Pinhook Cemetery
Tippecanoe County, Indiana

Contributed by David R. Cheesman, Nov 14, 2000 [gardenofstones1989@yahoo.com]. Total records = 49.

This cemetery, located in the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter section of Section 6, in the rural region of Jackson Township, Tippecanoe County, Indiana, is situated south of County Road 800 South, at 700 West, which is near Romney, IN.

A town first called "Clark's Point" and changed to "Clarksburg" was established here and recorded with the Tippecanoe County Recorder's Office in January of 1837, by Samuel O. Clark who is buried at Pinhook Cemetery. Clarksburg sprang up in January of 1837 with the north half of the "Town" in Wayne Township and the south half in presentday Jackson Township. "Main Street" in Clarksburg, aka Pinhook, is present day County Road 800 South. Other streets, such as "Crops Street" no longer exist. Unfortunately, the town was short lived and was gradually disassembled over the years following the death of its founder Samuel O. Clark in 1843.

Pinhook Cemetery was first named Clark's Point Graveyard and Clarksburg Burial Ground, then changed to Point Pleasant for a time. Those names were dropped and the cemetery was renamed Pinhook after a Revolutionary War Battle site and according to old timers because the nearby "creek looked like a pin hook." The first burial at Pinhook took place in 1828, the last interment was in 1910.

A number of people buried at Pinhook Cemetery were active members of Pinhook United Brethren church (now long gone) across the road in adjoining Wayne Township and nearby Flint Creek Friends (now Farmers Institute) in adjoining Union Township to the east). Many close relatives (of the mid 1800's) to those buried at Pinhook Cemetery may be located at nearby West Point Cemetery, Sherry Cemetery and Farmers Institute Quaker Burial Ground.

A stone quarry was established in the late 1950's or early 60's near the north and west sides of Pinhook Cemetery. The stone quarry business was shut down when someone visting the grave site of relatives at Pinhook Cemetery happen to discover casket parts and human remains falling out of the west end of the cemetery as a consequence of the digging.

During the mid 1960's, a tenant farmer posted "No Trespassing" signs at the entrance of the dirt road leading into Pinhook Cemetery from Main Street (aka CR 800 S), and then destroyed the road by plowing it. During this same time, the decorative wrought iron fence disappeared, and descendants of those buried at Pinhook Cemetery organized to protest vandalism to the grounds. Another individual purchased the land and had entertained the idea of etablishing a trailer court on and /or beside Pinhook Cemetery, and again descendants organized and prevented the graveyard's destruction. Saving factor of the burial ground at that time was the fact two Civil War soldiers, Elihu Jones and Elias C. Moore, were proven buried there. A barbed wire and field fence with a wooden pasture gate was erected to replace the decorative fence that disappeared during the 1960's, but the roadway into the cemetery was never replaced.

Transcribed from "Pinhook Cemetery, An Illustrated Garden of Stones" copyright 1989 David R. Cheesman.

