ROHRBAUGH CEMETERY, Caldwell Co., MO (Also known as Old Hamilton, Prairie or Robo Cemetery) Hamilton Township -- Section 14, Township 57, Range 28 Located: in west central Hamilton on Harris Street. Mr.. Young is one of the few businessmen left in Hamilton of the 70's and his own history if interesting apart from his memories. He was reared on a farm west of town on the Cameron road, where his father, C. H. Young, moved 1869. The young man studied law in the office of Shanklin, Low, McDougal at Gallatin and was admitted to the bar 1876. He located at Hamilton 1878 and began in an office on south Main east side where Chas. Burnett's barber shop stands. Several years ago, he served as State Senator. He has held the job of Notary Public fifty six years under sixteen Governors.

His parents and several others in his family are buried in the old Cemetery west of town and his story concerns this burying ground.

The plot is described as east half of out lot (44) forty-four railroad addition to Hamilton. It was legally called the Prairie Cemetery as shown on the old deed giving the plot to the City by Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Rohrbough. Mr. Young now has this deed. In the 60's and 70's every one called it the Rohrbough (or more often Robo) cemetery from its owner. In 1868, Alston Bowman and Vincent Bowman circulated a paper among the citizens for the purpose of buying ground for a graveyard. Ben Langshore purchased the land from the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad and sold the same to Anthony Rohrbough, he then called A. G. Davis to survey the land and lay it out in lots, giving him as pay several lots in the north west corner. The Davis lots are now vacant because their dead are moved to the new or Highland Cemetery. A plat is in existence made by Mr. Rohrbough which shows very careless register of graves, at times the plot and tombstones left are in conflict. In a few instances he marks a grave site - name lost - or unknown - or sold.

The charge were high: $8 for a lot, $15 for a double lot, $3 or $2 for a single grave, much higher than the first prices in the new cemetery - $3 for a regular lot. He is said to have demanded pay before burial was made. There were no roads inside the cemetery, only paths between lots. Coffins were carried by hand from the public road. The Hamilton people became dissatisfied and wanted a city-owned graveyard.

After the new cemetery started in 1876, Mr. Rohrbaugh lost patronage because the new lots were cheaper, better arranged and in a better site. Thus, the old cemetery with taxes became a load on the owner and without profit. He tried to give it to the City of Hamilton to hold as long as the premises should be used to cemetery purposes. But Hamilton would not accept the gift. Hamilton tried to make Rohrbough take it back, the case went into court, even to the Supreme Court of the State with the result that they declared that Rohrbough did not have to take it back and Hamilton did not have to take it. Hence today it stands as No Man's Land, with broken stones and unkempt and untaxed. The last burial was that of T. H. Hare, photographer 1916 in the old Hare lot with his wife and children. On that day, cars drove to the graveside over sunken graves and empty grave holes.


This old cemtery is known by several names. It was first legally called the Prairie Cemetery as shown on the old deed giving the plat to the city by Mrms. Anthony Rohrbough.

In the 1870's and 1880's every one called it the Rohrbough (or more often Robo) Cemetery for it's owner. In 1868, Vincent and Alston Bowman circulated a paper among the citizens for the purpose of buying ground for a graveyard. Ben Langshore purchased the land from the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad and sold the same to Anthony Rohrbough; he then called A. G. Davis to survey the land and lay it out in lots, giving him pay several lots in the NW corner. The Davis lots are now vacant because their dead have been moved to the new or Highland Cemetery.

The charges were high: $8.00 for a lot; $15.00 for a double lot and $2.00 or $3.00 for a single grave. He is said to have demanded payment before burial was made. There were no roads inside the cemetery, only paths between lots. Coffins were carried by hand from the public road.

The Hamilton people became dissatisfied and wanted a city owned graveyard. The new cemetery was started in 1876 and the price for a regular lot was $3.00. Since the lots were cheaper, better arranged and in a better site, Mr. Rohrbough lost his patronage. He tried to give it to the City but Hamilton would not accept it. The Supreme Court of the State declared that Rohrbough did not have to take it back and Hamilton did not have to take it so since 1878, it has stood as "No Mans Land", untaxed and unkept with many broken stones. It contains many graves unmarked; some of which were never marked, some marked with a wood slab, long since decayed. Many of the graves have been dug up and moved to other cemeteries.

