Mayes-Gillispie Cemetery

Click picture for larger view of Mayes-Gillispie Cemetery's location in Pulaski County, Missouri.

Mayes-Gillispie Cemetery is located in Pulaski County, MO., between Buckhorn and Richland, Missouri, off Rochester Road (formerly Ozark Springs Road), near Mays Ford of the Gasconade River. This area was once known as Still House Hollow, referring to a locally well known spirits still.

According to Tombstone Inscriptions of Pulaski County, Mays-Gillispie Cemetery was established in 1817. The earliest dated stone belongs to Rebecca “Rebeekey” Evans Manes, wife of Seth McCulley Manes. She was born in Hawkins County, Tennessee, 22 April 1814 and passed away in Pulaski County, Missouri, 21 August, 1864.

Rebecca’s recorded burial is some 47 years later than the supposed establishment of Mayes-Gillispie Cemetery. The Pulaski County Historical Society established that there are approximately 35 unmarked graves here. They have also established names for eight of the people buried here with no markers. They are:

Callaway Hodges Manes- Callaway was born in 1809 in Hawkins County, Tennessee and married Sarah F. Evans in Owns County, Indiana in 1828. Callaway removed to Pulaski County, Missouri, between 1838 and 1840. Also traveling in his party was his brother, Seth McCulley Manes and Isreal Light. In 1847 he applied for a Post Office at Conn’s Creek, Missouri, and was the Post Master until the office was discontinued in 1850. Callaway was the first teacher at Cowspen School, which was the first school in this neighborhood. (1) “A little log house was built for this school laying next to the Jesse Gillispie farm on Cows Creek built by Daniel Tucker. It was on the Camden and Pulaski County line. Mr. Manes arranged the seating so the girls were taught in Camden County and the boys in Pulaski County.” Callaway is also credited with starting three churches in Pulaski County, Friendship and Bethlehem Baptist among them. During the Civil War, Callaway was a staunch Union man and the sermons that he preached reflected that. Reverend Manes (2)“was warned not to preach again, but he paid no heed to the warning and filled his regular appointment in Waynesville. The next week bushwhackers rode up to his home and ’halloo-ed’ the house. When Rev. Manes came to the door they shot him. Dismounting, they entered the house and, seeing that the preacher was only wounded, forced one his daughters (editor note: Mary Elizabeth “Polly” Manes ) to hold the lamp while they shot him again. Callaway died from his injuries 7 August, 1864, and is buried in an unmarked grave near the location of the schoolhouse where he taught. His homestead is still standing and history has yet to reveal the names of his murderers.

(1)Pictures-Stories-History of Pulaski County Schools, Revised Edition, 2009. The Pulaski County Historical Society.

(2)Lest We Forget A History of Pulaski County, Missouri and Fort Leonard Wood, 1960, Mabel Manes Mottaz

Sarah Evans Manes- Sarah was born in 1811 in Hawkins County, Tennessee and died before 1900.

Seth Manes II

Daniel Tucker

Eliza Tucker- Eliza died in 1880 at the age of 9 years. She was a daughter of Daniel Tucker, Jr.

Infant Tucker- Died 1880, infant of Daniel Tucker, Jr.

Jesse Tucker- Jesse was born in 1873 and died at the age of two years. He was a son of Daniel Tucker, Jr.

Rosemary Tucker- Rosemary passed away in 1880 at the age of four years. She was a daughter of Daniel Tucker, Jr.

The last dated burial in Mayes-Gillispie Cemetery was that of Columbus C. York who died 7 April, 1919.

Latitude: 37.8419843
Longitude: -92.3454489
Township 36-Range 13-Section 22