MIER/VAN PIXLER

An abandoned cemetery north of Mier which is so forgotten that I could find no one who knew anything about it. The name of Jumper is still found in Grant County and appears in marriage records before 1860. The above was written by the DAR in the 1940's. Later this was added without a date. Mr. Henry Highly, a man more than 80 years old and a resident of Richland Township all his life, says that this cemetery was called the Van Pixler Cemetery. Grant County marriage records show that Thomas V. Pixler married Mahala Galbreath, December 1862. He was a soldier in the Civil War. Mrs. Jack Whisler of Landessville says that she has a twin brother and sister buried there. I visited this cemetery in Nov. 1994. It has been kept up as well as can be expected for the condition it is in. Many stones are missing and broken. I believe many are buried in the ground. I found several stones that were not recorded by the DAR in the 1940's. One can just look around and visualize that there were probably a hundred to a hundred and fifty more people buried in this cemetery during its time. The oldest stone I found was that of Jedothon Harnden son of J. & S. Harnden died Sept. 19, 1851 aged 14 days. The most recent was the burial of John B. Jumper June 24, 1850 - Aug. 17, 1889. I also found 4 stones that were totally obliterated from time and the weather. I could not read anything on them. A few years ago, descendants of Charles Parker worked in this cemetery in hopes of finding their ancestor Charles Parker. After they had located him and some of the other ancestors of their family they had the stones set in cement in the front of this cemetery. Let me add a little history of the area. Union Town, (named after a town in Mexico) the original name of Mier, was surveyed for Charles & Elizabeth Parker and John P. & Nancy St. Clair on 11 day of Sept. 1848, by Ephriam Smith, County Surveyor for Grant County. Recorded in Deed Book C pgs. 233 & 234. I could find nothing on why the name was changed from Union Town to Mier. In the Marion, Indiana Public Library (Indiana Room) will be found a brief history of the Parker family. Charles Parker was born in Clinton County, Ohio, and I believe John P. St. Clair was from that area also. They both came into Indiana around 1840. Parkers first settling in Delaware County. Then Charles Parker lived for a short period in Blackford County, before finally settling in Richland Township - Grant County. At the front of this cemetery is a sign giving credit to Charles Parker and John P. St. Clair for establishing Mier. Because so little is to be found here today, I have also included the footstones that were found while reading this cemetery. *Denotes a stone not found at this time.

Mier/Van Pixler

Clanin, Reuben son of T. & E. Clanin died Mar. 23, 1862 aged 5y.2m.5d. Clannin, Samuel H. died in Nashville, Tenn. Nov. 16, 1863 aged 23y.10m.6d. (Footstone found with the initials S.H.C.) Hardacre, Alphama dau of John & Margaret Hardacre died Feb. 6, 1863 aged 1m.26d. (Footstone found with the initials A.H.) Harnden, Jedothon son of J. & S. Harnden died Sept. 19, 1851 aged 14 days Jedothon died Sept. 6, 1870 aged 80y.2m.28d. "I.H.S." (Footstone found with the initials J.H.) Susan died Oct. 15, 1874 aged 66y.11m.26d. Johnson, Harriet C. dau of S.C. & P.L. Johnson died Jan. 9, 1875 aged 38y.8m.14d. _____ wife of Samuel Johnson died Oct. 22, 1876 aged 60y.1m.4d. (The given name was broken off and lost.) Jumper, Infant son of J.B. & O. Jumper died July 25, 1870 Infant dau of J.B. & O. Jumper died July 25, 1870 These two infants were listed on the same stone. (They are probably the twins that Mrs. Jack Whisler was speaking of.) John B. June 24, 1850 - Aug. 17, 1889 Oneida wife of John B. Jumper died Oct. 21, 1871 aged 20y.11d. (I found this stone but the given name of Oneida was broken off and lost.) Marks, Estella dau of W.H. & M.J. Marks died May 25, 1874 aged 1y.3m.21d. (Footstone found with the initials E.M.) "Sweet little bud for earth too fair Has gone to heaven to blossom there." McGee, George W. son of W. & M.J. McGee died Aug. 3, 1875 aged 4 months Leonard son of W.S. & M.J. McGee died Apr. 25, 1874 aged 10m.21d. Parker, Adaline dau of C. & E. Parker died Mar. 19, 1852 aged 5m.1d. Charles died Nov. 15, 1857 aged 44y.7m.1d. (Footstone found with the initials C.P.) Infant son of C. & E. Parker born & died June 20, 1853 William son of C. & E. Parker ___ (the bottom was buried in cement.) From a genealogical paper found in the Marion Public Library I found that he died Mar. 11, 1863 aged 14y.2m.13d. Pixler, * Mary E. dau of T.V. & N. Pixler died Mar. 1870 aged 6y. Slagal, Adaline dau of F. & M.E. Slagal died Sept. 8, 1860 aged 6y.23d. Slagle, Joseph T. died Oct. 12, 1874 aged 50y.6m.10d. Snodgrass, * Mary dau of D.B. & S.E. Snodgrass died Sept. 6, 1863 aged 5y.9m. Sarah E. wife of D.B. Snodgrass died Nov. 23, 1869 aged 35y.8m.25d. Warren, Infant son of C.A. & G.S. Warren died Sept. 28, 1875 aged 3 days

...Original page by Sheila D. Watson

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