The first burials were thought to be:

Austin Aiken d. 1867 and
Jane Collins and Dora Witwer, who died in 1868.

In the Arms lot, in this cemetery three soldiers of the "War of 1812" are buried.
Phineas Arms 1783-1872,
Wm. Page 1788-1880 and
Asa Page 1789-1880.

The last burial was that of: Thos. H. Hare, (a photographer in Hamilton since 1868) who was buried in 1916/17, long after anyone else. The Hare lot was started in 1873 when the son Ora, age two died of deptheria and the funeral was private and held at night to prevent spread of the disease. Mrs. Hare died about 1900.

ALTMAN, Cora M., dau. of Elijah & Mary, d. Oct. 31, 1872 aged 2y

AIKENS, Austin E., died 1867
Levilla, his wife, Apr. 1840 Aug. 12, 1895
Leila May, dau., died 1874 aged 14y

ANDERSON, Lottie B., Oct. 11, 1871 Jul. 4, 1873
Lillie M., Dec. 20, 1869 Jul. 19, 1871
Children of Jas. T. & Harriet E. Anderson

ARMS, Plineas, Oct. 26, 1783 Jun. 11, 1872 War of 1812
Maria (Martha) Bolles, d. Sept. 29, 1880 aged 82y

ARMSTRONG, Sarah, wife of Chas., d. Apr. 30, 1872 aged 70 y

BARKER, Simeon, (young man) d. ca. 1874
Harriet, d. 1869 (these two are brother & sister)

BARLOW, Cyrus, Sr., d. Jul. 23, 1882 aged 69y 9m
Mary K., wife of Cyrus, d. Nov. 3, 1879 aged 66y 3m 15d
Carrie, Inf. dau. of G. & Sarah, d. Nov. 21, 1872 aged 7m
Inez, dau. of Geo. & S., d. Aug. 28, 1883 aged 15y 10m
(Cyrus & Mary's tombstones were moved to Highland Cem.)

BARNES, Lora, dau. of J. & C. S., d. Jan. 9, 1873 aged 8m ?

BEARDELY, (county buried)

BELL, Jane, (colored) b. ca. 1828 d. after 1870

BOALBY, I., ?

BOWERS, Ida, dau. of M. I. & S., d. 1881 aged 1y 6m

BROWN, Geo. I., Nov. 3, 1815 Jul. 23, 1883
Mary, wife of G. I., d. Mar. 24, 1876 aged 61y 3m 29d
Herbert, only child of Henry & Anna, d. May 29, 1873 aged 9m

BRYANT, Mattie, dau of H. H. & M. C., d. Nov. 1887 aged 10y
Henry, b. 1822 d. Mar. 23, 1896
Mary, 1828-1876

BUNTS, Sarah, wife of W. H., d. Oct. 2, 1872 aged 64y 4m 11d

BURTON, Jessie A. or H., d. Sept. 27, 1874 aged 17y
Minta R., d. Aug. 4, 1869 aged 1m 14d
Albert A., d. Jul. 9, 1864 aged 2m 3d
Children of W. E. & A. Jane Burton
(These three children were moved to Highland Cemetery)

BUSTER, Infant, son of Davy Buster, ?

COLBY, Caroline, wife of J. F., 1829-1869 (Moved to Highland Cemetery)
some early Colby babys buried here too.

COLLINS, Jane, wife of Michael, d. Sept. 16, 1868 aged 45y 2m 22d
(She was moved to Highland Cemetery)

CORTLAND, Bertha S., dau. of P. J. & H. M., ?
Son of P. J. & H. M., ?

COSGROVE, Infant,

CROW, Alex, killed in mill explosion 1870 (Moved to Highland Cemetery)
Two children died earlier

DAWSON, May, dau. of O. W. & Lizzie, d. 1872 aged 2y
(Moved to Highland Cemetery)

DODDRIDGE, Dr. Joseph, Jan. 21, 1809 May 9, 1875\6
(Moved to Highland Cemetery)

DODGE, Austin P., d. Apr. 1, 1877 aged 44y 8m
Nellie, dau. of A. P. & Mary L., d. Sept. 29, 1869 aged 1y 11m

DUNN, Charles, (colored), b. ca. 1815 d. after 1870
Harriett, his wife, (colored) b. ca. 1831 d. after 1870

DUTTON, King W., son of Wm. & J. A., d. Apr. 7, 1870

DORT, John D., 1816-1891
Mary, 1811-1876 (All three moved to Highland Cemetery)
Barbara, 1841-1877

ELLIOTT, William, Jun. 27, 1825 Jan. 27, 1890
Athalinda, wife of Wm., b. ca. 1827 d. 1877

EVANS, Bertha E., dau. of Addison J. & Eloise, d. Jul. 11, 1869
aged 3y (Fell in a tub of boiling suds)

FARABEE, Samuel, d. Nov. 26, 1873 aged 62y 6m 16d
(Moved to Highland Cemetery)

FULLUM, Mrs. (Mother of Blanche Ervin?)

GAGE, Daniel, d. May 2, 1872 aged 52y 7m
(Missionary in foreign field)

GEE, Israel, Mar. 2, 1811 Dec. 18, 1887
Deborah L. Covert, wife of I., born at Cincinnatus, N. Y.
Apr 3, 1814 Jul. 16, 1878
Charles C., son of I. & D. L., born at Cincinnatus, N.Y.
May 1, 1842 Dec. 29, 1870
(All three moved to Highland Cemetery)

GREEN, Mary Claypool, 1842-1873 Dau. of Perry Claypool and 2nd
wife of Judge M. T. Green, stage coach man.
Clarence A., d. Mar. 1881 aged 29y
(Both moved to Highland Cemetery)

HARE, Thomas H., Dec. 31, 1839 Sept. 1, 1916
Ora, d. 1873 aged 2d
Agnes Johnson, b. ca. 1844 d. ca. 1900

HARLOW, Carrie S., dau. of Geo. & S.A., d. Nov. 21, 1872 aged 7y
Inez, d. aged 15y 10m

HILL, James A., d. Jul. 24, 1881 aged 34y 9m
(His grandparents lie here, too.)

HENDERSON, Geroge W., d. Dec. 25, 1874 aged 24y 10m
George E., son of Geo. W. & S. L., d. Oct. 1873
HINES, Mollie E., wife of M. O., d. Feb. 18, 1872 aged 21y 3m
Infant Son, d. Feb. 5, 1872

HOAGLAND, Richard D., d. Sept. 6, 1895 aged 40 or 46
(Lies in Brown lot with stone similar to the Browns.)

HUNTER, Albert, first born of E. P. & E. M. Hunter,

JONES, Russell, son of Wm. & Catherine, d. Aug. 29, 1873 aged 6y
(Moved to Highland Cemetery)

KAUFFMAN, Henrietta, wife of Casper,
Two babys belonging to Casper's brother

LEEPER, Infant Dau. of S. J. & H. D., d. Feb. 1871

LOW, Leon M., Aug. 7, 1859 Sept. 4, 1875
Sarah M., Jan. 1, 1858 Sept. 7, 1875
Lewellyn E., Apr. 2, 1852 Oct. 2, 1872
Georgie, son of Marcus A. & Diantha L.,
(All moved to Highland Cem.)

McCLINTOCK, Mildred, d. Sept. 19, 1903 (Moved to Highland Cemetery)

McGILL, George,
Mrs. George
Fred (all five are colored)
Willie
Jeannie (Infant), d. 1897

McFADDEN, Henry, d. Dec. 28, 1868 aged 43y

MAGAW, James, d. Jun. 16, 1880 aged 36y 5m 3d
Mackey, son of Jas. & L., d. Nov. 20, 1875 aged 2y 3m 14d

MAYFIELD, Maggie J., dau. of C. & Lucy, d. Sept. 29, 1880 aged 7y 3m 11d

MARTIN, Infant son of Samuel F. & Margaret A., d. 1869

MITCHELL, Strather Marion, 1839-1883
& two of his children

NEWELL, Emma, dau. of J. & M., d. Oct. 29, 1878 aged 6y
W. F.,

NICHOLSON, F.,

NILES, John, b. ca. 1840 d. before his wife (grandparents of Clarence
Henrietta (Harriett), b. ca 1837 d. 1878 Greene)

