Forth Cemetery

The Forth Cemetery was a family cemetery on the land originally bought and settled by Robert T. Forth. Today it is owned by a nice farmer named Steve Peddicord. Until November 3 of 2007 the cemetery had not been cared for, for 35 years when a group went in and cleaned up the cemetery. Read about clean up 

Directions to cemetery …

When you come east of Wayne City there will be a curve and you turn left road 600e.  stay on that road, there will be a road to the left on the curve stay on the main road you will pass a big brick church on the right and on up the road will be the Bailey cemetery on the left-hand side. Go maybe a mile you will see big barns and grain bins they have a John Deere sign and go to next house and you can see to the left in the field a grove of trees. that is it.

 

THIS IS PRIVATE FARM LAND! Ask permission from Steve before going to cemetery. The house after Steve you can see a grass lane that goes back to it. THIS ROAD IS ALSO PRIVATE! Owned by a nice neighbor with small children! You must ask their permission to use the lane. This is not a public cemetery but private land! Access to the cemetery would only be in the fall when crops have been harvested or early spring before crops have been planted. It is literally in the middle of a field. Please respect these nice farmers when visiting the cemetery and always watch out for small children. Thanks Laurie

 

Name	Birth	Death	Married	Other information
BROWN, Francis CHAPMAN Forth	Oct 14, 1832 Indiana	Sept 3, 1907	1)      John Forth 2)      Frank Brown	obit
FORTH, Amanda FLINN	Jan. 15, 1836	Jan. 12, 1884	June 11, 1851 Robert T. Forth	d/o Edward P. & Cynthia COLVIN Flinn
FORTH, Charles E.		Sept 10, 1878 10m 5d		s/o Robert T. & Amanda FLINN Forth
Infant daughter	Nov 20, 1853	Nov 20, 1853		d/o Robert T. & Amanda FLINN Forth
Infant son	Aug 10, 1856	Aug 12, 1856		s/o Robert T. & Amanda FLINN Forth
Infant son	Jan 2, 1863	Jan 2, 1863		s/o Robert T. & Amanda FLINN Forth
FORTH, James	Feb 12, 1840	Apr 26, 1908 Denver Co.	1)      Mary E. Moorehead 2)      Martha Flinn 3)      Laura Brannon	s/o Robert T. & Mary Warren OBIT
FORTH, John	Aug 1, 1833 Indiana	June 13, 1868	m. Francis Chapman	s/o Robert T. & Mary Warren
FORTH, Josiah	June 8, 1848	Feb 12, 1857		s/o Robert T. & Mary Warren
FORTH, Larkin	Mar 28, 1859	Mar. 4, 1860		s/o Robert T. & Amanda FLINN Forth
FORTH, Levi (Lee)	1866	Feb 13, 1888	Dec 29, 1885 Clara Ellis	s/o John & Frances CHAPMAN Forth OBIT
FORTH, Martha FLINN	Sept 16, 1838 Indiana	Feb 12, 1890 Wayne Co., Il	Dec 22, 1860 James Forth	obit
FORTH, Mary MOOREHEAD		Aug 1, 1860 20y 9m, 18d	James Forth
FORTH, Mary WARREN	Oct 10, 1814 Vanderburgh Co. Indiana	Feb. 6, 1851	m. Nov 6, 1829 Vanderburgh Co., In,. Robert T.
FORTH, Nancy Jane	Aug 10, 1838	Nov 10, 1838		s/o Robert T. & Mary Warren
FORTH, Robert T.		July 4, 1872 6y 1m 3d		s/o James & Martha FLINN Forth
FORTH, Robert Tillman	Sept. 3, 1814	Aug. 11, 1886	1 Mary Moorhead 2. Amanda Flinn 3. Fanny Hill	s/o Josiah & Celia ALLEN Forth obit Comment
FORTH, Steven	Oct 22, 1843	Unk 11, 1864		s/o Robert T. & Mary WARREN Forth
FORTH, Thomas Jackson	Nov 9, 1867	Dec 17, 1868		s/o Robert T. & Amanda FLINN Forth
KING, Nancy Jane FORTH	Feb 14, 1859	Mar 20, 1882	Jan 27, 1876 Joseph Smith King	d/o John & Frances CHAPMAN Forth

 

There is a main stone for Robert T and his family 

The inscription on the front of the stone;

Family of Robt. T. Forth: Robt. T. Forth, born Sept. 3, 1814, died Aug. 11, 1886; Mary Warren, wife of Robt. T. Forth died Feb. 6, 1851, age 36 y’s, 3 m’s, 26 d’s; Amanda Flinn, wife of Robt. T. Forth, born Jan. 15, 1836, died Jan. 12, 1884.

 

Although he sleeps his memory doth live,

And cheering……………………….give,

He followed………………...as his guide,

Lived a ……………………………..died,

Asleep in Jesus, blessed sleep,

From which none ever wake to weep.

( The center of the poem had weathered too much for Doris to read in 1971.)

 

The side of the stone;

Children of R. T. & Mary Forth:

Nancy Jane, died Nov. 10, 1838 aged 3 mo’s;

Josiah, died Feb. 12, 1851, aged 2 y’s., 8 m’s, 4 d’s;

 

Children of R. T. & Amanda Forth:

Infant dau. Born & died Nov. 20, 1853;

Infant son born & died Aug. 12, 1856;

Infant son born & died Jan. 2, 1863;

Larkin, died Mar. 4, 1860 aged 11 M’s, 6 d’s;

Thomas J., died Dec. 17, 1868, aged 1 yr. 29 ds;

                                                COMMENT

 

The Forth cemetery emphasizes the how important it is to preserve your family history, for no matter how industrious, wealthy, and important a person is in any period of time in history, unlike stated in the above poem, they will be quickly forgotten in later generations unless the family preserves their history. Which is the case in the Forth Family Cemetery.

 

Robert t. Forth was born September 3, 1814 in Bowling Green, Kentucky he was the son of Josiah and Celiah ALLEN Forth. In his day Robert T. was a man of great wealth and power not only in Wayne County but, in the state of Illinois. He served two terms in the Illinois House of Representatives. He served the 10^th District in the 21^st session of the House from 1859 to 1861 and the 44^th District 28^th session from 1873 to 1875. I enquired with the state if there were any pictures or history of him because he served in this state and were told there was none other than a listing in the Illinois Blue Book.  Robert T. was among other things a farmer, started some of the first banking institutions and merchandising in Wayne as well as Clay Counties.  He was an associate of Judge Boggs, W. H. Robertson and Col. Johns all prominent men in their day. Even before establishing banking it is said that he had been loaning money to his neighbors to help them get their farms. He was the father of 25 children and had a wealth of $75,000-$100,000 in the 1800’s. Yet today he is long forgotten, the farm divided into many smaller ones, the family cemetery consist, of a single stone which in it’s day was probably a site to see, it is now broken in a field under brush, that is if even it exist today. Everything Robert T. had worked for has gone to dust and even with 25 children his deeds and memory had been lost. Which only emphasizes the need to preserve our families history and stories before they are lost!

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                                          OBITUARIES

Wayne County Press, August 19 1886, Wayne County IL.

HON. R. T. FORTH

The death of Hon. R. T. Forth (Robert T. ) was briefly announced in last week's Press and we are now enabled to give a more extended obituary. Mr. Forth was a native of Bowling Green, Ky. and would have been 73 years old had he lived to September 15th 1886. He came to Wayne county fifty some years ago and settled in what is now Elm River township. After residing there about six years he removed to Hickory Hills, where he lived until the day of his death with the following exceptions; a few months spent in Flora, merchandising and he was three years a resident of Fairfield in the banking business, associated with Judge Boggs, Hon. W. H. Robinson and Col. G. W. Johns under the style of Forth, Robinson & Co. Mr. Forth began life as a farmer, which he continued on an extensive scale, together with stock raising, until the day of his death. He merchandised about twenty-five years. A number of years ago he was for a time a preacher in the General Baptist church. He was twice a member of the Lower House of the Illinois Legislature.  Mr. Forth was three times married and was the father of twenty-five children, fourteen of whom survive him. All are of age except four, the youngest being seven years old. Mr. Forth's death was caused by paralysis and occurred on Wednesday morning August 11th. The body was buried in the family cemetery on Mr. Forth's farm, the funeral services being conducted by Elder H. H. Brown, an old time co-worker with Mr. Forth in the Baptist Church. At the suggestion of the eldest son the six sons acted as pallbearers. By industry, good management and economy Mr. Forth accumulated quite a fortune for this country. His wealth has been variously estimated from $75,000 to 100,000. A few years ago he divided up much of his real estate among his children. He left an estate of about $30,000, the larger proportion in good securities, to be divided between his widow and surviving children as provided by law, he having left no will. Mr. Forth was somewhat eccentric in the management of his money. Before going into banking he did a very extensive loaning business on farm property in his neighborhood. He frequently had large sums of money in his house and it is a great marvel that the fact was not known to thieves and robbery committed. On one occasion when W. H. Robinson visited him on business matters Mr. Forth took out of a bureau a large tin box in which was ten thousand dollars in each. Mr. Robinson remonstrated with him in regard to having this amount of money in the house, impressing on him the danger he was in of not only being robbed but also murdered. A few days thereafter Mr. Forth came to town and invested $5,000 in government bonds. At one time when a son-in-law was getting seed oats out of the oats bin he came across a tin in which was deposited $2,800. Mr. Forth evidently believed that it was safest to have his wealth in various shapes so that if disaster overtook one investment another would be secure.

