McGary’s Burial Ground
Dennis M. Au, October 2011; Revised August 2012
There is significant evidence of either a pioneer cemetery or Indian burial site in
the vicinity of the corner of Vine and N.W. Fourth Streets in downtown Evansville. This
could be the site of what was known as McGary’s Burial Ground. Since there is no map
locating this cemetery or any other cemetery in the vicinity, we must rely on a few
documentary sources, some historical remembrances, and reports of encountering human
internments. Sadly the historical remembrances are not precise and the articles
describing the discoveries of burials give information that is incomplete and sometimes
questionable. This report presents the evidence that is available.
It is known that the first land-owner in what is now Evansville, Hugh McGary, Jr.
had a pioneer cemetery on his land. It is mentioned in Charles Zapp’s “Vanderburgh
County’s Old Cemeteries” that it existed from 1816 to 1829. (Appendix J) In 1818, when
McGary and two other promoters of Evansville proposed developing a parcel—the
“Donation Enlargement”—as an incentive to locating the county seat in Evansville, the
offer noted McGary reserving one acre within the boundaries of this plat for his cemetery
(Appendix A). However, there is no information exactly where this acre is within the
plat except it was on McGary’s land. (Vanderburgh County Register of Plats, Vol. E, p.
6.)
McGary’s Burial Ground probably fell from use when the city opened up the
Evansville Graveyard in 1844—if not before. It is a logical conclusion that some of the
oldest the tombstone in Oakhill Cemetery—Elizabeth Harrison, d. July 17, 1818—and
the others dating to the second decade of the nineteenth century—probably once stood in
McGary’s Burial Ground. This is mentioned in the biography Hugh McGary: Father and
Son by Hallie H. Strickland (Oklahoma City: Private Publication, 1978, p. 48.) There is
no other documentation to substantiate this speculation about the stones. 1 The only
people we are sure were buried here are Hugh McGary’s wife Mary (also known as
“Polly”), his infant daughter Amandah, and another child. (Appendix B, D, H, and I;
Hugh McGary: Father and Son, p. 48) Mary and her children all died of “fever” in 1821
and 22.
Seeing the need to put boundaries on this cemetery as Evansville grew, in 1821
the Evansville county commissioners ordered that Hugh McGary, Jr. lay out the
boundaries of the cemetery so it could be surveyed. McGary selected a one acre square
parcel orientated the same as the streets with the center point being the tombstone of his
daughter Amandah. (Appendix B) It is reasonable to assume that McGary’s wife was
later buried close to this spot.
1
The stone for Elizabeth Harrison who died in 1818 is the best candidate for having been moved fro m this
cemetery to Oak Hill Cemetery.
The location of the cemetery was remembered in four sources as at or in the
vicinity of Lot 172 of the Donation Enlargement. Brant and Fuller’s History of
Vanderburgh County (1889) located this cemetery on the site of the First German
Methodist Church—which roughly coincides with Lot 172 if the Donation Enlargement.
(Appendix C) In 1901, the burial ground is placed at the same location in the
introductory history of Evansville found in Artwork of Evansville. (Appendix D) Zapp’s
“History” (Appendix J) places it on the site of the “Courthouse Annex,” which is the old
church property.
In 1931 two stories appeared in the Evansville Press that suggested that McGary’s
descendants had provided some information on the location of the cemetery in the 1860s
or 70s. The story states that they wanted the grave of their ancestor, Mary McGary
located. Initially it was pinpointed under the foundation of the German Methodist
Church. This story when published sixty or seventy years later, caught the attention of a
gentleman who reported finding a human burial under the church—a woman with red
hair whom they speculated was Mrs. McGary. (Appendices H and I) This is the only
internment reported on Lot 172. The discussion in the article also provides evidence
suggesting there had been no effort to move Mrs. McGary’s body.
In the early twentieth century a minimum of nine sets of human remains were
reported or recalled in this area either within Lot 212 or in the streets adjacent to this lot.
