Christopher Progress August 11, 1971
AREA CEMETERIES ARE RICH IN HISTORY AND LEGEND. by Bob Matyi
Browning Hill Cemetery
Peacefully located atop a hill near the old site of Rend City is the
Browning Hill Cemetery. While standing in the graveyard, one can look
out to the east,west and south to view picturesque countryside.
Neighboring fields of grain help to create a tranquil overshadowing
effect on this vesige from the past.
Two of the graves situated on the hill belong to the founders of
Browning Hill, John and Nancy Browning. It was there in 1812 that 31
year old John and his 29 year old wife, Nancy decided to settle down to
live. They both enjoyed a long and evetfuly life and were buried side
by side on Browning Hill.
Another noteworth person intombed in the cemetery is Moses Buckner, the
man who was responsible for the changing of Sefronia or Soffrona to
Buckner in the late 1800's or very early 1900,s. Buckner died in 1882
and is buried along with his wife, Emline. Inscribed upon his tombstone
are the words, "COC 15th ILLINOIS CALVARY, DISCHARGED OCT. 14, 1862,
BECAUSE OF WOUNDS.'.
Probably the most unique and decidely conspicuous tombstone I
encountered in researching this story is located on Browning Hill. It
marks the final resting place of a man named W. Jones who passed away in
1926. The stone is about eight feet in height and is formed perfectly
into the shape of a tree trunk with a scroll attached to it. Whoever
constructed the stone went into great detail by also adding hand-carved
ferns and vines of ivy on its surface. In total, the marker has a very
distinct West appeal to it.
Piled randomly beneath a tall, old Christmas tree growning in the
cemetery are several broken tombstones. Apparently through the years
the stones broke in two or weathered away and were placed together under
the tree. One of the stones marks the repose of "Nancy" wufe if Levi
Browning." Still others were so badly worn that their inscriptions could
no longer be determined.
The most intriguing epitaph established on Browning Hill belongs to the
grave of Mary, wife of J.L. Buckner who died in 1838. [this date is 
incorrect. The actual date of death of Mary Tabitha Hammons Buckner, wife 
of John Logan buckner was 1898] It reads, "One cannot tell who next may fall 
beneath thy chastning rod. One must first but let us all prepare to meet out 
God." 
The oldest grave I located on Browning Hill had only the last name of
LUKE discerniable on it. And, the date of death in 1829 were the only
two writings that could be read.
An unusual etching of a weeping willow tree with a casket beneath it is
imbedded on the tombstone of Chamberlain Hutson who was born in 1779. A
similar stone just had the weeping willow tree etched on its face.

Last Name     First           Middle         Birth           Death           Other Info.

BLAIR         Mary            Emily (SAMPLE)  1 Jun 1859      5 Apr 1925     w/o (1st)Lafayette BROWN m:17 Aug 1882 (2nd)Thomas H. BLAIR m: 4 Dec 1884; d/o Joseph M. & Mary Frances(HILL)SAMPLE
BROWNING      Alice                           7 Mar 1871     22 Mar 1966
BROWNING      Cordelia        A              15y 11m 26d      5 Oct 1862
BROWNING      E               W              14 May 1830     23 Oct 1913
BROWNING      Emaline                         8 Jun 1861      5 Oct 1867     d/o Thomas K & Rebecca BROWNING; Double stone:Thomas K. BROWNING & Emaline BROWNING
BROWNING      Fannie                          15y 8m 21d     17 Dec 1901     d/o John A & Ellen C.(MADDOX)BROWNING, Triple stone:BROWNING-John A.,Otho & Fannie
BROWNING      Fanny                          27 Mar 1832     13 Mar 1855     w/o Levi Browning, "In memory of"; Double stone:BROWNING-Fanny & Quincy H.
BROWNING      Florence        May              age 4 yrs     30 Jul 1861     d/o Levi & Tabitha(LAYMAN)BROWNING m:26 Oct 1856
BROWNING      J               B              19y 10m 17d      1 Nov 1878
BROWNING      Rev.John                       17 May 1781     13 Jun 1857     h/o Nancy KITCHEN m:abt.1802-TENN.; s/o John & Mollie(JORDAN)BROWNING; he was a Baptist Minister; ****birth & death dates can't be right, years are correct, but b:23 May 1781(76y 21d)would be more accurate; also have b:17 May 1781 d:17 Jun 1857 & also show Levi as being his Father.
