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Old St. John's Evangelical Church/Old Blackjack Cemetery

 

The Old St. John's (German) Evangelical Church Cemetery (also called Old Blackjack Cemetery) was inventoried May 5, 1982 by C. E. Rinck and Dan Theurer. The cemetery is located south of Troy, Illinois, part of SW1/4 of NW1/4, Section 34, T3N, R7W, Jarvis Township, Madison County, Illinois. (Grid 055 N, 2105 E)  It is located in the northeast corner of intersection of Troy - O'Fallon Rd. with Lebanon Rd. (approximately 3.5 miles south of U. S. Rt. 40). The surrounding area is known as "Blackjack Settlement/Blackjack Community."

 

The 1873, 1892, and 1906 Atlases of Madison County, IL, on plat map of Jarvis Township, shows that St. John's (German) Evangelical Church and a school house had existed directly south of this cemetery. These maps also reflects many of the surnames as found on the grave markers of this cemetery. The church and school buildings were severely damaged by a storm in 1929, which resulted in both buildings declared condemned. The damaged buildings remained in place until March 15, 1938, when the devastating energy of a tornado leveled the remains of both the church and the school. Its force was of such magnitude that many of the tombstones were broken from their foundations and hurled from their original locations.

 

The Troy - O'Fallon Road originally was curved around the east side of the cemetery, that portion was then called "snake curve." In the modernization of this county road, it was relocated to the west side of the cemetery, and it is said that a parsonage once stood where the straightened road now exists.

 

Inspection of the tract will show that the county "right-of-way" posts are well into the west side of the original space of the cemetery. There is evidence, by grave market foundations, that there are/were graves (on County property) to the west of these R.O.W. posts. It is suspected that few of those graves have been "relocated," and that some of the grave markers are amongst those found within the "tombstone refuse pile" at the northern edge of this cemetery. The "tombstone refuse pile" contains remains of grave markers damaged by the tornado, roadway relocation effort, and, undoubtedly, willful vandalism. There are in excess of 27 grave markers, many broken into numerous pieces, in this "refuse pile." A maximum attempt was made to reconstruct the messages originally contained on those stones; however, that attempt was not totally effective. (Some burials are recorded in the Church records of St. John's Evangelical Church (now defunct) in custody of Frieden United Church of Christ, 207 E. Center St., Troy, IL 62294). In order to assist future searchers of these markers, an asterisk (*) precedes applicable entries to denote which grave markers can be found in the "tombstone refuse pile" at the northern edge of the cemetery.

 

Every available grave marker, both "in place" and those in the "refuse pile," were tediously studied and data therefrom was transcribed. Three tombstones (two pinnacle type and one huge square gray granite stone) were toppled with inscriptions against the ground; the size and weight of these three monuments are such that aid of mechanical lifting equipment is only recourse in raising these stones to read their inscriptions.

 

SYMBOLS & TERMS
* Found in "Tombstone Refuse Pile" Alter - Age/Aged
Ehefrau von - Wife of Ehegatte von - Husband of
Frau von - Wife of Gatte von - Male spouse of
Gattin von - Female spouse of Geb aus - Place born
Jhr. - Yr./years(s) Kinder von - Child/children of
M. - Month(s) Sohn von - Son of
T/Tag - Day(s) Tochter von - Daughter of
Unser Bruder - Our Brother Unsere Mutter - Our Mother

 

Note: The following information is from Mrs. Alfred Guttersoh, Breese, IL: On page 39, Christine Guttersoh, Geb Konig - Church records in Lambsheim, Germany show Honig as the maiden name. Also, on the same page, according to church records in Germany, John Guttersohn was born November 7, 1809.

 
NAME BIRTH DEATH OTHER COMMENTS
?, *Conrad August 6, 1866? August 8, 1866  
?, *E. S.     one small 8" x 14" tablet type stone; no other data
?, *John December 28, 1868 January 28, 1869 Kinder von John & Maria ? (balance of stone missing)
?, ? November 6, 188? November 2, 188? Alter 42 Jhr, 11 Mo, 26 Tag (balance of pinnacle stone missing)
Bohnenstiehl, Anna M. April 14, 1835 April 24, 1894  
Brek, Johannes September 19, 1862 October 5, 1880 Sohn von Jacob & Juiana Brek
Buckart, Barbara ? ? Geboren Bohnenstiehl; Ehefrau von Heinrich Buckart; (balance of stone missing)
Dollinger, Louise September 22, 1871

November 15, 1901

  
Eisenberg, *Charlie July 26, 1886 August 12, 1886 Sohn von G. & M. Eisenberg
Ernst, Jacob October 23, 1875 July 20, 1876 Sohn von J. & E. Ernst
Faitz, *Catharina October 6, 1859 August 12, 1860 Tochter von C. H. & S. P. Faitz; (Stonecutter) Filsinger & Ruth, St. Louis
Faitz, *George W. July 29, 1862 May 10, 1884 Son of C. & S. Faitz (Christoph & Salome Gross)
Faitz, John H. March 4, 1851 December 14, 1896  
Faitz, Maria M. June 17, 1861 November 10, 1878 Tochter von Chr. & S. Faitz (Christoph & Salome)
Faitz, Salomie October 28, 1838 March 11, 1892 Gattin von Christoph Faitz
Fehmel, Anna Elisabeth March 27, 1806 February 25, 1880 Geb Weber; Gattin von Martin Fehmel
Fehmel, Anna Elisabetha October 24, 1845 November 28, 1867 Tochter von Martin & Elisabetha Fehmel; Alter 22 Jhr, 1 M, 4 T
Gerne, Otto October 31, 1875 November 30, 1878 Sohn von L. & A. M. Gerne
Gindler, *Juliana October 13, 1855 October 1, 1873 Tochter von C. & M. Gindler
Gindler, Johann Helwig January 20, 1852 October 31, 1883  
Gindler, Margaretha April 25, 1832 December 10, 188? (year chipped off); Meine Gelichte Gattin
Grim, Joseph ? ? Co. I, 5th Mo. Infantry
Gutersohn, Louise May 14, 1869 June 7, 1892 23 Jhr, 1 M, 23 Tag
Guttersohn, *Christine May 18, 1810 ? (balance of stone missing); Geboren Konig; Ehebrau von Johann Guttersohn
Guttersohn, *John September 19, 1809 July 11, 1889  
Guttersohn, *Valentin February 21, 1858 August 13, 1869 Sohn von Johann & Katharine Guttersohn; 11 Jhr, 5 M, 19 Tag
Guttersohn, Linda June 17, 1863 October 30, 1873  
Haury, *Emil

1859

 ? (balance of stone missing)
Herbst, *Catharina E. January 13, 1875 January 22, 1875 Tochter von Friederich & Regina Herbst
Herbst, *Georg W. February 18, ? ? Sohn von Friedr. Wm. & Regina Herbst (balance of stone missing)
Herbst, *Heinrich F. March 29, 1871 September 17, 1877 Sohn von Friederich & Regina Herbst
Joseph, Barbara L. December 19, 1891 July 28, 1892 Tochter von D. & R. Joseph
Joseph, Louis May 22, 1878 September 1, 1881 Sohn von E. & B. Joseph
Kirsch, Louisa S.

1874

1887

  
Miller, *Katharina April 18, 1818 December 25, 1878 Frau von H. Miller
Miller, And'w not shown not shown Co. F, 82 IL Infantry
Ottwein, *Elizabethe January 22, 1861 January 25, 1887 Tochter von K. & P. Ottwein
Press, *K. Elisabetha

1792

 January 27, 1857 Geboren Kel; Ehefrau von Franz Press
Press, Franz April 23, 1787 May 21, 1851  
Press, Jakob April 23, 1787 May 21, 1851 also states last name as Bress
Press, Juliana January 20, 1830 February 21, 1889 Geb Engelhardt
Sauer, Henry not shown not shown Co. K. 5th Mo. Infantry
Schildknecht, Leonhard P. January 22, 1893 October 18, 1896  
Schmitt, Anna B. April 22, 1857 July 12, 1873  
Schmitt, Conrad March 31, 1864 December 14, 1879  
Schmitt, Fritz J. September 9, 1826 March 15, 1897  
Schmitt, Jacob September 29, 1858 July 7, 1873  
Schmitt, Philippine November 19, 1839

March 30, 1909

 nee Schneider
Schmitt, Samuel January 25, 1875 October 28, 1879  
Schoeck, *Chas. W. September 26, 1816 September 6, 1869 52 Jhr, 11 Mo, 10 Tag
Schoeck, *Georg ? ? Sohn von F. & M. Schoeck (balance of stone missing)
Siegel, *Maria February 27, 1870

1874

 Tochter von J. & M. Siegel (balance of stone missing)
Steinkonig, *Andreas I. July 25, 1826 ? Ehegatte von Maria Steinkonig (balance of stone missing
Steinkonig, Elisabetha January 8, 1851 November 10, 1864 Geb aus Ruchheim; Alter 13 Jhr, 10 M, 2 T
Steinkonig, Magdelena November 1, 1814 October 7, 1864 Geboren Beitelmann; Ehefrau von Andrea J. Steinkonig & Tobias Wohlgemuth
Sury, *Ida September 3, 1882 December 24, 1891  
Sury, *Mary August 26, 1880 September 30, 1891 Tochters von G. & B. Sury
Sury, Geo. November 29, 1843 September 26, 1894 50 Jhr, 9 M, 27 Tag
Sury, John November 13, 1845 February 8, 1896 Unser Bruder
Sury, Margaretha February 6, 1814 January 4, 1896 Unsere Mutter
Weber, *? February 28, 1871 September 17, 1881 Sohn von S. & M. Weber (balance of stone missing)
Weber, *Ph. Christoph ? ? Sohn von S. & M. Weber (balance of stone missing)
Weber, Adam December 10, 1813 October 20, 1894  
Weber, Margaretha June 10, 1819

March 2, 1901

  
Widicus, Maria K. January 16, 1816 January 13, 1891  
Wohlgemuth, *Johannes October 20, 1838 October 18, 1864 Geb aus Ruchheim; Alter 25 Jhr, 11 M, 28 Tag
Wohlgemuth, *Maria May 19, 1853 August 20, 1878 Frau von Jakob Wohlgemuth

 

Thank you to Nancy Gibbs for graciously providing this information.
 

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