Sacred Gardens Gravestone Preservation

Sacred Gardens Gravestone Preservation Honoring those who have gone before us through gravestone cleaning, resetting repair and gravesite maintenance.

Jacque Gates gravestone preservationist

Serving central Indiana and beyond Sacred Gardens Gravestone Conservation and Restoration goals are simple, to honor and respect the lives of those who have gone before us by providing care for their final resting place. We achieve this by slowing the deterioration progression, by protecting gravestones and maintaining the gravesites. This process will not

make the Gravestone look as it did when first places but will assist in saving and protecting your loved one’s gravestone for present and future generations.

Spring time in remote mostly wooded pioneer cemeteries can be amazing to visit, especially if you love wildflowers and b...
04/16/2025

Spring time in remote mostly wooded pioneer cemeteries can be amazing to visit, especially if you love wildflowers and bulbs.
When I see a vast sea of grape hyacinths and daffodils, one knows it took decades for these bulbs to cover the cemetery. I so wonder when the original bulbs were planted. Absolutely a beautiful sight to see.
And if you look closely you will find many native wildflowers. At just this one I found Blood Root , springbeauty, may apples, trilliums, ragworts and so many others.
A little info about trilliums, there a 7 native trilliums to Indiana, one is on the endangered species list. They are very slow growing taking 7-10 years to bloom. But once established they can live hundreds of years. Talk about amazing!!
When walking through an old cemetery in the spring (before mowing starts) check out the native wildflowers as you wander.

The beauty is outstanding.

Burris Cemetery Hancock County Indiana

John Riley BrinegarThis is the story of John R. Brinegar born 28 Oct 1848 and died 19 Jan 1869 in Hancock county Indiana...
03/26/2025

John Riley Brinegar

This is the story of John R. Brinegar born 28 Oct 1848 and died 19 Jan 1869 in Hancock county Indiana. Died at the young age of 20 years old. He was not married and do not know a cause of death.

John was the son of Perry Brinegar (1819-1872) and Mary Henry (1828-1884). Married on 25 Feb 1847 in Hancock County. Only two children were found for Perry and Mary, John and Samuel (1851-1863). So heartbreaking their only children died young.
After Perry’s death Mary married Andrew Ferrell, no children from their marriage. Mary is buried next to Perry with what was originally a beautiful headstone.

John’s mother was Mary Henry, the sister to Susan Henry Howard. Daughter to Samuel and Atarah Lewis Henry.
John’s father Perry is the son of Morgan and Sally Lary. Morgan and family came to Indiana from Kentucky after 1820. The Family was in the 1830 censusHancock county and Morgan received a land grant here in 1835.

John has an absolutely beautiful headstone is that I just love. Beautiful detail and symbolism. So amazed in the transformation of his headstone.

The epitaph at the bottom of his stone says:
“And I heard a voice from heaven say, Write: Blessed are the
dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, say the spirit, so they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

Hancock County Indiana

The story of James Monroe Clark.James M Clark born 29 Aug 1849 and died 30 Apr 1874 in Hancock County Indiana. He was...
03/24/2025

The story of James Monroe Clark.

James M Clark born 29 Aug 1849 and died 30 Apr 1874 in Hancock County Indiana. He was the son of Ephraim Clark (1814-1867) and Barbary Hudson (1819-1873). Ephraim and Barbary were married in Wayne Co. Indiana in 1839. And came to Hancock county soon after.
His grandparents Ephraim And Sarah Custer Clark settled in Wayne county Indiana 1814.

James married Mary Roberts on 23 Nov 1873 in Hancock County Indiana. James died 30 Apr 1874 at 24 yrs old. Mary was 3 months pregnant at that time. Their baby boy was most likely stillborn on 28 Oct 1874. Their infant son is buried beside James.

I do not have a lot of information on James. No obituary found at this time to know his cause of death. And his death precedes death certificates.

Sometimes it takes a village. During a Hancock County cemetery commission workday we were able raise his obelisk.
His headstone was taller than my tripod could accommodate so borrowing another members tripod that had much longer legs than mine and great help from the members and volunteers we were able to lift James’ obelisk.

Beautiful to be able to continue tell the story of this young man.

Hancock County Indiana

Introducing Mary Lewis Roberts Clark Wisehart.Mary Lewis Roberts was born 18 Jul 1852 and died 22 Oct 1893 in Hancock Co...
03/23/2025

Introducing Mary Lewis Roberts Clark Wisehart.

Mary Lewis Roberts was born 18 Jul 1852 and died 22 Oct 1893 in Hancock County Indiana. She is the daughter of Leander Roberts (1829-1914) and Leah Vina Henry (1832-1902). Her mother Leah is a daughter of Samuel and Atarah Lewis Henry, and Leah is a sister to Susan Henry Howard. Mary was the oldest of the 8 siblings.

Mary married James M Clark (1850-1874) 23 Nov 1873 in Hancock County Indiana. James died 30 Apr 1874 at 24 yrs old. Mary was 3 months pregnant at that time. To add more heartbreak to this, their baby boy was born most likely stillborn on 28 Oct 1874. Their infant son is buried beside her husband James.

On 25 Sept 1877 she married Jacob Thomas Wisehart (6 Dec 1845-16 Jan 1923. Together they had 7 children.
Upon her death she was buried next to her first husband and baby and other family members.

Mary’s story continues.

Hancock county Indiana

I would like to share the story of Susan Henry Howard. Susan Henry born 19 Sept 1841 and died 20 Apr 1879 in Hancock ...
03/23/2025

I would like to share the story of Susan Henry Howard.

Susan Henry born 19 Sept 1841 and died 20 Apr 1879 in Hancock County. She was 37 years old.
Susan was the daughter of Samuel Henry (1798-1883) from Ireland and Atarah Lewis ( 1807-1853) from Greenbrier County WV/VA. Susan had 12 siblings and 3 half siblings that I was able to find.

Susan married John Howard (1838-1914) on 22 Aug 1861 in Hancock County. I’ve only found two living children for Susan and John at this point. Little tidbit to add, John was Susan’s step brother. John Howard is the son of Henry Howard (d 1840) and Elizabeth Snider (1817-1894). Elizabeth is the 2nd wife of Samuel Henry the father of Susan.

There are many of Susan’s siblings and her parents also in this cemetery. Susan is buried beside her husband in the same row as her parents.

Sharing the transformation of Susan Henry Howard. There are several obelisks in this cemetery and Susan’s is very similar to the Amack obelisk only slightly shorter and was fractured in two pieces.

It is always a wonderful feeling when a headstone is upright and the story continues.

To finish out for today.Additional Amack and Hunt children adding to the original story of Tunis and Nancy Amack family....
03/21/2025

To finish out for today.

Additional Amack and Hunt children adding to the original story of Tunis and Nancy Amack family.

Tunis Amack. Born 31 May 1852 and died 19 Aug 1853 age 1y 2m 19d
William born 30 Apr 1838 and died 17 Nov 1855 age 17 yrs. They are the sons of David (1817-1876) and Eleanor Wilson Amack (1817-1888). William was a twin.
David is a brother to our Tunis who traveled here from Ripley and Franklin county also. Lived in Hancock County a few years and in that time lost two children before moving west to Missouri.

Infant Son Hunt, no dates listed. He was the son of Nathan and Catherine Amack Hunt. The baby was possibly stillborn, it was common that stillborn babies were not given names. Usually just says infant daughter or infant son.

Miles O. Hunt born 1 May 1883 died 17 May 1883 age 16 days . Son of Nathan and Amanda Elsbury Hunt. Amanda was Nathan’s 4th wife.

Only one of these children has any record that they existed. Without their headstones as a record of their life their story would not be told. That is why it is so important to care for these precious ones.

Hancock County Indiana

This is the story of Monterville Hunt. Monterville was born 19 Feb 1858 and died 26 May 1874 at age 16 in Hancock Count...
03/21/2025

This is the story of Monterville Hunt.

Monterville was born 19 Feb 1858 and died 26 May 1874 at age 16 in Hancock County Indiana. He was the only child of Nathan Hunt (1835-1916) and Martha J. Hawkins (1838-1858).

Monterville’s mother died when he was just a few months old at the age of 19. His father remarried Catherine Amack who we previously talked about on 12 Jan 1860. There he lived his life with his father and step mother.

I found a brief in the Hancock Democrat posted 28 May 1874 stated. “ Monterville Hunt, son of Nathan Hunt of this township, died very suddenly of Dropsy of the heart, on Tuesday morning last.”
Dropsy of the heart refers to excess fluid build up. It could be from congestive heart failure, congenital heart defects, cardiomyopathy, also could be caused by viral infections and toxins. These can lead to sudden cardiac arrest especially in children. In 1874 there were not treatments that are available today. The treatment at that time Monterville was alive was blood letting.

Monterville was buried in the same cemetery as his step mother you will notice similarities in their headstones.

His story will continue to be told.

Hancock County Indiana

This is the story of Catherine Amack Hunt. She is a daughter of Tunis and Nancy Rader Amack that I just posted about p...
03/20/2025

This is the story of Catherine Amack Hunt.
She is a daughter of Tunis and Nancy Rader Amack that I just posted about prior.

Catherine was born 18 Jan 1838 in Ripley Co. IN and died 19 Mar 1879 in Hancock County IN at the age of 41 yrs.

Her family moved here to Hancock Co. between 1852 and 1860. Here she met Nathan Hunt who had a neighboring farm and were married 12 Jan 1860. Catherine was the 3rd of 4 wives of Nathan Hunt. The son of Nathan’s second wife was around 2 years old at the time he married Catherine and was raised as one of her own.
To their marriage of 19 years I have found 6 children, 5 lived to adulthood and one died at birth. The infant son and her step son are both buried in the same cemetery as with Catherine and her parents.

Like so often of the time, very little is found about the women and girls. Usually limited to the census, occasional will and their gravestone. So many times if you do find any information it will read “wife of”, “daughter of” or “Mrs.”with no first names. Just makes the restoration that much more important so to keep their stories being told.

This is the story of Catherine Amack Hunt.

Hancock County Indiana

This story will be told over several postings. Several family members are buried in this cemetery that restoration was ...
03/20/2025

This story will be told over several postings. Several family members are buried in this cemetery that restoration was completed.

Starting with the story of Tunis and Nancy Rader Amack

Tunis Francis Amack (21 Aug 1811 - 11 Jul 1875) was born in Monmouth County New Jersey, died in Hancock County. Indiana. Nancy Ann Rader ( 1813 - 3 Apr 1891) born in Indiana possibly in Franklin County, died in Hancock County.
They were married 23 Dec 1830 in Franklin County. Tunis and Nancy had 8 children that I have found. And unique for that time is most of them lived to adulthood.

Tunis is the s/o William Brannin (1787 - 1860) and Sarah Maria Stout Amack ( 1791-1854). They were married 2 Mar 1806 in NJ.
William and family left New Jersey and settled in Franklin Co. IN. prior to 1830. I am guesstimating they traveled this way between 1817 and 1826 due to a long gap between living children.
Tunis and his brother David received land grant in RipleyCo. 10 Aug 1837. Their father William received land grants in Franklin and Ripley co. around the same time.
Tunis lived in Ripley county for many years and actually considered one of the first settlers there in 1836. The story goes that he homesteaded the area that would later become Batesville. He homesteaded the land until 1852, when he sold his homestead to the John Callahan Trust Company to build a railroad right-of-way and establish a town. It was then that the city was laid out into 45 lots, creating the original downtown. The railroad ran through the center of the town, making use of Amack’s well to power the locomotives, since the well was considered such a good water source. The surveyor and engineer named Joshua Bates purchased lot #1 and hence the town name Batesville.

Tunis moved to Hancock county after 1852 and the family is listed in the center twp. Hancock County 1860 census.

I was unable to locate an obituary on Tunis, but he sold his farm to his youngest son the year before he died.
Nancy died years later, two weeks after a horrible accident where her gas stove exploded causing her injuries she was not able to recover from.

This is their story that so many of us (me included) had no idea about.

In the process of working in this cemetery, may I add everyone in here is related either by blood or marriage, we found other family members and their connection to Tunis and Nancy. They will be posted next. Just have to add, I too have family in here and will tell their story later.

Hancock County Indiana

An absolute honor to have been chosen as one of the winners !
02/09/2025

An absolute honor to have been chosen as one of the winners !

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Fortville, IN

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