Cemeteries
Jefferson City, Mo., - A cemetery or a graveyard is not always a place of sadness and reverence; it is often a place of history and education and enlightenment. There you can trace your ancestry, learn about great people who have gone before you, follow the history of your community and gain insight into life itself.
A graveyard is almost always owned by the church on whose property it sits and is reserved for members of that congregation. The use of graveyards was largely discontinued in the mid 1800s because of the rapid rise in population, outbreaks of highly infectious diseases, and lack of space on church property. As a result, cemeteries, especially in their modern landscaped and garden form, became the principal place of burial for the deceased.
A cemetery can be a privately owned business or it may be publicly owned, operated by the city, state or nation. Cemeteries are a respected, protected area. The vandalism of grave sites, markers or buildings is considered a serious crime.
A National Cemetery—there are 146 throughout the United States—usually contains the graves of U.S. military personnel, veterans and their spouses, but not exclusively so. A few National Cemeteries, especially Arlington, contain the graves of important civilian leaders and national figures. Also, there are state veteran cemeteries for the internment of local veterans. Some State and National Cemeteries contain sections from the Civil War which contain Union and Confederate soldiers.
There are five National and State Cemeteries in Missouri.
Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery is an American military cemetery located in Saint Louis on the banks of the Mississippi River. Originally Jefferson Barracks Military Post Cemetery in 1826, it became a United States National Cemetery in 1866 an attempt to put together a formal network of military cemeteries.
Jefferson City National Cemetery in Jefferson City, Mo.
Jefferson City National Cemetery in Jefferson City. The first interments, in 1861, were Civil War soldiers who died in local skirmishes. The cemetery was officially designated a National Cemetery in 1867 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, October 1, 1998.
The 55 acres of the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Higginsville were dedicated in November 1999. The first burial ceremony took place in January 2000. There is no residency requirement for interment in a Missouri Veterans Cemetery, but there are strict eligibility requirements.
The Missouri Veterans Cemetery, on 60 acres in Springfield, is a partnership between the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Missouri Veterans Commission. When it became apparent the National Cemetery in Springfield was rapidly approaching full capacity, this site was established for Missouri veterans. The first interment was conducted on 10 January 2000.
Springfield National Cemetery in Springfield, Mo.
The Springfield National Cemetery in Springfield is small by comparison, encompassing only 18 acres. It was established in 1867 as a resting place for Civil War Confederate soldiers, many of whom died at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek. It has been expanded to all veterans and holds the remains of soldiers dating back to the Revolutionary War.
Seven other historically significant cemeteries of note are found in Missouri.
Located between Westport and the town of Kansas City, Union Cemetery was established in 1857. It was used by both towns, becoming a “union” between the two. When Union Cemetery was dedicated, it was thought the 49 acres would accommodate all of the deceased in Westport and Kansas City for all time.
Mount Mora Cemetery in Saint Joseph, Mo.
Mount Mora Cemetery in St. Joseph, established in 1851, is the oldest operating cemetery in St. Joseph. The boom years of the post Civil War period gave rise to the building of some of the finest tomb-architecture. Mausoleum Row, near the main gate, reads like a who’s who, vying against one another to build magnificent mausoleums. Three Missouri governors are buried at Mount Mora: Robert M. Stewart; Willard P. Hall; Silas Woodson. The Swamp Fox of the Confederacy, M. Jeff Thompson, is buried there.
Lexington’s Machpelah Cemetery was created by the Missouri General Assembly in 1849. It remains one of Missouri’s oldest corporations in continuous existence. Among those buried here are victims of the 1852 Saluda steamboat explosion; one of the founders of the Pony Express; and Civil War soldiers killed in the 1861 Battle of Lexington.
In north St. Louis, two adjacent cemeteries (Bellefontaine and Calvary) offer tremendous Civil War history. There is no place on earth where more Union and Confederate generals lie at rest in such close proximity. More generals who commanded armies during the Civil War lie here than are buried at Arlington and West Point.
Bellefontaine Cemetery, founded in St. Louis in 1849 holds many noteworthy individuals, including: William Clark; Adolphus Busch; Thomas Hart Benton; and William Burroughs. There are several architecturally significant monuments among the 314 acres, and more than 86,000 burial sites. The grounds are spectacular in every season.
St. Louis is also the home of Calvary Cemetery, which contains the graves of Dred Scott; General William Tecumseh Sherman; playwright Tennessee Williams; and many noted persons identified with the beginning of St. Louis.
The year 1808 marked the beginning of Old Lorimier Cemetery in Cape Girardeau. It is believed to hold more than 6,500 burial sites, most of which are unmarked. A sidewalk serves as a north-south dividing line. It is said that Catholics are buried on the south, Protestants on the north; the east slope is believed to be the burial grounds of blacks. More than 1,200 Civil War soldiers are buried there.
Bloomfield Civil War Cemetery, in Bloomfield, holds markers of soldiers who died during the Civil War. Each marker includes a brief account of where, when and how that soldier died.
Only a few of Missouri’s numerous cemeteries are listed here. These and others hold a wealth of information about the state and the nation. A visit to a cemetery can guide you through your family tree, teach you the story of the great Civil War and offer insights into how Missouri and the United States were founded and have progressed.
For more information or to order a free copy of the Official 2010 Missouri Travel Guide, log on to www.VisitMO.com, or call 800-519-4800.
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Contact:
Sarah Luebbert
Missouri Division of Tourism
573-522-5501
Sarah.Luebbert@ded.mo.gov
