As part of my massive cemetery spreadsheet project, I ran across two (at this point) death certificates, dated 1901 and 1903, that mentioned burials in "Eber Cemetery". In four plus decades of local cemetery research, the isn't a name I have ever run across. One d.c even states that the cemetery is in Center Township. Unfortunately, both burials were for stillbirths or quick infant deaths which were seldom covering in the local news. A search of local newspapers resulted in obituaries for eight additional people buried there, wherever 'there' is. Of those, only one has appears to have a marked grave according to current entries on findagrave.com. That was the marker for Evan Weir, a local farmer and former deputy sheriff, who died 10 April 1915 found in Collins Cemetery. Other memorials on the site exist for several of the other people documented by the obituaries, but none have photographs. They may have had markers at one time but are no longer visible or legible.
Below are those I have found so far. Either the death certificate or obituary says Eber. No doubt there are more out there waiting to be discovered.
|
| Cox |
Charles |
F |
30 |
Jun |
1915 |
| Cunningham |
Joseph |
|
31 |
Oct |
1902 |
| Eppard |
Infant |
Son |
14 |
Apr |
1904 |
| Eppard |
Mary |
E |
5 |
Sep |
1916 |
| Eppard |
Ruth |
May |
9 |
Aug |
1925 |
| Eppard |
Sarah |
A |
22 |
Mar |
1914 |
| Eppard |
Virgil |
|
18 |
Nov |
1921 |
| Harper |
Ralph |
|
23 |
Aug |
1914 |
| Miller |
Infant |
Daughter |
13 |
Jan |
1903 |
| Morgan |
Marie |
Adeline |
31 |
Jan |
1933 |
| Rank |
Infant |
Daughter |
24 |
Apr |
1901 |
| Weir |
Evan |
|
10 |
Apr |
1915 |
Thomas Collins of Scioto County, Ohio, received the land where Collins Cemetery lies via patent from the federal government on 15 November 1830. The parcel was described as the East half of the Northwest quarter, section 18, township 20 North, range 10 East.
In 1847, Thomas, with support of his wife Susan, donated to the Trustees a piece of land of School District Number 3. The legal description is about as useless as they come.
Commencing at the South West corner at a Black Oak one & a half inches in diameter. Thence N 3 W to a White Oak four rods nine links and a half thence N 85 E to a B Oak Sapling seventeen rods & two links thence S 5 W to a Stone six rods, thence S 81 W nine rods and nine links to a white Oak thence N 75 W to the first corner seven rods and 7 links 87 Pols 61760
We also donate 10 feet of land in width from the County Road to the grave yard...
If we are to assume that the South West corner is actually the corner of the school district, finding the true boundaries of the district would be pretty critical. Another source of information would be a mention in a deed for any adjoining property.
Following Thomas's death in 1856, a petition to partition his real estate was filed
"...except about one acre there of described as follows to wit; Situate immediately on the North Bank of the White River, on the SW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of Sec 18 aforesaid, described as follows..." The included description is that jumble of rods, links and trees in the donation of 1847.
This clears up the question regarding the location of the donated cemetery and confirmation that the donated land is what is known as Collins Cemetery. However, none of this works towards answering whether not Collins Cemetery was also known as Eber Cemetery and why. Even burials of those of the Eber name don't really provide as answer. Henry Eber (1812-1876), wife Susannah (Clark) Eber (1818-1862) and daughter Jane Eber (1843-1892) don't seem to have a particular attachment to the land other than being buried there. All died well after Thomas Collins donated the land and was buried there himself. I lean toward the two cemeteries being one and the same, but would much rather have something more concrete to go one. It just seems a bit of a mystery as why the Eber name was picked up in some circles and used for more than three decades.
Thanks to local researchers Ted Shideler, Karen and Bob Good, and Mark Kreps for their input! Anyone with additional information on this mystery, or any blog post, is welcome to contact me through the comments.
