KAYLOR CEMETERY
Morgan Township, Harrison County, Indiana
Submitted by Kevin Conrad, HCCRT Historian
Kaylor Cemetery, which is also listed as “Kaleg Cemetery” on several county maps, is
situated in the Northwest ¼ of Section 8, Township 2 South, and
Range 3 East, in Morgan Township of Harrison County, Indiana
This small cemetery is
located along State Road (SR) 135 and is approximately 2.5 miles north
from the town of New Salisbury. The burial ground sits on
the west side of a blacktopped access road off SR-135. This short
access road, which is only about 400-500 feet in length, provides ample
space for parking, access to the cemetery and quick admittance to and
from State Road 135.
The cemetery sits back in a
small clearing surrounded by large trees along the perimeter.
Vegetation grows sparsely within the cemetery because of the heavy
shading created by the canopy tree cover. Because the burial ground
rests on top of a gentle slopping hill and some of the hill side was
removed for the access road, a cinder-block retaining wall runs along
the eastern edge of the cemetery. Stone steps have been laid in an
opening of the retaining wall, which provides access to and from the
cemetery. It is apparent that the retaining wall has been there for
sometime and exhibits its frailty caused by nature’s elements and time. Farm land surrounds Kaylor
cemetery to the north, south and west.
Records indicate that in the
early part of the 19th century, a small German Methodist Church once stood across the road
from where Kaylor cemetery exists today.
When the congregation outgrew the log church house, a new church house
was built across the road and on the grounds where the present cemetery
exists today. The date when this second
church house was built is not known, nor if the church began using part
of grounds as a cemetery at the same time the church house was erected at this site. The first known
burial at Kaylor cemetery occurred upon
the death of Hieronzmus Hager on 24 October 1846; followed by wife, Anna
Hager, five days later. Since these two
graves exist in the far southwest corner of the cemetery, there would
have been sufficient space for a small church house to have existed at
that the same time. Today, there are no remnants of this former church
house, except for the remaining stone steps, which now used to access
this small cemetery. It should also be pointed out that a Methodist
church was established at Central Barren in 1841. Central Barren is
located about one mile north from Kaylor
cemetery. The church at Central Barren was organized from the German Methodist Church located at the Kaylor cemetery site. There is some speculation
that the church house located at the Kaylor
site had ceased operating at the time the church at Central Barren was
established. If correct, this would mean the property became a cemetery
after the church left this site.
The last interment at Kaylor cemetery occurred upon the death of
Christian Jesberg on 9 October 1917. The majority of the
burials at this cemetery occurred between 1874 and 1903. Note: An
earlier survey conducted at this cemetery, which was not associated
with the HCCRT, reported of a later burial that occurred on December 11, 1935. This later burial was that
of a “G.E. Jesberg,” who died at the age
of 74 years and 23 days; however, the headstone of this individual was
not found at the cemetery when the HCCRT survey was conducted in May
2006.
During the month of
May in 2006 and after receiving approval from the State of Indiana, a small group of volunteers known as the
Harrison County Cemetery Restoration Team (HCCRT) began the process of
restoring this cemetery. The project included, but not limited to:
photographing and recording gravestone information; cleaning;
repairing; and resetting grave markers. This activity was completed on 19 August 2006. A copy of the HCCRT’s
restoration report for Kaylor Cemetery is on file at the Frederick Porter Griffin Center for Local History and Genealogy, 117 West
Beaver Street, Corydon, Indiana, 47112, Phone: (812) 738-4110.
Headstone
Inscriptions
The headstone inscriptions
were recorded beginning in Row 1 with the first and southernmost
headstone. Each row was recorded from south to north. The last
headstone recorded in the cemetery is located on the north-end of Row 3
(east side of the cemetery); whereas the first headstone is located on
the south-end of Row 1 (west side of the cemetery).
Recorded on 13 May 2006.
ROW
1
John G. Hagar, died Apr. 5, 1893, aged 82y, 5m.
Wilhilmine Hagar, born Dec. 19, 1830 (no date of death given)
Hieronzmus Hager, died Oct 24, 1846, aged 64y, 1m.
Anna Hager, died Oct. 29, 1846, age 62y, 1m.
ROW
2
Henry Jesberg, 1820-1903.
Mary Jesberg, 1836-1902.
Mary L. Jessberge, born Mar. 28, 1857, died Sept. 23, 1900.
Lillie A., daut of H. & M. Jesberg, born Feb. 7, 1872, died Aug. 17, 1879.
Christian Jesberg, born Nov. 10, 1865, died Oct. 9, 1917.
ROW
3
John, husband
of M.A. Kaylor, born Dec. 31, 1800, died Sep. 22, 1886.
Mary A., wife
of J. Kaylor, born Nov. 16, 1806, died Apr. 16, 1874.
John C., son
of H. & M. Jesberg, born Mar. 1, 1861, died [illegible]
George Kaylor, died Nov. 18, 1852, aged 18y, 4m, 20d.
Johan H. Koeler, Geboren
June 28, 1848, Gestorben
Apr. 13, 1871, Alter 22 Jahr, 9 mos. 15 Tage
[dates
translated: Born June 28, 1848, Died Apr 13, 1871, Aged 22 yrs, 9 mos, 15 days]
NOTE: An earlier survey (date
unknown) was conducted at the Kaylor
cemetery. The graves recorded from this early survey are contained in
Book 1 of “Harrison County Indiana Cemeteries,” by Frederick Porter
Griffin. In this early survey, Mr. Griffin reported headstone
information from an additional person, which
is shown below). When the HCCRT conducted their survey in May 2006,
this particular headstone could not be located.
G.E. Jesberg, died Dec. 11, 1935, aged 74y, 23d.
Technical
Information
Number of Known Graves: 14
Number of Headstones: 10
Number of Footstones: 6
Earliest Burial: 24 October 1846 (Hieronzmus Hager)
Last Burial: 9 October 1917 (Christian Jesberg)
Military Veterans: none known
Interred Immigrants: Yes (Germany)
Church Affiliation: Methodist
Cemetery width (east to west): 50 ft.
Cemetery Length (north to
south): 60
ft.
Distance from SR-135 to
cemetery: 46
ft.
Cemetery Location: Northwest
¼ of Section 8, Township 2 South, and Range 3 East
Morgan Township of Harrison County, Indiana
Cem. Coordinates:
Lat. 38º 21’ 15” N. Lon. 86º 05’ 57” W.
USGS Crandall Quad: UTM 16 578698E 4245509N (WGS84/NAD83)
Cemetery *registered with the State
of Indiana: Yes, by the HCCRT.
*Department of Natural Resources
Division of
Historic Preservation and Archaeology
402 W.
Washington Street, RM W274, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204.
