Data and Pictures by Steve Slaughter ©2008.
 

Watkins Family Cemetery Elmwood Township, Sec. 30 Peoria County, IL

Location: On the private ground of the Inland Dairy Company in Elmwood Township.

:Driving Directions:
Drive to the town of Elmwood. At the intersection of Routes 8 & 78 (Illinois Routes) turn right 1 block to Wiley Road. Turn left (gas station on one corner & Elmwood Town Hall opposite). Continue on Wiley Road 2 miles to Taggert Road. This road is gravel & goes back to the commercial property, the INWOOD DIARY. Vast improvement have been done to this remote cemetery over the past year and a half. A white fence now surrounds the cemetery and 5 graves are marked, versus 3 from 1-1/2 years ago. 2 Civil War stones & 1 Blackhawk Indian War stone.

In 2002, only 3 stones were in evidence with no grass close. A year and a half later, I returned to find that they did enclose the graves with a white fence. In 2004, grass is plentiful and I found the 3 initial stones (2 Civil War & 1 Blackhawk War) PLUS 2 paved bases with, what looks to be a footstone, standing upright on one base. Thus, 5 graves instead of 3.

INWOOD DAIRY is now under new ownership. I spoke with the wife of the owner who is also a Dairy manager & sec'try. They will preserve the cemetery and will try to further enhance it so they, and others, would be proud to visit. The only negative I could identify is the odor of a dairy production and the presence of the sewage ponds. The odor, though in evidence, was not overpowering. Anyone who has grown up in the country or on a farm would say the odor wasn't at all bad.

WATKINS CEMETERY has gone from Endangered to PROTECTED. I, personally, feel it advisable to recheck on conditions in 2005 & each year until 2010. It would be a shame to loose these valuable stones. History abounds in Peoria County & should be protected whenever possible.
From: Steve Slaughter

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