BROWNING      John            A      (46y 8d)28 Feb 1851      8 Mar 1897     h/o Ellen C. Maddox m:8 Aug 1883-d/o Richard MADDOX & Nancy AKIN, s/o Jonathan Browning & Leanore "Luany" "Leanna" JOHNSON, Triple stone:BROWNING-John A.,Otho & Fannie
BROWNING      Jonathan               (47y 21d)2 Dec 1822     28 Dec 1869     h/o (1st)Rebecca WILLIAMS m:11 Sep 1845 (2nd)Leanore "Luany" "Leanna"JOHNSON m:26 Aug 1848 (3rd)Louisa (ALLEN) BROOKS PAYNE m:9 May 1866; s/o John & Nancy (KITCHEN)BROWNING; Born of a triplet birth-Jonathan,Joseph, & Joab.
BROWNING      Joseph                          2 Dec 1822     20 Dec 1876     h/o (1st)Catherine AKIN m:18 Nov 1841 (2nd)Jemima E ALLEN m:12 Feb 1865; s/o John & Nancy(KITCHEN)BROWNING
BROWNING     Leanor "Luany" "Leanna"(JOHNSON)25 May 1837     25 Nov 1865     28y 6m; w/o Jonathan BROWNING m:26 Aug 1848; d/o Stephen & Rebecca (WEBB)ALLEN
BROWNING      Luke                           22 Feb 1809     11 Aug 1829     s/o John & Nancy(KITCHEN)BROWNING, "In Memory of"; FIRST PERSON BURIED IN THE CEMETERY
BROWNING      Mary            C              29 Sep 1831      8 Nov 1914
BROWNING      Mary            Jane (RHODES)         18--     25 Oct 1899     w/o Oliver BROWNING m:26 Jul 1853
BROWNING      Nancy              (19y 6m 14d)28 Feb 1843     11 Sep 1862     d/o Jonathan & Leanore "Luany" "Leanna"(JOHNSON)BROWNING, "departed this life"
BROWNING      Nancy          (KITCHEN)       12 Oct 1783     07 Oct 1855     w/o John BROWNING m:abt.1802-TENN; d/o James & Morning KITCHEN
BROWNING      Oliver                                18--         unknown     h/o Mary Jane RHODES m:26 Jul 1853
BROWNING      Otho               (17y 4m 23d)30 Jan 1884     23 May 1901     s/o John A & Ellen C.(MADDOX)BROWNING, Triple stone:BROWNING-John A.,Otho & Fannie
BROWNING      Ross                           25 Jan 1892      8 Nov 1894     s/o Carroll Allen & Mary Theresa(WILDERMAN)BROWNING
BROWNING      Solomon         S                  unknown     19 Mar 1891     h/o (1st)Sarah Jane BINNION m:29 Sep 1860 (2nd)Lucinda BIGGS m:16 Jul 1869
BROWNING      Stanley                         5 Jan 1891      5 Jan 1891     s/o Carroll Allen & Mary Theresa(WILDERMAN)BROWNING
BROWNING      Thomas          K (68y 7m 29d) 28 Dec 1810     27 Aug 1879     h/o Rebecca (?); Double stone:Thomas K. BROWNING & Emaline BROWNING-Erected by his wife Rebecca
BROWNING      Quincy          H               1 Sep 1854     27 Feb 1855     s/o Levi & Fanny BROWNING; Double stone:BROWNING-Fanny & Quincy H.
BROWNING      William         R  (55y 6m 6d) 23 Dec 1810     29 Jun 1866     s/o John & Nancy(KITCHEN)BROWNING; twin of [James K.BROWNING-the first white child born in Franklin County]
BUCKNER       Edward          B               8 Mar 1876      8 Mar 1876     s/o Moses & Emaline BUCKNER
BUCKNER       Elva                            1 Sep 1893     13 Feb 1909     d/o Jonathan "John" Logan & Mary Tabitha (HAMMONS)BUCKNER
BUCKNER       Emaline         (HAYSE)ROGERS  10 Sep 1839     10 Jan 1892     w/o Moses BUCKNER m:27 Sep 1866, "his wife"
BUCKNER       Frances         M                      11m        Aug 1853     d/o Moses & Margaret E.(CRAFT)BUCKNER; On one stone:BUCKNER-Margaret E, Frances M, Sarah
BUCKNER       Infant                          8 Dec 1926      8 Dec 1926     s/o J L & M BUCKNER
BUCKNER       Jonathan        "John" Logan    8 Aug 1868     16 Aug 1930     h/o Mary Tabitha HAMMONS m:4 Feb 1891; Double stone:BUCKNER-J.L.& Elvia
BUCKNER       Joseph                         18 May 1882     31 Dec 1882
BUCKNER       Margaret        E  (CRAFT)       31y 1m 5d     21 Nov 1865     w/o Moses BUCKNER m:12 Nov 1851; On one stone:BUCKNER-Margaret E, Frances M, Sarah
BUCKNER       Mary            A                   13m 5d     10 Oct 1855     d/o Moses & Margaret E.(CRAFT)BUCKNER
BUCKNER       Mary            Tabitha(HAMMONS)28y 9m 25d     17 Dec 1898     w/o Jonathan "John" Logan BUCKNER m:4 Feb 1891
BUCKNER       Moses                           21y 6m 20d      8 Mar 1881
BUCKNER       Moses                          11 Feb 1827     17 Apr 1882     h/o (1st)Margaret E. CRAFT m:12 Nov 1851 (2nd)Emeline(HAYSE)ROGERS m:27 Sep 1866; Co.C 15th Illinois Calvary, discharged 14 Oct 1862, wounds.
