File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Bob & Jane Fey (© 1997 Bob & Jane Fey) USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, *and* permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- JACOB KECK MEMORIAL CEMETERY Jacob Keck, founder of the Jacob Keck Memorial Cemetery, his wife Nancy Cook Keck and their family of eleven children came from Fonda and Keck Center, New York. There were others in the caravan but their names have been lost. They started in 1840 and arrived near what was later called Montgomery, Illinois in 1841. They bought land on the shore of Blackberry Creek from the government and were also expected to by the same land from the tribe of indians who were living there at that time. This they did, paying the indians with stock, farm produce and blankets until the tribe moved on West. A year later Mrs. Keck passed away. Her husband set aside two acres of his farm across the road from his home to be used as a cemetery. The cemetery was dedicated on September 19th, 1843. It is recorded in Platt book 1, page 52 by George W. Hollenbeck, recorder. Description -- 7 rods from center of highway to front of cemetery 26 rods 11 feet. Back 262 feet from left unplotted less 24 feet, leaving 238 feet. This area was to be used for turning around in the cemetery. On January 1853, Jacob Keck gave a strip of land joining the cemetery to be used for a school and church and a log cabin was built there. It later burned and another building erected. In April 1862, the Jacob Keck Memorial Cemetery Association was founded. The officers were as follows: Adam Keck , president James Young, secretary Trustees, George Fikes, Philip Young, Adam Keck, N.B. Young and John N. Staley. Election of trustees recorded in book 4, page 388. In September of 1862 Jacob Keck gave deed to the Jacob Keck Memorial Cemetery Association. A recording made later, February 1895 reads as follows: N.E. 1/4 section 71-73 of N.E. Baseline Road 71 rods, 3 feet. Kendall County Record Book 1, page 52. A.N. Beck, recorder. Harry L. Wells, County surveyor in and for the State of Illinois and Kane County surveyed that portion of the Keck Cemetery in section 1, township 37, north, range 7 east of the principal meridian in accordance with the Platt book 1, page 52 of the Kendall County Records. Signed Harry L. Wells 12-17-1913 There is no record of how the cemetery was kept up until 1927. At that time Myron Perkins was appointed care-taker and served until 1942. After that it was rather neglected until a near tornado swept thru uprooting trees and knocking down tombstones. The finances of the association were in such bad shape that a paid clean-up was impossible. The families of Glenn Diller and four Sims brothers, all living within a mile of the cemetery, suggested clearing away the wreckage and keeping the cemetery mowed during the summer for the use of the unused back portion of the property for gardens. The association talked over this plan and decided to try it out. It is still being done and everybody is well satisfied. In 1956, the State of Illinois bought a strip of land from the cemetery for the purpose of widening the Base Line Road. This strip was unplotted for cemetery use as it had been used for the school building (now unused). The building was moved and the highway widened. KECK MEMORIAL CEMETERY CATALOGUE 1. A. Jacob Keck died Sept. 1, 1863 82 yrs. 8 mos. Nancy Keck (his wife) died Oct. 23, 1841 aged 59 yrs. 7 mos. B. James Young Nov. 7, 1823 - April 6, 1892 Phebe Keck (his wife) Feb. 16, 1827 - Aug. 20, 1905 C. Nancy A. Young 1850-1936 2. A. John N. Staley died May 7, 1882 aged 68 yrs. 2 mos. Sally K. Staley (his wife) died Sept. 16, 1856 aged 36 yrs. 2 mos. 4 days Hezekiah Feb 4, 1839 - Oct. 4, 1856 Melissa Jan. 4. 