JOHNSON GROVE CEMETERY
Clinton Township of Dekalb County, IL.

History

Johnson Grove Cemetery is located on Shabbona Grove Road between Leland and Kane Road, wet of Highway #23 and south of Waterman, in section 30.

The citizens of the town of Clinton met at Johnson Grove school house and negotiated for two acres of land of C. B. Whitford for a public burying ground.  A bargain was made and the sum of $0 paid into the treasury.

Mrs. Miriam Matteson, wife of Ben Matteson, was one of the pioneer women who came into early Illinois, bore their children, lived a rough life and then succumbed at an early age.  She was determined not to be buried in a grave that would be lost to posterity, and early in the year 1848, when she became ill, she was certain death was approaching, when she was only 25 years of age, and asked her husband to make arrangements to have a tract of land set aside for a burial ground near their home.  It is unknown whether or not this burial ground was established before or after her death, October 22, 1848.  The overhead sign at the cemetery reads 1848-1980.  She was the first to be buried in this cemetery.

"Fanny Hinds, etal to Directors of Johnson's Grove Cemetery Association:

The grantor, Fanny Hinds, a widow, of the Town of Clinton, County of DeKalb and State of Illinois, William R. Hinds and Mary Hinds, his wife of Webb, Iowa, Orvis Hinds, a widower of Crookston, Minnesota and Allen Booth, a widower of the Town of Shabbona, for and in consideration of $400 dollars in hand convey and quit claim to the Directors of Johnson Grove Cemetery Association of the Town of Clinton, County of DeKalb, State of Illinois the following real estate, to wit:

The south 20 rods of the east 18 rods of the west half of the south east quarter of section thirty (30) twp 38 R 4 E containing 2 1/4 acres of land.  All rights under and by virtue of the Homestead Exemption laws of the State.

Dated 14 Jun 1904
Deed Book 107, pg. 113."

 

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