BUCKNER       Oliver          F              11 Nov 1871      6 Apr 1874     2y 4m 22d
BUCKNER       Sarah                                4m 7d     15 Nov 1856     d/o Moses & Margaret E.(CRAFT)BUCKNER; On one stone:BUCKNER-Margaret E, Frances M, Sarah
BUCKNER       William         C              21 y 10 22d      8 Mar 1888     s/o Moses BUCKNER
CARR          Leonard                            unknown     11 Oct 1920
CRAWFORD      Marcissa                       16 May 1835      6 May 1857     w/o D.T. CRAWFORD
CROSSNOE      George          T                   50y 9m     11 May 1893     h/o Lydia OVERTURF m:7 Jan 1866; Co.F 110th Ill Inf.
EUBANKS       Mary            Ann(BROWNING)         18??                     w/o George Washington EUBANKS m:22 Jan 1847; d/o John & Nancy(KITCHEN)BROWNING
GOESMANN      John            G               6 Jan 1818     17 May 1857     h/o Lusany BENNETT m:23 Mar 1851; from Germany, was an editor at the Benton Standard in 1850
HAMMONS       John            L                25 9m 19d     27 Sep 1895     s/o Joe & Nancy (JONES)?BROWNING? HAMMONS; killed while brakeman of: C.S.T.R.R. at DuQuoin,IL.
HAMMONS       Joseph                          54y 4m 25d  23 Feb 1897/90     h/o Nancy JONES m:13 Mar 1862
HAMMONS       Nancy           B  (JONES)         50y 23d     14 Jan 1896     w/o Joseph HAMMONS m:13 Mar 1862
HUTSON        Annie                       81/87y 11m 17d      2 May 1866     w/o Chamberlain HUTSON; "mother"
HUTSON        Chamberlain                    15 Sep 1779      3 Dec 1858     79y 18d; h/o Annie (?)
JOHNSON       Perlina/Paulina (JONES)         34y 4m 23d      4 Oct 1865     w/o Thaddeus "Thads" W. JOHNSON m:7 Sep 1859
JONES         Barbara         A (TINER)     55/35y 5m 3d     14 Aug 1888     w/o James S JONES m:27 Aug 1876
JONES         Calvin                              35y 8m     28 Dec 1847     h/o Martha "Patsy" BROWNING m:8 Apr 1827
JONES         Delilia         Jane (HOUSE)    7 Aug 1838     19 Nov 1926     w/o William C. JONES m: 25 Dec 1855
JONES         Hazel                           5 Nov 1902      9 Jul 1903     d/o Samuel W. & Lucy B (LAMBERT)JONES
JONES         I               S              28 Jul 1858      5 Feb 1881
JONES         James           S                  47y 15d     17 Jul 1878     h/o Barbara A. TINER m:27 Aug 1876
JONES         Jasper          N                85y, 1857     25 Jun 1942     Pvt.
