldest son, Henry, was killed in the mills when he was about 25 years of age. It was a tragic accident.

 There is a marker here for A. J. Powers who was born on Christmas Day, l827; his wife Caroline was born in 1829. Two former officers of Richland county are buried here. Fred D. Reed, clerk of the courts, and W. A. Lawton, county clerk, not far apart. Mr. Reed was born in 1863 and died in 1923 while in office. His wife Kitty, born in 1870, died in 1920. Mr. Lawton was born in 1858 and died in 1926. His wife Lizzie, is by his side. She was born in 1858 and passed on in 1911.
 "Rebecca Cook, daughter of Rev. C. and M. Cook, died 1861" it says upon a marker. Upon another close by is engraved: "Theressa Shepard, wife of Rev. D. L. Hubbard, born March 8, 1831, married October 7, 1849, and died July 3, 1876."
 Frederick Bush, who was born in 1802, is here, his death taking place in 1861. Olive Bush Bailey, born in 1788, and died in 1862.
 Polly Gilmore was 79 years of age when she passed on November 7, 1874. This would bring her birth date in 1795. It is carved upon her tombstone "An Unblemished Christian for 51 Years."
 Prominent in the early life of the Sextonville area were members of the Irish families. Luther Irish, a member, opened the first permanent store in Sextonville, in 1851. He closed his store in 1856 with the intention of building a larger one. He went on a visit to LaCrosse Valley where he died at the age of 27. It is said that the new 


Page 154

bell in the Methodist church first tolled for his funeral. Luther M. Irish, another of the clan, was born at Sextonville in 1856 and died at  Springfield, Mo., in 1890. Markers are here for Martha, M., wife of W. R. Irish, who died at Hammond, Wisconsin, in 1881, at the age of 41. One for Edna Irish who died in 1876 at the age of 76 years, and one for David Irish who died February 7, 1857, at the age of 56.

 Cornelius Lee has a flag upon his grave. He may have been a soldier in the War of 1812 as he was born in 1796 and would have been 18 years of age at that time. His wife Huldah, lived to a ripe age, being 91 years, one month and 10 days of age when she passed on in 1891, Mr. Lee is listed as a Civil War veteran; if he was he was nearing his 70th birthday, hardly possible.
 Charles Thomas, born in 1835, was one of the early settlers. He opened a store in Sextonville in 1855. A son, Berlie, died in 1860 at the age of two and his wife Helen DeVoe, died in 1920. A son Will C. died in 1933, and Timmie Atwood, Will's wife, died in 1937. Charles passed on in 1916.
 Isaac M. Clary and his wife Barbara are here. He was born in 1849 and died in 1932. His wife died in 1895 at the age of 46. On her marker it says: "As a wife, devoted, as a mother affectionate; as a friend ever kind and true."
 Rev. R. J. Peeples and his wife Adelia, are in this cemetery. He was born in 1850 and she also in 1850. He died in 1903 and his wife in 1935. On the tombstone for Rev. Peeples are these lines:
 "For he was a good man and full of the Holy Ghost and of Faith and much people was added unto the Lord."

 Franklin Nourse and his wife Hannah, are among friends of the long ago. He was born in 1830 and died in 1914, and Mrs. Nourse first saw the light of day in 1835 and her eyes closed in everlasting sleep in 1911. Franklin Nourse was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Elijah Nourse. The parents came to Wisconsin in 1839, landing in Kenosha, where their eldest son, William, died. In 1852 they came to Richland county. Franklin, a son, was born in 1830 in Vermont, and came with his parents to Wisconsin. On a visit back to his old home town in 1856 he married Hannah Fellows. They returned to Sextonville where they remained until death came. A son Frank, continued to live here until 1934, when he met death in an auto accident. His wife Eunice, born in 1868, passed on in 1955.

PART THREE
 There is a marker for Dr. Robert Thompson, born in New York in 1864 and died in Milwaukee in 1917. A line on the stone says he was "A skilled physician for Years." On a marker nearby is engraved: "Clifford, dear son of Robert and Kate Thompson, July 19, 1892, September 5, 1896. God bless baby."

