Leeman Cemetery (Layman Cemetery)

Leeman Cemetery, also known as Layman Cemetery, is located in Pulaski County, MO., east of Hawkeye. More information is needed to map it’s location.

Only one grave is marked by a tombstone in Leeman Cemetery. There are at least 6 unmarked graves. The marked stone belongs to J. (G. or C.) Shelton and has no dates. His tombstone does provide a clue to his life. The inscription reads Co. E. Osage Co. MO Home Guards. He has now been identified, by the Pulaski County Obits editors, as James C. Shelton, a Union Private in the Civil War. He enlisted June 22, 1861 in Miller County, Missouri, and was mustered out December 6, 1861. His widow, whose name remains unknown, filed for pension benefits August 12, 1890.

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James C. Shelton's Widow's Pension Application. Photo by Pulaski County Obits.

Ballard Cemetery (Laughlin Cemetery)

Ballard Cemetery, located on Fort Leonard Wood, is more commonly known as Laughlin Cemetery.

Lawson Cemetery

Lawson Cemetery is located in Pulaski County, MO., “in a field between Richland and Crocker.” Further information is needed to map it’s location.

Lawson Cemetery is a tiny, family cemetery, with only two marked graves, belonging to Sarah Jane Lawson, and her son, James. There are no dates on either stone, although they both may have passed before 1910 since neither has a death certificate on file. If Sarah’s husband, James’ father, Thomas Lawson is buried here, he has no tombstone.

Laughlin Cemetery (Ballard Cemetery)

Click picture for a larger view of Laughlin Cemetery’s location in Pulaski County, Missouri.

Laughlin Cemetery, also known as Ballard Cemetery, is located in Pulaski County, MO., on Fort Leonard Wood.

It is family cemetery with about 39 marked graves and at least 10 unmarked graves. At least 13 members of the Ballard family rest here, and 11 members of the Laughlin family. Other surnames that can be found on stones here are: Anderson, Hamilton, Lane, Long, Michell, Piper, and Vaughn. One of the oldest tombstones in Laughlin Cemetery belongs to Bland N. Ballard, who was born in 1800 and died in 1861. At least one person has been interred here after Ft. Wood acquired the land. Joan Elizabeth Ballard, 3 year old daughter of Samuel Ballard and Blanche Sullivan Ballard, was buried here December 1946. Her family was living in Rolla at the time of her death. It appears that they brought her to the old family homestead to rest among her relatives.

An article in a 2008 edition of The Guidon reports the following about Laughlin Cemetery:

“One cemetery lays in the shadow of prehistoric burial mounds — the remains of two cultures keeping an eternal eye on each other.”

The article goes into further detail:

“Laughlin Cemetery sits on the floodplain below a bluff with seven prehistoric Native American burial mounds, reflecting the layers of history in this area. The cemetery shows the dire economic status of many individuals in the area and the passage of time, with several illegible gravestones and at least ten graves marked only by a rock, those left behind not having the money to purchase a gravestone. Half of the 32 marked graves list children and infants, while one woman lived to be almost 91, passing on in 1931.”

The figure of 39 marked graves differs from The Guidon’s report of 32 in 2008. The 39 marked graves were recorded in either 1984 or 1985 by the Pulaski County Museum and Historical Society. It appears that 7 grave markers have disappeared in a period of 23 or 24 years. This could be attributed to the fact that the cemetery is located in an area prone to flooding from the Roubidoux Creek. The Fort Leonard Wood Directorate of Public Works is charged with maintaining the cemeteries that are located within the boundaries of the military installation.

In the words of the Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division, in 2008, Dr. Richard Edging, “The cemeteries are testimonies of what was once here, of times gone by.”.

Latitude: N37 046.572
Longitude: W-92 009.891

Township 35-Range 11-Section 08

Pictures of Laughlin (Ballard) Cemetery can be found on at: www.facebook.com/pulaskicountycemeteries

Knapp Cemetery (Lawson Cemetery Phelps County)

Knapp Cemetery is located in Phelps County, MO., near the Pulaski County line. It is near Spring Creek, off Highway J. It is also known as Lawson Cemetery. At the time that most of the burials here occurred, in the late 1800’s, this land was a part of Pulaski County, Missouri.

Knapp Cemetery is a small, family cemetery, with only 5 marked graves. Two of these belong to members of the Knapp family, one to the Lawson family, and one to the Root family. One grave may be a transient burial. Joseph Hampton Pruitt was born in Greene County, Missouri (28 April, 1854) and died in Pulaski County, Missouri, 7 February 1898. It is unknown if he was passing through the area or had settled here. It does not appear that anyone has been interred here since his burial.

