Oakwood Cemetery Trip, Part 3: More Surprises

We spent a couple hours visiting with the Duttons, but we knew we wanted to also spend a good amount of time with my g-g-g-grandfather Aaron Walker (1788-1862) so it was time to move along.  But before we did, the sexton Jerry had told me about the oldest part of the cemetery, so secluded and far back in the woods, there was no road to it.  Jerry was confident there were no Walkers or Duttons back there, but my son wasn't going to leave without walking the area, so we headed back there.

As soon as we turned off the road and started driving down the path we came upon a couple isolated graves, and my son shouts "It says 'Dutton'"!  And he put the car in park.

As is our custom, we each put a stone we brought from home on the marker to show it had been visited.

"Eunice Hazen, wife of Marvin Dutton, born in Hartford, Vt. Jan. 10, 1799, died Aug. 31, 1885."  Marvin Dutton (1799-1872) was the older brother of my g-g-g-grandfather Samuel Dutton (1806-1835) and Norman Dutton.  As a reminder, my g-g-g-grandmother Nancy (Smith) Dutton married Samuel, gave birth to my g-g-grandmother Louisa, Samuel died, and as a widow she married Norman, who was Samuel's younger brother.  Follow all that?  Geesh they make it complicated!  Next to Eunice was a small slab marker, again worn smooth.  Not even the shaving cream trick could bring up anything on it.  Was it Marvin?  Or was it a child?  I am hoping to get the info from the sexton.

On the other side of Eunice was this marker --

Theodore S. Barton (1826-1888) and his wife Almira M. (1836-1899).  The Bartons have made an appearance in my blog before!  As you can correctly guess, Almira Marie (Dutton) Barton is the daughter of Marvin and Eunice Dutton.

Next to Theodore and Almira was another marker (almost completely illegible without the shaving cream, and completely legible with it, not saying that is an excuse to keep using it, it is not) --

 "Dora A., Dau. of  T.S. & A.M. Barton, died Mar. 25, 1872, Aged 4 Yrs. 5 Mos."

I must say I have been overall impressed with the amount of information my ancestors have decided to put on their stones.  ESPECIALLY maiden names, one of the hardest things to locate in the rural midwest predating marriage licenses.

Much more to follow in Part 4.

Copyright © 2010 by Kevin W. Walker

Not So Fast!: The Newspaper Record of the Death and Burials of Norman J. Dutton (1810-1889)

Norman Dutton was the step-father of my great-great-grandmother Louisa Dutton (1833-1913), and was an early settler of Metamora, Woodford County in Illinois.  So we go to the Metamora Herald newspaper seeking his obituary and here is what we find in the March 22nd, 1889 issue --

Word has been received by Mrs. Theodore Barton that her uncle Norman Dutton, formerly a citizen and early settler of this locality, had died at his home near Great Bend, Kansas last Monday.

Well there I go!  The attention of my research, including to find his gravesite, switches to Kansas, right?  Not-so-fast!  Research provides us with a second entry.  In the October 4th, 1889 issue of the same publication we find --

The remains of Norman Dutton were brought here yesterday, from Great Bend, Kansas, for burial.  Mr. Dutton died last March and was buried in Kansas, and has now been removed to Oakwood Cemetery for final rest.

Usually the researcher hopes for a long obituary loaded with information.  Here we have a small entry, but it gives me a wealth of clues!  We now know where he is buried, is this a clue where to find his wife, especially since they went to the trouble of moving his remains here?  Louisa got remarried to her fourth husband, one James Easterling while in Kansas, which confused me.  Additionally, her son, my great-grandfather Henry M. Walker (1864-1952) married my great grandmother Lucy M. Chesley (1866-1940) while in Kansas.  Now this all makes sense -- the family, three generations, moved there together.  One final "long shot" to look into -- Great Bend, Kansas is in "Barton County."  The Bartons of Illinois were closely tied to the Duttons, including multiple intermarriages.

Copyright © 2010 by Kevin W. Walker