(Appendices E, F, and G) These articles called this area “an Indian burial ground.” In
1916 when workers laying a “service pipe” found four sets of remains in the street
intersection, it was remembered that “arrow heads and Indian relics were found” during
the construction of the adjacent Furniture Building eight years earlier. (Appendix G)
This is the only mention of finding evidence in support of this association. As is evident,
the identification of the remains as Indian and calling the area “an Indian burial ground”
is inconclusive speculation at this point. However, it would not be unprecedented to find
a pioneer cemetery located in the same place the Native people used for their
internments—so this site could be both Indian and pioneer.
From the historic record, reminiscences, and encounters with human remains it is
conclusive that the general area of the intersection of N.W. Fourth and Vines Streets is a
concentrated site of human internments and probably the location of McGary’s Burial
Ground. The Artwork of Evansville (Appendix D) described this cemetery as “extending
up and down the street.” The specific placement of McGary’s wife’s grave under the
entrance and under the German Methodist Church which would place it adjacent to the
street (Appendices C and H), the recollection of finding burials at the site of the “little
building on the corner” of Lot 212 (Appendices E and I), and the reporting of finding
human burials at the intersection of N.W. Fourth and Vine Streets (Appendix F) points to
the possibility that the writer meant that the cemetery literally went “up and down” N.W.
Fourth Street.
Appendix L is a map drawn to show the location of the cemetery based on the
available information. The boundaries include Lot 172, the plot most historical sources
identify as the location of McGary’s Burial Ground. It also includes Lot 212. This is
where skeletal material was found in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
The boundaries also encompass the streets adjacent to these lots as human remains were
reported here, too.
Finally, Mr. Stan Schmitt’s contributions to this report must be acknowledged.
Mr. Schmitt referred me to the County commissioner’s records and newspaper accounts
cited in this report.
Appendix A
Brant and Fuller, History of Vanderburgh County Indiana, From the Earliest
Times to the Present, with Biographical Sketches, Reminiscences, Etc. (Madison,
Wisconsin:1889), p. 103.
“March 11, 1818
The Honorable, the Commissioners appointed pursuant to law to fix the
permanent seat of justice for Vanderburgh county:
Gentleman…. On that part of the land proposed as a donation there is a graveyard,
which is on the land belonging to Hugh McGary, one of the proprietors; at this place the
said Hugh McGary reserves one acre of ground to include said graveyard in such a
manner as to do the least possible injury to said town, which he reserves as a graveyard,
the title of which he will not divest himself of in any way….”
Appendix B
“Vanderburgh County Commissioners,” Book B, February 21, 1821, pp. 47, 51,
and 52.
Page 47, “Ordered that the agent of Vanderburgh County be required to give Col.
Hugh McGary notice to select his acre of ground out of the donation part of the Town of
Evansville.”
Page 51. “Ordered that that the Agent of Vanderburgh Cty be authorized to
employ some Surveyor to lay out an acre of ground selected by Hugh McGary in the
Donation Given by the said McGary, Robert M. Evans, and James W. Jones to the
County of Vanderburgh, which acre the said McGary reserves as a Grave Yard the right
of which he will not divest himself of The Center of which acre is to begin at the Tomb
Stone of Amandah F. McGary and to go an equal distance each way from said Tomb
Stone so as to run parallel with the lots and Streets of the Town of Evansville so as to
make a square. The said McGary made this Selection before and in the presence of the
County Commissioners Court for the County of Vanderburgh.”
Page 52. “Ordered that John Thompson be allowed the Sum of One Dollar for
Surveying the Grave Yard.”
Appendix C
Brant and Fuller, History of Vanderburgh County Indiana, From the Earliest
Times to the Present, with Biographical Sketches, Reminiscences, Etc. (Madison,
Wisconsin:1889), p. 283.