PAGE, Asa, Mar. 10, 1789 May 26, 1880 War of 1812
William, 1788-1880 War of 1812

PARTIN, Elizabeth, wife of William, b. ca. 1840 d. Jul. 22, 1895
Mildred Mary, dau. of Wm., d. Jan. 26, 1896
(Both Elizabeth & Mildred moved to Highland Cemetery)
Tennie, dau. of Henry S. & Mary E., aged 5m 8d
Henry S., d. May 20, 1879
(Mollie) Mary Davis,
Thomas
Purle, d. 1890 of consumption

PRYOR, Herbert, aged 10y
Infant son,
Twins,
(Children of Al Pryor)

PUTNAM, Geo. S., b. ca. 1820 d. 1880/90 owner of stockyards scales
Sarah, wife of G. S., b. ca. 1822 d. Sept. 24, 1875
Frank H., son of G. S., d. Sept. 4, 1875

REDDY, George, 1826-1908 (Both moved to Highland Cemetery)
Ethelinda A. Gould, 1825-1873

ROOK, J. P., d. 1875 aged 1y
S. M., May 22, 1872 Jul. 21, 1873
Children of Chas. & S. M. Rook

ROBINSON, Elijah, d. 1869 aged 63y 1m 8d

ROGERS, Sam, (colored)

SAIN, R. F.

SANBORN, Phebe, wife of Ira, d. 1868 aged 54y

SELL, Rebecca F., dau. of Geo. Witwer, d. May 14, 1874

SIGMAN, Marinda, 1st wife of John, Apr. 22, 1827 Sept. 14, 1872
Margaret, Mother of John, d. Feb. 19, 1874 aged 73y
(Both moved to Highland Cemetery)

SHAVER, Jane or June, wife of Chas. d. Feb. 28, 1870 aged 68y 13d

SHERMAN, Alta L., dau. of S. W. & E. B., d. Sept. 1870
Jennie, dau. of S. W. & E. B., d. Mar. 1872

SMITH, Jason, aged 15y 7m 26d
Thomas, d. Sept. 15, 1876
Novah Olga, dau. of C. T. & L., d. 1871 aged 1y

SPRING, M. Carrie, wife of I. C., d. Jun. 28, 1871 aged 35y 5m

SPROWL, (a suicide--buried at South edge of Cemetery--not allowed to be with other dead. May have been Hugh Sprowl)

TAIT, William K., d. 1871
Hallie H., son of H. & D., aged 4m 12d

THOMAS, James, d. 1880
Diadama, d. 1889
, wife of Milo, d. 1871
, wife of Milo, d. 1868

THOMSON, Infant,
Leary (Lepke),
Ralph, b. 1869
Children of Asa & Amanda Louise Munson Thomson

VanSLYKE, Courtland H., son of Peter J. & Hannah M., d. Nov. 29, 1880 aged 27y
Bertha S., dau. of P. J. & H. M., d. 1870 aged 13y
Mary C., wife of E. E. or S., d. May 14, 1879 aged 21y 3m
Emma E., wife of E. E.,

VAUGHN, Nora, dau. of G. W. & L. A., d. 1871 aged 2m 21d
Infant Ida,

WALKER, Jas. O., d. Sept. 4, 1871 aged 52y 9m 12d
Maggie L., wife of E. H., d. Sept. 10, 1872 aged 17y 9m 21d
Vic, son of Jas. O., (first grain elevator man)

WITWER, George O., Aug. 25, 1824 Sept. 16, 1886
Elizabeth,
Dora, dau. of Geo. & Elizabeth, d. Dec. 10, 1868 aged 2m

WILBUR, Esther K., d. Dec. 18, 1877 aged 45y 6m 4d

WILSON, George S.
Mrs. George, wife of George,
G. P., Infant,

YOAKUM, (county buried)

YOUNG, Two sisters of the family of S. M. Young,
C. H.

YOUTSEY, Medora B., wife of O. S., d. Oct. 26, 1877 aged 21y 3m 7d



Back

This page was last updated August 21, 2006.