|
III.A. Analysis and Evaluation of the Pleasant Hill Cemetery Sources |
|
|
|
The first two sources appear to be the most complete, and are believed to be credible sources: |
|
|
|
1. Papers found in the Phillips Estate, identifying 19 people and 20 (or 21) graves (one “nameless”, and another “?”), and including a sketch map of the known grave locations [Note 1] (and, see Appendix 1); |
|
|
|
2. Mrs. Ennis Johnson, who lived on the property, and reported 21 names [Note 2] (see Appendix 2); |
|
|
|
All of the 19 names in the Phillips Estate papers [1] are also listed by Mrs. Ennis Johnson [2], with excellent agreement; the location sketch map found in the Phillips Estate papers [1] shows at least one ‘unknown’ grave [“4. nameless”], and possibly a second [“?” (below 8.)]; and Mrs. Johnson’s list [2] shows 21 names, so it is possible that both documents record the same 19, 20 or 21 graves. |
|
Information on Samuel McAninch (1789-1859), Hendricks County pioneer, and the man who donated the land given to build the Pleasant Hill Methodist Episcopal Church, is given in another section, below. |
|
|
|
Mrs. Johnson’s list includes at least one subtle correction, which can be confirmed from other sources: |
|
Grimes, Mary J., not Mary L.; “Mary Jane Grimes” on the 1850 census [33]. |
|
Additionally, the fourth source, Mrs. Louise McAninch, includes highly-credible eye-witness accounts and photographs, although she was only looking for information on members of the McAninch family: |
|
4. On-site research at the cemetery by Louise McAninch in 1963 [4], and the six photographs that she took at the cemetery (see Appendix 4). |
|
Conversely, the third source is an incomplete list, with only 13 names; the original hand-written list appears to be from an earlier survey, and, as described above, there are some notable mistakes on this thirteen-name ‘short list’ found at the Indiana State Library [3] [3a1] [3b] (see Appendix 3). |
|
|
|
5. Additionally, the fourteen-name ‘short list’ at the Plainfield - Guilford Township Public Library, Plainfield, Indiana [5] [5g] [5h], appears to be derived directly from the Indiana State Library sources, the thirteen-name ‘short list’ [3a1] [3b], with the addition of Anna M. King, wife of John King, per the “Mark Accas, 1977” note [3a2] (see Appendix 3). |
|
“Old Pleasant Hill Methodist Cemetery”, Copyright 2003, by Frank McAninch page 10 of 68 |
|
Permission granted to copy freely for any non-commercial purpose except copyrights owned by others |