 

Wayne County Press, October 7, 1886, Johnsonville Column.

October 2,

Miss Ella, youngest daughter of the late Robert T. Forth, died Sunday night.

 

Wayne County Record, February 27, 1890. "MRS. MARTHA FORTH

Martha, the wife of James Forth, departed this life Wednesday February 12, 1890. She was born September 16, 1838. Her parents moved from Indiana and settled in Illinois when Martha was two years old. Martha Flinn and James Forth married December 22, 1860. She was the mother of eight children, four sons and four daughters; three sons and one daughter died in infancy. She leaves behind, brothers, sisters, husband and one little daughter Ollie, and two daughters and one son which are married and are at present living in Wayne City...cause of death was la grippe and heart trouble....

 

Wayne County Press

Apr 30, 1908

James M. Forth Died in Denver

Word was received here by Mr. Forth's daughter Mrs. C. E. Castle about his death. The remains was brought back to Wayne City, by his son James M. Forth Jr. of Denver. He is the son of the Late R. T. Forth. He leaves three daughters, Mrs. C. E. Castle of this city, Mrs. H. D. thing and Mrs. T. F. Dickey of Wayne City and the son James.

 

DEATH: Wayne Co., Press

May 7, 1908

James Forth of Denver Colo. Died Apr 26, 1908. He was born in Hickory Hill Twp. Feb 20, 1840. He married Mary M. Moorehead who lived but a short time. He then married Martha Flynn which they had four boys and four girls. His wife died Feb 12, 1890. Two girls and one son survive. Later he married Laura Brannon. They had four sons, which all survive along with their mother. In 1906 he moved to New Mexico and then to Denver Colo.

 

Wayne Co. Press

Sept 19, 1907

Mrs. Frank Forth Brown of Orchardville died.

 

Wayne County Press, February 16, 1888 p.3 c.2. "UXDRICIDE AND SUICIDE

LEE FORTH OF ARRINGTON, KILLS HIS WIFE AND THEN SUICIDES

Monday morning of this week Mrs. Lee Forth left the home of her father, Wm. Ellis, for Johnsonville. Mr. Ellis lives three miles southeast of the above named place. Mrs. Forth was accompanied by her sister who is 13 years of age. When within about two miles of Johnsonville, in what is known as the Pennington Lane, Forth stealthily approached his wife from behind and knocked her down with a club, after which he struck her a number of blows, mashing her scull, and then finished the horrible deed by cutting her throat from ear to ear with a razor. The cries of Mrs. Forth's sister soon brought to the scene a number of persons. The murderer then escaped to the barn on the place of the late widow Millner, about half a mile distant. Warrants were issued and search was soon instituted for Forth and loud threats of lynching were made. But upon entering the barn above mentioned Forth was found to have ended his dispicable existence by cutting his throat with the same razor used in committing the horrible deed only a few moments before. Both juguler veins were severed, but the windpipe was not cut, the victim of his own murderous hands having bled to death from two gashes on either side of his neck. The crime is the most blood thirsty and atrocious ever committed within the borders of our county. Forth and his wife have been married about two years, but having lived together only a part of the time, and previous to the tragedy had been parted for some time. Mrs. Forth refusal to live with him is supposed to have been the cause of his murderous assault, but we have not learned that he had ever made such threats to the woman who was so unfortunate as to become his wife. Their marriage resulted in one child, which is now about one year old. Forth has been making his home with his mother, Mrs. Frank Brown, who lives 6 miles southwest of Johnsonville, and has often threatened his mother's life. His age was about 22 years. He was a terror to the whole neighborhood, always carrying a revolver and a dirk. He often threatened to burn the barn of his grandfather, the late R. T. Forth. Almost four years ago he stole a horse and buggy in Montgomery county and was in the jail of that county for some time. His relatives interested themselves and secured his release after considerable expense. About three years he robbed his uncle, John Warren of $330, and since then stole a horse belonging to his sister and a mule belonging to his mother. His character has been notoriously bad. All who knew him feared him, as his blood-thirsty disposition was generally understood. Ashort time since he went to Springfield to work for a street car company. His wife went to him, but in short time he turned her away penniless, and she was compelled to get home as best she could, walking carrying her child from Flora to her father's home. The double tragedy proves Forth to be the desperado that his neighbors had supposed hime to be. General sympathy is expressed for the bereaved relatives and friends of Mrs. Forth. Her funeral was preached on Tuesday, by Rev. Richardson, and she was buried in the Johnsonville cemetery. Forth's body was taken to his mother's with but little concern on the part of the people as to his burial.".

