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III. A. Analysis and Evaluation of the Pleasant Hill Cemetery Sources |
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Known in the 20th century as the “(Old) Pleasant Hill (Methodist) Cemetery”, both the church and |
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the cemetery have been lost; the cemetery was destroyed in 1967, and only a few ‘cemetery survey’ records can be found. Fortunately, these secondary records include four different ‘eye-witness’ accounts of the graves in the cemetery, all made before the cemetery was plowed under and lost: |
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The first two sources appear to be the most complete, and are believed to be credible sources: |
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1. Papers found in the Phillips Estate, identifying 19 people and 20 (or 21) graves (one “nameless”, |
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another “?”), and including a sketch map of the known grave locations [Note 1] (see Appendix 1); |
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2. Mrs. Ennis Johnson, who lived on the property, and reported 21 names [Note 2] (see Appendix 2); |
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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. |
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Mrs. Johnson’s list includes at least one subtle correction, which can be confirmed from other |
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sources: Grimes, Mary J., not Mary L.; “Mary Jane Grimes” on the 1850 census [33]. |
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3. An earlier survey (before 1964), found at the Indiana State Library [3] (see Appendix 3); and |
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4. On-site research at the cemetery by Louise McAninch in 1963, and the six photographs that she |
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took at the cemetery in 1963 [Note 4] (see Appendix 4). |
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The fourth source, Mrs. Louise McAninch, includes highly-credible eye-witness accounts and |
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photographs, although she was only looking for information on members of the McAninch family. |
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Conversely, the third source is an incomplete list, with only 13 names; the original hand-written list |
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appears to be from an earlier survey, and, as described [below], there are some notable mistakes |
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on this thirteen-name ‘short list’ found at the Indiana State Library [3] [3a1] [3b] (see Appendix 3). |
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5. Additionally, the fourteen-name ‘short list’ at the Plainfield - Guilford Township Public Library, |
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Plainfield, Indiana [5] [5g] [5h], appears to be derived directly from the Indiana State Library sources, |
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the thirteen-name ‘short list’ [3a1] [3b], with the addition of Anna M. King, wife of John King, per |
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the “Mark Accas, 1977” note [at the Indiana State Library] [3a2] (see Appendix 3). |
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Both the Phillips Estate papers [1] and Mrs. Johnson’s list [2] agree with other (external) sources, and additional information has revealed three notable mistakes on the original hand-written ‘short list’: |
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1. addition of Anna M. King, wife of John King, as corrected by Mark Accas’ note in 1977 [3a2] [48] |
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(an updated fourteen-name ‘short list’ is available at the Plainfield Public Library) [5] [5g] [5h]; |
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2. Isabelle McAninch is the (first) wife of Enoch George McAninch, not “wife of John McAninch”; |
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3. and Samuel McAninch, died 30 July 1859, is indeed “Samuel” McAninch, not “Ernest” McAninch. |
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“Old Pleasant Hill Methodist Cemetery”, extract from webpages 9,10 of 68, McAninch.Net/genphcem |
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McAninch Family History NL, v.XI.n.3 July 2003 Copyright Frank McAninch page 2003-23 |