 E. M. Sexton came to the township of Ithaca in 1848 with Orrin Britton where Mr. Sexton entered a large tract of land. In the spring of 1849 Sexton and R. B. Stewart came from Jefferson county. Mr. Sexton platted the village of Sextonville in 1851 and a thriving village came into being. Mr. Sexton opened a hotel in the village. He was a popular landlord and his hotel did a thriving business. He also erected a sawmill in 1851 which for years awoke the neighborhood with its loud hum. Jacob Krouskop later bought the property. A post office was established at Sextonville in 1849 and E. M. handled the mail.
 In 1854, Mr. Sexton and R. B. Stewart platted the village of Loyd. Mr. Sexton made Sextonville his home for several years, serving as county treasurer for a time. He moved to Barron county, but in 1876 came back on a visit. Sick at the time he told his friends that he came back to die, which he did on March 1, 1876, at the age of 62. In addition to his active life he was a lawyer and devoted some of his time to the practice of law, but, history states he had but a meager business.
 Known far and wide as E. M. Sexton his monument in the cemetery proclaims his given name Ebenezer and no doubt his schoolmates shorted it down to "Eb". 


 Page 155

 The McCarthy family has some of its members here. Thomas, born in 1844 and his wife Laura, born in 1841, are here as is a daughter Nellie, who died in 1876 at the age of two years. Nellie was known by her parents as "Gypsie." Ada, another daughter, died in 1948. Other members of the family Dr. H. C. McCarthy, Dr. Earl, and their sister Edith, are buried in the Richland Center cemetery. Mrs. Thomas McCarthy and her daughter Ada, were school teachers in the days gone by and a fitting monument to them is the new Jefferson school house in Richland Center which stands upon the site of their home for many years, on North Main street.

 We move on to the graves of some of the Eastland folks, early settlers of the Sextonville area. Shepherd Eastland seems to be the oldest of the clan buried here. He was born, his tombstone says, on October 17, 1787, and died in 1867. Mary, his wife, was born in September, 1790, and died in 1877. H. A. Eastland, born in New York state April 4, 1816, was an attorney and came to Sextonville and hung out his shingle in 1851, moving to Richland Center some ten years later where be remained. He was married in 1851 to Mrs. Isabelle Pierce. She was born in 1819 and died in 1900. Mr. Eastland died in 1896. They had two children, Kirk W. and H. W., both of whom became lawyers and practiced in Richland Center. Kirk was born in 1852 and died in 1908. H. W. Eastland was known as "Hal" though his name upon the tombstone is Harold. James E. Eastland is another member of the clan buried here. He died November 14, 1901, at the age of 91 years, 6 months and 16 days. His wife died in 1886 at the age of 74. D. J. Eastland is also buried here. He was born in 1814 and died in 1894; and the last of his clan to find rest here was Fred Eastland, born in 1863 and died in 1945.
 Arvin Burnham was born in 1805, married in 1840, moved to Sextonville in 1853, coming from Connecticut, and died in May of 1889. His wife Harriet, was born in 1806 and died in 1880. Nehemiah Burnham, born in 1841, died in 1917, and his wife Hannah, born in 1847, passed on in 1886.
 Peter A. Mickle is in this cemetery. He was born in 1829 and died in 1895. He is pictured on old photos taken at the time that the steam engine to he used on the railroad was being hauled by team and wagons from Lone Rock to Richland Center. A picture was taken of the engine in front of the post office at Sextonville. Peter is in this picture; the large man with patches on his overalls. His wife was the widow of Luther Irish, who was the first permanent storekeeper in Sextonville.
 Several members of the McCorkle family, besides those already mentioned are buried here. William McCorkle, born in 1819 and Harriet, his wife, born in 1835. At an early age he became a sailor, became a whale hunter and sailed around the world six times and was once wrecked on the coast of South America. He became a captain. Giving up life on the seven seas he moved to Sextonville in 1857 where he went into business having the firm name of McCorkle & Thomas. He was married in 1856 to Harriet Toping, born in 1835. She died in 1922 and her husband in 1890.
 The McCollum family, long identified with business life in the county, has members buried here. The eldest is Dr. Asa McCollum, born in 1801. His native state was Massachusetts, and it was the birthplace of his wife, Hadassop, who was born in 1802. Dr. McCollum passed on in 1891 and his wife in 1897. He was the first doctor in Sextonville, coming there in 1851 where he practiced for many years, also operated a drug store which he purchased in 1858. A son J. R. L. McCollum is here buried as is also another son, Lewis. A stone for Van Buren McCollum, spoken of elsewhere, is here. It says Van Buren was buried at Duncan Mills, California. J. L. R. McCollum was but nine years old when his parents came to Richland county. He was one of the first graduates of the Sextonville high school. He was engaged in the mercantile business near Sextonville with A. H. Krouskop when he was 21 years of age. He was married in 1864 to Eliza Krouskop. They were the parents of these children, Charles, Dock, and Elmer. Mr. McCollum served in the state assembly in 1875. He died in 1931 and his wife in 1926.


Back to "Tales the Tombstones Tell"
 
 To pages 156-160