1842 - Dec. 24, 1882 Alonzo Jan. 14, 1845 - April 24, 1850 Obadiah July 4, 1849 - March 20, 1850 Alma Feb 28, 1851 - May 1, 1856 Theodore May 14, 1853 - no date 3. A. Napoleon B. Young July 19, 1824 - March 17, 1895 Mary (his wife) July 30, 1825 - Aug. 27, 1852 Carrie A. Dec. 16, 1871 - July 31, 1890 Annette April 5, 1853 - no date 4. A. John N. Davis Jan. 6, 1855 aged 57 yrs. 2 mos. B. Rhoda Davis (wife of John) died Dec. 2, 1851 aged 57 yrs. 4 mos. C. Sobrita (dau. of John & Rhoda Davis) died Mar.16,1846 aged 18 yrs 22 dys D. Ann Jennett (dau. of John & Rhoda Davis) died Jan. 7,1851 aged 21 yrs. 9 mos 23 days 5. A. Baby Viola Ensign died July, 1862 B. Oscar (son of Daniel & Catherine Miller) died Feb. 29, 1852 aged 3 yrs. 8 mos. 12 days 6, A. Stone destroyed - owner of plot N. Houghton 7. No stone - owner of plot Eleanor Young 8. A. Abner (son of John & Catherine Young) died July 18,1831 aged 24 yrs 1 mos. 16 days 9. A. Eleanor Young died Aug. 11, 1883 aged 86 urs Wellington died Aug. 31, 1852 aged 21 yrs. Richard R. Young Aug. 26, 1852 aged 56 yrs. 10. A. Crandell (son of J.R. & C. R. Young) died Sept. 6, 1851 aged 10 mos. 11. A. Lucinda (nothing else visible on stone) owner of plot Philip Young 12. A. Stone destroyed - owner of plot Peggy Staley B. Abram Staley died Oct. 5, 1865 aged 79 yrs. 7 mos. Margaret (his wife) died Oct. 28, 1871 aged 85 yrs. 8 mos. 13. A. Mary Fikes Bunker 1826-1855 14. A. Cornelia Keck ( wife of Jabob Keck) died Sept. 3,1811 aged 29 yrs. 1 mo. 12 days B. Charlotte (wife of William Carpenter) died April 4, 1871 aged 23 yrs. 8 mos. C. Baby Ira J. (son of John & Elizabeth) died Feb. 10, 1854 15. A. John Van Fleet died July 12, 1851 aged 33 yrs 2 mos. 6 days B. Vesta (dau. of John & Betsy VanFleet) died Sept. 29,1853 aged 2 yrs. 2 mos. 3 days 16. A. Theodore Staley May 14, 1853 - Aug. 20, 1933 17. A. James Stansel July 14, 1816 - June 5, 1892 Nancy Stansel (his wife) July 30, 1817 - May 17, 1897 Alonzo Stansel May 12, 1853 - Feb. 21, 1906 18. A. Anna J. Davis no dates on stone B. Stone destroyed - owner of plot - J. H. Davis 19. No Stone - owner of plot - Julia Keck, R. L. Davis, Ranson Lockwead 20. No Stone - owner of plot - Edward Carpenter 21. No Stone - owner of plot - W. Lucas 22. Empty plot - no registered owner 23. Empty plot - no registered owner 24. No Stone - owner of plot - C. W. Davis 25. A. John Nichols died Dec. 21, 1863 aged 55 yrs. 2 mos. 21 days 26. No Stone - owner of plot - C. W. Davis 27. A. Clement (son of John & Laney Keck ) died March 19, 1860 B. John Keck April 21, 1812 - Dec. 23, 1886 Lany Burns (his wife) Feb. 9, 1820 - Nov. 19, 1881 28. A. Adam Keck died July 8, 1870 aged 56 yrs. 3 mos. 26 days Catherine A. Keck (his wife) died July 12, 1880 aged 65 yrs. 1 mo. Arthur (son) died Feb. 5, 1875 aged 25 urs. 2 mos. 5 days Jessee (son) died Sept. 7, 1859 aged 1 yr. 2 mos. 12 days 29. A. Hiram Bauder Jan.12, 1812 - Oct. 1, 1860 Mary Keck (his wife) July 15, 1810 - Jan. 7, 1889 Sally A. June 12, 1837 - Nov. 1, 1837 Hattie E. Aug. 21, 1839 - Aug. 27, 1869 Nancy C. Dec. 9, 1841 - no date Martha A. Aug. 13, 1844 - Sept. 26, 1860 Melissa Aug. 17, 1846 - Oct. 28, 1860 B. Eliza (wife of Peter Bauder) died Jan. 31, 1866 aged 75 yrs. 30. A. George Fikes Dec. 21, 1809 - Feb. 10, 1895 Margaret (his wife) July 30, 1817 - Sept. 10, 1896 Martha A. Fikes Nov. 8, 1841 - March 27, 1862 31. No Stone - owner of plot - Bauder 32. A. Howard W. Lucas (baby) died Dec. 3, 1822 33. A. Phillip Young died Nov. 25, 1885 aged 86 yrs. 2 mos. 10 days Cornelia (his wife) died Aug. 11, 1879 aged 78 yrs. 8 mos. 25 days 34. No Stone - owner of plot - A. W. (J.) Wormley 35. No Stone - designated as Potter's Field 36. No Stone - designated as Potter's Field 37. No Stone - owner of plot - Fred Wormley 38. 39. No Stone - owner of plot - Edward Davis 40. A. Leander Keck 1841-1927 Nancy Bauder (his wife) 1841-1912 Elpha (daughter) no dates Mamie I. (daughter) 1869-1925 Hiram I. (son) no dates 41. A. John T. Carpenter 1835-1915 Phebe J. 1845 - no date Carrie V. 1863-1884 Minnie E. 1873 - no date Frank C. 1877 - no date Etta C. 1879-1884 Charley W. 1881-1884 42. A. Hattie E. (wife of J. T. Carpenter) no dates B. Ella E. (daughter) died March 18, 186? aged 5 mos. 7 days 43. A. Jacob Carpenter Dec. 17, 1811 - Sept. 20, 1836 aged 24 yrs. 9 mos. 15 days B. William P. Ellis June 18, 1799 - Oct. 17, 1859 Nancy A. (his wife) Oct. 23, 1813 - Aug. 3, 1885 Robert F. (son) June 9, 1842 - Sept. 17, 1843 44. A. Jabob H. Staley died Nov. 30, 1861 aged 36 yrs. Isabella J. (his wife) Dec. 13, 1867 aged 22 yrs. 11 mos. 9 days Phebe died Sept. 17, 186? B. Daniel Keck March 11, 1833 - April 5, 1900 Mary E. (his wife) Jan. 16, 1838 - Feb. 29, 1904 45. A. Harvey W. Keck 1865-1933 46. No Stone - owner of plot - William Neal 47. No Stone - owner of plot - Fred Marst 48. A. C. W. Davis 1827-1897 Sophia (his wife) 1835-1880 Eliza 1853-no date Carrie 1855-1910 Frank 1858-1902 Fred 1861-no date Charles 1866-no date Nettie 1868-no date Emma 1870-1905 Hattie 1874-no date 49. No Stone - designated as Potter's Field 50. Empty Plot - no registered owner 51. Empty Plot - no registered owner 52. Empty Plot - no registered owner 53. No Stone - owner of plot - Weaver 54. Empty Plot - no registered owner 55. A. Jeremiah Keck 1838-1920 B. Baby no dates C. Margaret Keck 1844-1918 D. Avery C. VanSickle 1873-no date Nellie K. (his wife) 1874-1926 (Jeremiah & Margaret Keck's daughter) OWNERS OF KECK CEMETERY PLOTS 1. Jacob Keck 29. Hiram Bauder James Young 30. George Fiskes 2. N. Staley 31. Bauder 3. N.B. Young 32. W. Lucas 4. C.W. Davis 33. James Young 5. D.J. Miller Louella Perkins 6. N. Houghton 34. A.W. Wormley 7. Eleanor Young 35. Potter's Field 8. Nick Young 36. Potter's Field 9. Eleanor Young 37. Fred Wormley 10. Philip Young 38. Harrison Young 11. Philip Young 39. Edward Davis 12. Peggy Staley 40. Leander Keck 13. Jno. Fikes 41. John Carpenter 14. Daniel Keck 42. John Carpenter 15. W.S. Covelli 43. Ellis Carpenter J. VanFleet 44. E.J. Staley 16. J.N. Staley D. Keck 17. James Stansel 45. H.W. Keck 18. J.H. Davis 46. William Neal 19. Julia Keck 47. Fred Murst R.T. Davis 48. C.W. Davis Ransom Lockwood 49. Potter's Field 20. Edward Carpenter 50. 21. W. Lucas 51. 22. 52. 23. 53. Weaver 24. C.W. Davis 54. 25. Horace Nichols 55. Jeremiah Keck 26. Bell English 56. Bertha VanSickle Paris 27. J.W. Keck 28. Adam Keck