“First German Methodist Episcopal Church – Organized in 1842, this was the first
church formed by the German Methodists of the city. After four years the congregation
had become able to build a house of worship costing $1,263, which was devoted to this
use twenty-two years, when it was replaced at a cost of $34,621.00, by a commodious
brick structure now in use and standing at the corner of Fourth and Vine streets, on the
very spot where was located the first graveyard used by the early citizens of Evansville.”
Appendix D
Art Work of Evansville, Ind. (The Gravure Illustration Company, Chicago: 1901),
p.13.
“Before taking leave of the founders of the city it should be mentioned that Hugh
McGary moved to Philips County, Arkansas, in 1825, and died there early in 1830. None
of his direct descendants reside in Evansville, or vicinity. He profited little in worldly
goods by his direct labors. What was known as McGary’s burial ground was located at
the corner of Fourth and Vine Streets, extending up and down the street, and here many
of the early settlers were buried, and it is said that McGary’s wife is buried near the
entrance of the [German Methodist] church located on this corner.”
Appendix E
“Indian Burial Ground May Frighten Negro,” Evansville Journal-News, 10
August 1908.
“Superstition may lead a dozen colored workmen engaged in excavating at Fourth
and Vine streets, preparatory to the erection of the Furniture Exchange Building at that
corner to put down their tools and quit their jobs.
The site of the proposed skyscraper was formerly an old Indian burial ground.
Should skeletons be struck it is expected that the colored workmen will not proceed
further with their work. An ancient superstition peculiar to the colored race which has
caused colored men to quit their jobs in the past will apply in this instance.
The ground at the site was broken at 8 o’clock Wednesday morning. Twenty
excavators and fifteen teamsters were given employment. The men made great headway
during the forenoon and at 3 o’clock this afternoon earth several feet in depth had been
carried away from the lot.
Years ago, even before Evansville was settled, this site was an old Indian
cemetery. When excavation was made for the little building now on the corner several
skeletons were dug up. [See Appendix K] A number of bones were picked out of the
ground when the street around the lot was bricked several years ago. The rear end of the
old lot was at one time a part of the old Wabash and Erie canal bed.
The earth from the lot is being hauled to Second avenue and Tennessee street and
there dumped in an old pond.”
Appendix F
“Find a Body of an Indian,” Evansville Journal, 17 August 1908.
“Workmen engaged in excavating at Fourth and Vine streets, on the site of the
Furniture Exchange building, struck what is believed to be the skeleton of an Indian
Saturday evening.
The excavators, who have been on the lookout for coffins and skeletons ever since
the work at the site of the proposed big building began were not surprised at their find.
The site was formerly an old Indian burying ground and it is believed many
coffins containing skeletons are underground in the vicinity. A number of small bones
and pieces of human skull were found.”
Appendix G
“Indians’ Bones are Dug Up by Laborers,” Evansville Journal, 17 October 1916.
“Four complete skeletons Tuesday were unearthed by laborers laying a service
pipe at Fourth and Vine streets Tuesday morning. The site is said to have been used by
the Indians as a burial ground before the whites settled here. While digging the
foundation for the Furniture building a few years ago a number of skeletons, arrow heads,
and other relics were found. This sites adjoins the site where the bones were found
Monday and it is thought the burial ground included both places. The bones are on
exhibit at No. 2 Hose House.
”
Appendix H
“Canal Days Recalled In March of Progress –Mrs. McGary’s Burial Place,”
Evansville Press, 17 January 1931.
“[J.E.] Iglehart also made another interesting discovery.
‘Few persons probably know,’ he said, ‘that the body of Hugh McGary’s wife
was buried in an old cemetery at Fourth and Vine Sts. where the Fourth Street M.E.
Church now stands. It was never removed unless in excavating her bones were
accidentally carried away.’
Mrs. McGary’s great grand- father [?] 60 or 70 years ago [Between 1860 and
1870] wrote to the late James Scantlin from Arkansas, giving him the information and
requesting that he find the exact spot.