 

2. Wayne County Press

February 23, 1888

page 2, C. 3

. "THE FORTH MURDER AND SUICIDE

FURTHER PARTICULARS BY OUR JOHNSONVILLE REPORTER

On Sunday before the murder, Forth come to his father-in-law's Wm. Ellis seemingly in good humour as ever, laughing and talking as though he did not contemplate the terrible crime which he was so soon to commit. His brother-in-law, Charlie Ellis, shaved him with the same razor he used the next day. Forth stayed all night Sunday night and tried to get his wife to go back and live with him, but she told him no; she had tried it several times and she could not stand his brutality and neglect. He went away angry, but as far as we can learn made no threats to her, although we understand he had told his mother if his wife refused to live with him he would kill her and her father, and then kill himself. About half pasted eight or nine o'clock Mrs. Forth and her sister, Miss Josie Ellis, started for Johnsonville with some butter and eggs with which Mrs. Forth intended to get her child some clothes. They had proceeded half way to town and were met by Forth, who carried a piece of fence stake which he used as a walking cane. The club was about 2 1/2 inches through, and was heavy enough to make a deadly weapon. He did not slip up and strike her down, as has been reported, but stood talking to her some ten or fifteen minutes, asking her again if she would not live with him. On her starting off he told her to wait and he would give her some money. She approached him, when he stuck her with a club. The wounds on her head alone were enough to have killed her, but he drew the razor and cut her throat from ear to ear. The cries of Miss Josie brought Andy McRunnals to the scene. He immediately started for town and issued warrants, which were put in the hands of Constable Holmes, who selected as deputies Jasper Russell and two Chapman boys, (Forth's cousins) who started west on the road Forth had taken. A crowd gathered while the inquest was being held over the body of Mrs. Forth by Esquire Alvis; the body of Forth had been found by Ves Powlees  and John O'Mare in Mr. Milner's barn, about a quarter of a mile distant. An inquest was held over his body which found he had come to his death by his own hands. After cutting his throat Forth walked to the other end of the barn, about 40 feet, and laid the razor on a log, then walking back he fell with his head over the scuttle hole. On his person were found $417 in money, a lock of his wife's hair, and a well worn pack of cards. The club used in the murderous assault was brought to town and is now on exhibition at Wm. Tenney's.".

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                  REFERENCES

 

Xenia's History 1834-1934,” 6-18-2001,

page 42: There is another prolific people who live further south in the vicinity of Johnsonville, in this county. They are the Forth's and on of them counts two more of his own progeny than does Mr. Baity. R. T. Forth is now living with third wife and has twenty six children the mothers being his first two wives, one of whom had eight and by another eighteen children. The first who was Mary Warren, and the second Amanda Flynn and a year ago he married Annie Hill, a buxom Kass of twenty-three years. His youngest son is a lad 7 years old. R. T. Forth is now 73 years old.

 

William A. Forth or "Buck" Forth as he is familiarly called is a brother of R. T. Forth. He enjoys the distinction of having been married five times, but has  had only four wives. He separated from his first, after which he successively married two other women, both he outlived. He then returned to his first love and remarried her, and upon her death, he for the fifth time married and is now living with his fourth wife. He is 71 years old and is the father of twenty-three children.

 

There is still another brother, John Forth who is said to have obeyed the divine injunction to increase and multiply. He is residing with his third wife, is 75 years old, and is even with his brother "Buck" in the number of children having twenty-three boys and girls born to him. It will be seen that the aggregate number of children of the three brothers foots up seventy-two children. Many of these are equally prolific and it seems as though Clay County will some day be made up of Baity’s and Forth’s. The Forth’s do well as farmers and get a good living from tilling the soil. It is said that when R. T. Forth married his young wife a year ago he settled $10,000.00 on her.

 

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