ASHENFELDER CEMETERY is in Union Township on CR 150, just north of CR 1100N, on the west side of the road. There is an abandoned house right near the road and a
barn just to the southwest. the area is clearly signed no trespassing. Oddly enough, I have found no record of any Ashenfelders being buried the in cemetery bearing the
name. But it would not come as a surprise if there were numerous
unmarked burials, including some members of the family. Approximately 50 graves from prior to the land transfer to the county remain marked in modern time. The
earliest extant marked grave is that of Amos Marshall. The stone is in pretty good shape for its age, the inscription still mostly legible 'Amos son of B & N Marshall
died Mar 24 1849 aged __ yrs 2 mos'. The earliest claimed burial is John Roberts who was supposedly born in 1902 and died in 1839 in Wabash County. The last
identified burial was that of Sarah Carmichael who died April 8, 1919, in Dunkirk. Beniah and Sarah are buried in the Eaton Cemetery where Beniah served on the
board of trustees.
The property containing this cemetery was originally granted to Abraham Shidler, one of the earliest landowners in the section, via patent on August 5, 1837.
August 5, 1837
Patent from the U S Government to Abraham Shidler
NEED:
deed from Shidler to ?
deed from ? to Holdren
An interesting note that may be the clue that breaks through this property transfer mystery is that Elizabeth (Mrs Benjamin) Holdren's last name is Shidler. But that,
as they say, is for another day.
March 2, 1843
Benjamin Holdren to Jacob Poorman
An old cemetery transcript, date and transcriber unknown at this time, included in the Delaware County InGenWeb site lists Sarah Catherine Poorman, daughter of J(acob)
and Eliza Poorman, who died August 26, 1851, aged 3 (transcript) or 9 (a biography of Jacob) months and 17 days. Her death occured after Poorman sold the land to Eshenfelder,
but Jacob's family still lived nearby for another decade. Based on available records for Jacob's children, there may have been another one or two who did not survive
during the family's time in Indiana. Jacob's mother, Mary Catharine (Bonebrake) Poorman, is said to have died in 1841. Jacob bought the land in 1843 so assuming she is buried there might be a stretch.
June 23, 1851
Jacob Poorman to Benaiah Eshenfelder
The state cemetery website's (SHAARD) location of this cemetery conflicts with the deed. The state does not provide a source but claims it is in the
southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 14, township 22 north, range 10 east (SW 1/4 NE 1/4 S14 T22 R10). But as found in the
deed dated April 29, 1861, Benaiah/Beniah Eshenfelder/Ashenfelder and his wife Sarah sold a parcel of land 'to the Public... of
Delaware County...for a public burial ground' for $10. It is described as Nine rods east & west by fifteen rods North & South in the East half of the South West quarter
of Section fourteen (14) in Township Twenty two north of Range Ten East (E 1/2 SW 1/4 S14 T22 R10). This would be about 1.35 acres. Unfortunately, there is nothing to
reference off of in that description, so locating it's exact boundaries is a challenge.
April 29, 1861
Deed from Benaiah and Sarah Eshenfelder to the Public, Delaware County deed
book 23, page 396
On January 25, 1876, Benaiah Ashenfelder and his wife Sarah sold Archie McClain the east half of the southwest quarter of section 14
for $2500. According to the deed noted above, that 80 acre parcel would have contained the assumed cemetery property sold above but no exception is noted. (E 1/2
SW 1/4 S14). This property is identified on the 1874 Kingsman map as belonging to B Eshelfelter, but the cemetery is not noted.
January 25, 1876
Deed from Benaiah and Sarah Ashenfelder to Archie McClain, Delaware County deed
book 40, page 275
On October 23, 1876, for whatever reason, Benaiah bought back that parcel of land from Archie and Barbara McClain for the same $2500. This deed doesn't not mention the cemetery either.
Deed from Archie and Barbara McClain to Benaiah Eshenfelder to Archie McClain, Delaware County deed
book 43, page 58