Clay County Cemetery Records,
Vols. I & II

Source: Ancestry.com

Description:
This collection of cemetery records adds to the growing number of databases in the "Ellsberry Collection." The database (and the collection) was compiled by long-time researcher, school teacher, and professional genealogist Elizabeth Ellsberry. These cemetery records contain the name of the deceased and his or her relatives, birth date, death date, and age, when given. Researchers may also find notes on some of the listed graveyards. The database includes more than 3,000 entries.

These records were originally transcribed from gravestones by volunteers for the Daughters of the American Revolution. In the 1940s, DAR made an effort to transcribe as many country graveyards as possible, including those in Clay County. The findings were initially published in a Liberty, Missouri newspaper, the Liberty Tribune.

Extended Description:
Ms. Ellsberry began genealogical publication in 1958, when she published her own family history, The Warrens and You. In researching her own family, she found that libraries needed additional information from cemetery records, wills, land records, probate records, census records, etc., to help people with their family history. Ellsberry decided that she wanted to help by publishing books that contained solid genealogical data. She taught school for 34 years, but on weekends and summer vacation, she would travel around to different courthouses and cemeteries, recording the information she found. She also corresponded with several researchers and helped them in their research. Ellsberry self-published more than 300 books, and most of them are available for sale. Most of the compilation of these books took place between 1958 and into the 1970s, so the recorded information should include the cemetery and/or courthouse records of that time period. Address: Ms. Elizabeth Prather Ellsberry, P.O. Box 206, Chillicothe, MO 64601

Source Information:
Ancestry.com. Clay County, Missouri Cemetery Records, Volume I-II. [database online] Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2001. Original data: Ellsberry, Elizabeth Prather, comp. Clay County, Missouri Cemetery Records, Volume I-II. Chillicothe, MO: Elizabeth Prather Ellsberry, 1962.



Newspaper Article - March 21, 1946
Liberty Tribune - Liberty, Missouri
Clay County Inscriptions In D. A. R. Library In Washington, D. C.

Miss Edna McKinley, chairman of the genealogical records committee of the Alexander Doniphan chapter of the D. A. R. has recently received a letter from Mrs. Alexander J. Berger, national geneological records chairman, commending her for her work of the past year in securing the publication of 967 old Clay county tombstone inscriptions from 37 country graveyards.

Mrs. Berger said, "As soon as time will permit, I plan to mount the inscriptions and place them in a stiff back binder and also to prepare an index for the names appearing on the tombstones. This will then make it possible to place the recorders on the Missouri shelf of our National D. A. R. library, and I feel confident it will prove helpful to many desiring information on Clay county ancestors."

The graveyard records are published in the Tribune each week, and they have been gathered by Miss McKinley in numerous trips over the county. There are many additional graves that are not recorded, and the cooperation of those who know of out-of-way family burying places will be appreciated, Miss McKinley said, since she hopes to make a complete list of all tombstone records in the county.

Miss McKinley has also collected marriage records of the county since the year 1822, and these are published each week in the Liberty Advance.



Newspaper Article - September 7, 1944
Liberty Tribune - Liberty, Missouri
DAR Collects Data from Old Cemeteries, Begin Report Today

In pre-war days when it was possible to take leisurely automobile rides over the pleasant country roads of Clay county, almost forgotten cemeteries in rural church yards and sadly neglected family burial plots on pioneer farms offered fascinating opportunites to the research worker and the casual visitor alike to delve into the romances and tribulations of generations long passed. Those interested in genealogical research found in these burial ground authentic data which enabled them to fill the gaps in family histories.

Years ago, the Alexander Doniphan Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution began a systematic effort to collect gravestone records with the idea in mind of having them published later. Miss Edna McKinley, chapter historian, with diligence has sought out the ancient graves of the pioneers, torn away the tangle of vines and underbrush, exposed crumbling monuments and faithfully copied names, dates and epitaphs.

While her work and that of other members of Alexander Doniphan Chapter is not complete, sufficient records have been copied to justify starting publication, which is being done through the co-operation of the Liberty Tribune.

In these later days such records have assumed a practical aspect. Now it is required that every man or woman who works in many fields of activity shall be able to prove that he or she is an American citizen. Many turn to thses not-to-be-dis-puted records on stones in country graveyards to authenticate their claims to American citizenship.

The DAR recognizes the valuable assistance rendered in this project by Edgar Archer and Mrs. John Earls, whose interest has led them to visit many of Clay county's neglected and out of the way burial plots and to copy the records carved in stone.

To make the work more valuable through its completeness, others are invited to co-operate with the DAR by reporting the location of isolated graves and by sending in copies of records to Miss Edna McKinley, Liberty.

Volume I
Table Of Contents


Arnold-Spellman Graveyard
Baldwin Graveyard
Baker-Evans Graveyard
Big Shoal Graveyard
Buxton Graveyard
Cameron Graveyard
Elishi Cameron Graveyard
Chandler Graveyard
Marion Crowley Graveyard
Davidson Graveyard
East Bethel Church Yard
Enon Church Graveyard
Graddy Graveyard
Hall Graveyard
Hodges Graveyard
Hart Graveyard
Holland Graveyard
Howdershell Graveyard
Hunt Graveyard
Hymer Graveyard
John R. Keller Graveyard
Ligen Graveyard
Lincoln Graveyard
Martin Graveyard
McQuiddy Graveyard
Means Graveyard
Moore Graveyard
Munkirs Graveyard
Old Liberty Graveyard
William Pence Graveyard
Pickett Graveyard
Price Graveyard
Rice Graveyard
Robertson Graveyard
Scott Graveyard
Shady Grove Cemetery
Stephenson Graveyard
Tillery Graveyard
Tull-Clark Graveyard
Valentine Graveyard
Wade Graveyard
Walker Graveyard
Wallis-Mosby Graveyard
Watkins Graveyard
Wilson Graveyard
Wood Graveyard



Volume II
Table Of Contents


Antioch Graveyard
Barry Graveyard
Brasfield Graveyard
Cameron Graveyard
Chandler Graveyard
Christian Church Cemetery
John (Jack) Crowley Graveyard
Ecton Family Burying Ground
Estes Graveyard
Faubion Chapel and Graveyard
Field Graveyard
Gash Graveyard
George Graveyard
Gill Graveyard
Little Shoal Graveyard
Lufflough Graveyard
John Majors Private Burial Ground
Mt. Zoar Graveyard
Mt. Zion Baptist Church and Graveyard
Mount Zion Graveyard
Muddy Fork Graveyard
New Hope Cemetery
Nicholas Graveyard
John H. Price Cemetery
Providence Church Graveyard
Sims Graveyard
Richard Simms Family Burial Ground
Stollings Graveyard
Tapp Graveyard
Watkins Graveyard
Weber-Irminger Graveyard
Welton Family Graveyard
Winn Cemetery
Woodland Cemetery
Woods Cemetery
Writesman Graveyard

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This page was last updated June 7, 2005.