Bennett, Elizabeth, d. 04 Aug 1851, Age: 6 ms, 19 ds., dau. of D. & S. Bennett
Bennett, Mariah J., d. 28 Aug 1851, Age: 9 ms, 22 ds., dau. of D. & S. Bennett
Besser, Mary (Price), d. O3 Apr 1876, Age: 88 ys, 11 ms & 14 ds
Cheesman, Albert J., d. 10 Jul 1880, Age: 13 ys, 9 ms & 19 ds., son of Peter T. & Elizabeth Cheesman
Cheesman, Charles E., b. 1832, d. 13 Dec 1886
Cheesman, James Buchanan, d. 22 May 1862, Age: 3 ys, 5 ms & 9 ds, son of Joseph G. & Phebe C. Cheesman
Cheesman, Joseph G., b. 14 Oct 1814, d. 10 Feb 1886
Cheesman, Joseph S., d. 16 Nov 1877, Age: 8 ys, 10 ms & 7 ds, son of Thomas J. & Clara E. (Hughes) Cheesman
Cheesman, Joseph S., d. 24 Apr 1863, Age: 14 ys, 8 ms. & 15 ds, son of Joseph G. and Phebe C. Cheesman
Cheesman, Peter T., d. 27 Aug 1879, Age: 40 ys, 9 ms & 24 ds, son of Joseph G. & Phebe C. Cheesman
Cheesman, Thomas, b. 1810, d. 1845
Clark, Mary Jane, d 183-, Age: 1 yr & 10 ms, dau of Sam'l O. & Mary Clark
Clark, Rachel A., b. 1780, d. 28 May 1828, wife of Samuel O. Clark
Clark, Samuel O., b. 1774, d. 12 Jan 1843
Dannielle, Elizabeth, d. 19 Jan 1842, wife of Anderson Dannielle
Evans, Amanda, d. 01 Nov 1860, Age: 22 ys 6 ms 13 ds, wife of Wm. Evans
Evans, Mary E., d. 14 Sep 1856, Age: 1 y 1 m 2 ds, dau of Wm. & Malissa Evans
Garber, Rachel M., d. 26 Feb 1859, Age: 21 ys 16 ds, wife of Othiel Garber
Hicks, Mary, d. 07 Oct 1841, Age: 14 ys 9 ms 10 ds, dau of Lemeuel C. & Elizabeth Hicks
Jones, Alma, b. 04 Jul 1867, d. 18 Sep 1872, dau of Elihu & Eliza Jones
Jones, Elihu, b. 24 Apr 1837, d. 26 Jan 1901, Veteran of Co. E, 10th IN VOL INF pvt (Civil War)
Jones, Eliza Jane (Miller), b. 18 Jun 1836, d. 25 Sep 1910, wife of Elihu Jones
Jones, Mary, b. 07 Apr 1871, d. 26 Sep 1872, dau of Elihu & Eliza Jones
King, William, d. 09 Feb 1847, Age: 20 ys, 7 ms & 26 ds, son of Caleb & E. King
Mack, Rachel, d. 13 Oct 1874, Age: 36 years, wife of Jacob Mack
Miller, Andrew, d. 07 Aug 1839, Age: 10 years, son of William & Rebecca Miller
Miller, Elizabeth J., d. 20 Jan 1854, Age: 5 ms & 7 ds, dau of William & Rebecca Miller
Miller, James, b. 24 Oct 1789, d. 19 Nov 1870
Miller, James, d. 09 Aug 1854, Age: 13 years, son of William & Rebecca Miller
Miller, Julia Ann (Lane), d. 17 Nov 1875, Age: 61 ys, 6 ms & 23 ds, wife of James Miller
Miller, Leah, d. 10 Oct 1876, Age: 61 yrs, 2 ms & 21 ds, wife of John Miller
Miller, Priscilla (nee Travis), d. 20 Dec 1839, Age: 31 ys & 2 ms, wife of James Miller
Miller, Rebecca, d. 30 Jul 1875, Age: 86 ys,9 ms & 19 ds, wife of William Miller
Miller, William, d. 23 __ 1834, Age: 46 years. Stone carver failed. to inscribe month of death on stone
Moore, Allis Cary, d. 08 Jun 1866, Age: 3 ys, 3 ms & 20 ds, dau of E. M. & M. E. Moore
Moore, Elias C., d. 13 Jan 1866, Age: 36 ys, 8 ms & 7 ds. Co. C, 72nd. INd. INF (Civil War vet)
Moore, Grant, d. 20 Nov 1877, Age: 11 ys, 7 ms & 8 ds, son of E. & M. E. Moore
Moore, Liza, d. 08 Sep 1842, 11 ys, 6 ms & 8 ds, dau of Elijah & Sarah More
Moore, Sally D., d. 23 Apr 1872, Age: (broken & missing pieces), wife of Elijah Moore
Moreland, James, d. 25 Jul 1853, Age: 25 ys, 2 ms & 27 ds
Moreland, Rachel, d. 29 ys, 6 ms & 27 ds, wife of James Moreland
Patterson, Goldman, d. Sep 1853, Age: 14 years
Peterson, Harriet, d. 04 Feb 1862, Age: 30 yrs, wife of Thomas Peterson
Peterson, Thomas J. Jr, d 19 Jul 1860, Age: 3 ys, 1 mo & 18 ds, son of Thos & Harriet Petterson
Strain, Infant, d. 06 Jan 1866, son of James & M. J. Strain
Strain, James, d. 30 Sep 1900, Age: 77 yrs
Strain, John W., d. 03 Feb 1864, Age: 11 yrs, 11 mos & 12 ds, son of James & M. J. Strain
Wray, Louie M., d. 31 Jan 1876, Age: 6 ys & 2 ds, daughter of A. & S. Wray
Wray, Sarah D., d. 03 Mar 1890, Age: 48 ys, 10 ms & 27 ds, wife of Ansalem Wray

Indiana Genealogy Links