JONES         John                               56y 12d  27 Mar 1867/64     "In memory of our beloved father"
JONES         John            R              25 Mar 1838     10 Oct 1924     h/o Sarah KEEN m:2 Apr 1863; age 84yrs; brother of William C JONES
JONES         Minney          S              12 Jan 1867     13 Mar 1881
JONES         Martha         "Patsy"(BROWNING)81y 6m 28d      5 Apr 1893     w/o (1st)Calvin JONES m:8 Apr 1827 (2nd)Robert C.MOORE m:10 Nov 1850; d/o John & Nancy(KITCHEN)BROWNING
JONES         Mattie          May Bell       23 Nov 1874     17 Sep 1881     d/o John R. & Sarah(KEEN)JONES, age 6y 9m 25d
JONES         Pete                                              Mar 1909
JONES         Sarah           (KEEN)          34y 2m 28d      2 May 1877     w/o John R. Jones m:2 Apr 1863
JONES         W                                                     1926
JONES         Whiteman                       13 Dec 1901      2 Feb 1905     s/o Samuel W. & Lucy B(LAMBERT)JONES
JONES         William         C              10 Feb 1836     15 Feb 1915     h/o Delilia Jane HOUSE m:25 Dec 1855; died of pneumonia
KING          Andrew          J./W.          55y 11m 26d  22/28 Jun 1874     h/o Mary (?)
KING          Baker                              14 days     17 Nov 1861
KING          Frances         M                 2y 3m 2d      1 Aug 1855     s/o John S. & M. KING; Triple stone:KING:John, Joseph, Frances M.
KING          Hanna           M                 1y 3m 6d     26 Sep 1866     d/o A.J. KING
KING          Jane                              abt.63y   18 Jan 1847/42     w/o William KING
KING          John            S             45/48y 8m 4d     23 Sep 1855     h/o Elizabeth Ann BROWNING m:15 Mar 1830; "Mason"; Triple stone:KING:John, Joseph, Frances M.
KING          Joseph          C                1y 9m 10d     30 Aug 1833     s/o John S. & Elizabeth Ann(BROWNING)KING; Triple stone:KING:John, Joseph, Frances M.
LEFLER        Mary            J                  unknown         unknown
LEWIS         Louie           E              20 Jul 1893      7 Sep 1968     h/o Flora Agnes OVERTURF m:26 Jul 1911; s/o Adam Franklin & Louisiana Elizabeth (GALLOWAY)LEWIS
MCCARTY       Guy                                     5m            1902     s/o William T & Tabitha Ella (BUCKNER)MCCARTY
MCCARTY       Tabitha         Ella (BUCKNER) 22 Nov 1874     17 Feb 1902     w/o William T MCCARTY m:22 Nov 1892; d/o Moses & Emaline (HAYSE)ROGERS BUCKNER
MCCARTY       William                               18??                     h/o Tabitha Ella BUCKNER m:22 Nov 1892; s/o Israel & Mary J.(THOMAS)McCARTY
MCCARTY       William         Guy                     9d      9 Sep 1902
MCFATRIDGE    Wm              J               3 Jul 1857      5 Sep 1858     s/o Samuel & J. McFatridge ??Sidney KING m:25nov1852
MEEK          Asbury          G                     18??      4 Feb 1897     h/o Samantha Lydia CROSSNO m:14 Aug 1884; s/o John & Mary (MULKEY) MEEKS; Double stone:MEEK-A.G. & Lydia
MEEK          Samantha        Lydia                 76y?     10 Jan 1921     d/o George Thomas & Lydia (OVERTURF)CROSSNO; Double stone:MEEK-A.G. & Lydia
MILLER        G               G              80y 10m 10d      8 Nov 1870
ODUM          Dempsey                         60y 6m 14d     30 Apr 1861
OVERTURF      Eli                          7/17 May 1815     23 Jan 1888     h/o Rachel BLACKON m: 7 Mar 1839; Double stone:OVERTURF-Eli & Rachel; "his wife"
OVERTURF      John                                21y 4m     31 Jul 1865     Co.C 110 Ill Vol. Inf.
OVERTURF      Rachel         (BLACKON)       18 Dec 1819     29 Dec 1866     w/o Eli OVERTURF m: 7 Mar 1839; Double stone:OVERTURF-Eli & Rachel
PIPKIN        Nancy       Elizabeth Susan(WALKER)   1833            1872
REA           Christopher                     19y 4m 26d     26 Mar 1869     s/o Abner & Mary REA
REA           Evaline         (KING)         23 Jul 1833     23 Nov 1870     w/o Franklin L. REA m:24 Aug 1851
REA           Franklin        L                     18??                     h/o (1st)Evaline KING m:24 Aug 1851 (2nd)Mary M GREGORY m:10 Sep 1871
VISE          Lydia       Margaret(BROWNING)  83y 6m 20d     28 Mar 1908     w/o (1st)B.F. HARRISON m:23 Sep 1873 (2nd)Hosea H VISE m:26 Jun 1888