Township 35-Range 10-Section 22

Joiner Cemetery

Joiner Cemetery is located in Pulaski County, MO., off Highway 17 North at Ozark Trails, on a farm that was owned by Joe Thornsberry.

Joiner Cemetery is a small, family graveyard with about 25 marked graves. About 5 of the tombstones belong to members of the Joiner family. Other family names that can be found here are: Anderson, Barlow, Brunett, Burks, Carrell, Hiatte, Odom, Prater, Roop, Taber, and Wilhelm. The oldest stone is that of Jesse Taber, six year old son of Sarah A., who passed away 12 October, 1875. It appears that the last burial here was in 1938, when David Barlow died 24 November, 1938.

Township 38-Range 12-Section 34

Johnson Cemetery

Click picture for a larger view of Johnson Cemetery's location in Pulaski County, Missouri.

Johnson Cemetery is located in Pulaski County, MO., near Crocker, Missouri, on what was once known as the “old Charley Cook Farm”, which has also been owned by John Sharp.

Johnson Cemetery has about 31 marked graves, with almost half of them belonging to members of the Johnson family. Other family names that can be found on tombstones here are: Caldwell, Green, Howel, Kneip, Lappin, McKnabb, Phillips, Shannon, Skaggs, and Williams. The oldest stone belongs to Jesse A. Skaggs who died 6 October, 1856. At least one person has been interred here since 1980.

One story stands out in Johnson Cemetery. Joseph Lappin was born in 1836. As he was traveling from Polk County, Missouri to Wayne County, Illinois he died here in 1877. A marker was placed by his sons, Sam, Will, and John in 1949.

Latitude: 37.9553165
Longitude: -92.3123949
Township 37-Range 13-Section 12

Idumea Cemetery

Click picture for a more detailed view of Idumea Cemetery's location in Pulaski County, Missouri

Idumea Cemetery is located in Pulaski County, MO., near Laquey, Missouri, at 26148 Sherwood Lane.

Idumea Cemetery is a large graveyard for this area, and is well maintained, for the most part. One of the oldest stones found here belongs to Ida Alice Parsons who passed away 21 July, 1869.

Township 35-Range 13-Section 13

Idumea Baptist Church at Idumea Cemetery, near Laquey, Missouri. Photo by Pulaski Baptist Association.

The tombstone of Thomas J. Mosier, a member of the Woodmen of the World, at Idumea Cemetery. Photo by Pulaski County Obits.

Humbolt Cemetery

Humbolt Cemetery is located in Pulaski County, MO., on Highway 17 North in Crocker, Missouri. According to Tombstone Inscriptions of Pulaski County it is on private land and is in extremely bad condition. It is possible that the spelling of this graveyard should actually be Humboldt. Humboldt, Missouri, was a village in East Tavern Township 1 mile north of Crocker. Humboldt had a Post Office starting June 1854 until it was discontinued October 1868 to Talent City. Humboldt Post Office was changed to Crocker in 1869, after the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway was completed. The railroad bypassed the town of Humboldt and was the death knell for the settlement. It was named for Mr. Humboldt who kept a store there.

Humbolt Cemetery is small, only 7 marked graves. The family surnames that can be found on tombstones here are: Decker, Eligel, Lawson, Loague, and McDaniel. The stones date to the 1870’s with one stone dated 1886.

Hopewell Cemetery

Click picture for a larger view of Hopewell Cemetery's location in Pulaski County, Missouri.

Hopewell Cemetery is located in Pulaski County, MO., in Big Piney, Missouri, at 34710 Highway TT. At one time Big Piney was also known as Newtown. J.J Watts, the circuit riding Baptist preacher, who officiated at many funerals in the late 1800’s, early 1900’s, refers to this cemetery as Bayou Grave Yard on at least two occasions.

Hopewell Baptist Church at Hopewell Cemetery was established May 15, 1869. The original church building was destroyed by a cyclone and was rebuilt across the road from it’s original location. Folklore tells that the newer graves at the front of this cemetery are located where part of the original church once stood. There are not many stones dating before 1900, this may be in part due to the tornado that hit the church.

Township 34-Range 11-Section 12

Hopewell Baptist Church at Hopewell Cemetery in Big Piney, MO. Photo by Pulaski Baptist Association.