Scantlin turned the information over to the late Sebastian Henrich, formerly in the
abstract business and a short time before ‘Bass’ Henrich became ill with what proved his
last illness. I had him take me to the spot and point out the exact location. The burial
was at a point which is now the foundation of the church, 30 feet from Vine-st and 60
feet from Fourth-St. Ira Fairschild, who carried a surveyor’s pin, was the man who
located the burial place.”
Appendix I
“Grave Under Church Believed that of Wife of City’s Founder,” Evansville Press,
18 January 1931.
“A lonely slender tree once marked the spot in a downtown church basement of
the burial place of a woman who might have been Mrs. Hugh McGary, wife of
Evansville’s founder. A woman’s skull, containing a wealth of brilliant red hair, was
disinterred where the slender tree grew 36 years ago, and Earl W. Moser, 2325 West
Ohio Street, said Saturday he believed the skull was that of Mrs. McGary.
He made the disclosure after reading a story in Saturday’s Press in which John E.
Iglehart, 83, an attorney who delights in delving into Vanderburgh County’s early
history, recalled that Hugh McGary’s relatives, writing from Arkansas, revealed that Mrs.
McGary’s body had been buried in the old graveyard at Fourth and Vine Streets where
the Fourth Street Methodist Episcopal Church now stands. Iglehart’s narrative
reawakened sleeping memories in Moser.
His memory reverted to 36 years ago [1894 or 95], when as a boy of 12, he had
accompanied his father, Michael Moser, to the Fourth Street Church. Michael was the
church’s janitor, and he also did light hauling.
One day, Mrs. A.C. Rosencranz, wife of Major Rosencranz, sent for Michael.
Winter was coming, she told Moser, and she had an oleander tree in the yard which could
not stand the cold weather, so she asked Moser to transplant it to a warm place.
‘We took the tree from Mrs. Rosencranz’s yard,’ Earl Moser said yesterday, ‘and
as Father was the janitor of the church, he decided to transplant it for the winter in the
basement. I rode along on the wagon with him and went down into the basement. The
tree was large, and Father had to dig a big hole for it in the basement. While digging, the
shovel suddenly struck something which gave a hollow sound.
‘I remember Father stooping down and scooping out the earth with his hands. He
brought up the skull of a woman from which the scalp. Containing beautiful red hair, had
fallen away. Father stopped digging after that and he brought the skull and hair up to the
vestry room. Later he buried it again under the oleander tree.
‘From Mr. Iglehart’s description of the spot where Mrs. McGary was buried, I am
satisfied the skull which my father dug up was that of the founder’s wife. Are there any
relatives of Mrs. McGary living? They could tell if she had red hair or not.”
Moser said the incident is fresh in his mind although it happened 36 years ago.
He said the spot where the oleander tree was planted is so vivid in his memory that he is
certain he could go to the church basement and find it again. ‘The spot I have in mind
tallies with that furnished by Mr. Iglehart—30 feet from Vine Street and 60 feet from
Fourth Street,’ Moser said.
Appendix J
sCharles Edward Zapp, “Vanderburgh County’s Old Cemeteries,” typescript, 14
September 1944.
“The first cemetery in Evansville was at the northwest corner of the Fourth and
Vine Streets. To the writer is [sic] has but a legendary existence as little or no
information could be secured. This was on the present site of the Courthouse Annex. It
no doubt was the only burial place of Evansville from the years of 1816 to 1829.”
Appendix K
1895 edition of Sanborn Insurance Map of Evansville, p. 15. (Updated to 1905)
Red arrow points to the “little building” referred to in Appendix D. It was recalled that
burials had been found when this building was erected. Map also delineates location of
German Methodist Church.
Appendix L
Proposed location of McGary’s Burial Ground
Location of reported internments and location of the cemetery in newspapers and local
histories. Map delineates the probably location of the cemetery based on this information.
Base map is 2005 aerial showing current property boundaries. This is the intersection of
N.W. Fourth St. and Vine St.