Book lovingly documents lives of those buried in area cemeteries / LJWorld.com

Archive for Thursday, July 2, 2009

Elsie Middleton, left, and Iona Spencer look over some graves in Stull’s cemetery, one of several cemeteries that they have put together extensive files on. Spencer has recently published a book about her 40-year effort: “Cemeteries & Known Burials of Lecompton & Kanwaka Townships.”

By Brianne Pfannenstiel

July 2, 2009

Women's efforts keep history alive

Two women have documented the lives of those buried in area cemeteries. Enlarge video

Iona Spencer is full of stories. She has drawers and drawers full of them.

Carefully recorded onto thousands of 4-by-6-inch note cards are stories that span centuries, documenting the lives of the more than 4,000 people buried in and around Lecompton.

“I feel like I know them. I’ve worked with their names so long,” Spencer said. “We found so much history.”

Spencer, who has spent the last 40 years collecting the family histories of those buried in Lecompton and Kanwaka, has finally seen the culmination of all her research with the publication of “Cemeteries & Known Burials of Lecompton & Kanwaka Townships.”

The 73-page book compiles birth, death and genealogical information of those buried in the area. It lists, by burial site, the names and family connections of each person laid to rest there.

Elsie Middleton, who has worked with Spencer on the project for the last four years, said the two had spent countless hours researching to include not only the area’s main cemeteries, but also its small family burial plots and forgotten grave sites.

“Every cemetery that we worked on, including some of those private cemeteries, are just very fascinating,” Middleton said. “In some of the obituaries we read there was a capsule of that person’s life, but it just whets the appetite for more.”

Many of the cemeteries the pair visited didn’t have any records of their own — just maps with the names of who was buried where. Spencer said one cemetery hadn’t kept records for more than 28 years. She said she and Middleton would use old newspaper obituaries, state census records, family contributions and online genealogy sites to piece together the histories of the area’s first settlers and those who came after them.

“It’s such a thrill when you find something,” Spencer said. “It was a chore, but I just seem to enjoy doing it. I enjoy helping other people check their families because they get so excited. You learn a lot.”

Middleton said she decided to help with the project because of a general love of history and pride in the area’s settlers and heritage.

“I thought it would be a shame if their history wasn’t captured,” she said. “It’s not totally captured now, but it’s an effort.”

The book is available for purchase at the Territorial Capital Museum and Constitution Hall in Lecompton for $10, or $13.25 by mail. Proceeds benefit the Lecompton Historical Society.

jazzttt (anonymous) says…

I was afraid when I first saw this that all this important genealogical information only existed on a box of 4 x 6 file cards, which could be wiped out by one fire or tornado, but I'm happy to see it has all been transcribed and published, which will preserve it for posterity. Thanks to all the people involved. I don't have any family who grew up in that area, but having suffered through a family fire many years ago in SE Kans. which wiped out many irreplaceable records and photographs, I'm glad someone took the trouble to preserve this, my hat's off to you. Future researchers will appreciate your work.

July 2, 2009 at 10:43 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kansasplains (anonymous) says…

What a great project! There shjould be more of these to welcome and preserve our past. Thank you! Lawrence (San Francisco-Lawrence)

July 2, 2009 at 12:16 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
flux (anonymous) says…

The Zeebster!

July 2, 2009 at 4:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
BMI (anonymous) says…

Wish we didn't have to ride on a wagon to hear it. Some people are disabled and can't do that, (though they might love to in their younger years). Wish there was a presentation in an AC church or something.

July 2, 2009 at 10:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )