The most significant are the two land deed extractions lettered
B, relate to the Anti-Slavery Meeting, which purchasing 2 acres of land
in 1844 for their Burying Ground. Note that Francis H Frazier sold both
the Salem Friends Monthly Meeting and the Anti-Slavery group their land
and left a 2 foot buffer zone between.
Thomas Siviter/Siveter's land is important because that is where the
nine runaway slaves where captured that relate to the Daggs Trial. It
sounds like they were captured probably north of his house and under a
large tree near a thicket of brush and trees. A deposition was given by
Henry Brown, that is recorded in the legal maneuverings concerning the
trial, but was not allowed by the Judge into the proceedings. One thing
Mr. Brown states is that he and the other slave catchers found the
Negroes “... in a thicket of hazel bush under and about a large tree
near Doctor Siviter’s after dinner.” In June 1848 Ruel Daggs slaves were
captured near this property and some Salem citizens intervened. The
issue went before 22 year old, Justice of the Peace, Nelson Gibbs, whose
office was in the stone house built by Henderson Lewelling. The slave
catchers unsuccessfully demonstrate that the slave indeed belonged to
Mr. Daggs and the runaways were released. Two months later, Daggs sued
in federal court to recover damages for wrongful taking of property,
which in June 1850 was re-filed under provisions of the Fugitive lave
Act of 1793. Daggs won the case but as far as we know never collected
the monetary judgment.
Here is a drawing of the Salem South Cemetery followed by extraction
from various land deeds. The capital letters relate to the different
land transactions. |
Salem South Cemetery
Francis Frazier patented 160a at $200, SW ¼ Nov 24, 1838 Certificate
#1093 Patent Book 1-209, SW ¼ of 24-70-7
A - Grantor - F. H. Frazier and wife
Grantee – Society of Friends in 1839
Start at NW corner of NW pt. SW, thence E 28.4/7 rods,
S 28 rods, W 28 4/7 rods and N 28 rods
to the place of beginning, 5 acres
A - Grantor – Francis H. Frazier and wife Lydia
Grantee – Stephen Hockett, Joseph Hoag and Francis Sheldon - Trustees of
Salem Monthly Meeting in 1850
Meetinghouse, burying ground and school house lots. Pt of SW ½ of
24-70-7 commencing at NW corner of said ¼ and running E 28 4/7 rods,
S 28 rods, W 28 4/7 rods and N 28 rods
to its beginning, 5 acres. (Same parcel
as above)
B - Grantor – Francis H. Frazier
Grantee – Anti-Slavery Trustees, Aaron Street and J. Pidgeon in 1844
Pt of SW ¼ of 24-70-7 commencing west line of said ¼ section thence
28 rods and 2 feet from the NW corner
and running south along said line 27 rods, thence East 12 rods, thence N
27 rods, thence W 12 rods to place of beginning,
2 acres.
B - Grantor - Anti-Slavery Trustees in Indiana
(William Hough of Wayne County, Walter Edgerton of Henry County and
William Beard of Union County, Indiana). Same
parcel of land as one above, but sold to the Salem Monthly Meeting, thus
now the two cemeteries combined.
Grantee – Thomas Siveter and Thomas Rhodes - Trustees of Salem Monthly
Meeting in 1863
Pt of SW ¼ of 24-70-7 commencing west line of said ¼ section thence
28 rods and 2 feet from the NW corner,
thence S along said line 27 rods, thence E 12 rods, thence N 27 rods,
thence W 12 rods to place of beginning, 2
acres.
C - Grantor – Thomas Gibson and wife for Isaac T. Gibson et al
Grantee – Friends Cemetery Association 1907
Beginning SW corner NW ¼ of SW ¼, 1 and 572/1000 acres.
D - Grantors - Edwin and Eugena Barton
Grantee – Friends Cemetery Association 1937
Commencing SE corner of cemetery, 12 rods E of NW corner of SW ¼, SW ¼,
2 acres.
F - Grantor – Salem Monthly Meeting
Grantee – Friends Cemetery Association 1996
The five acres -1.86 acres where college had been and a 60’ x 100’ right
of way easement.
E - Grantors- Robert D and Lola M Triska
Grantee- James A. Nichting and Sandra L. 1991
… except commencing at the SE corner of the Friends Cemetery, 12 rods E
of the NW corner of the SW ¼, SW ¼, containing two acres. (verifies the
above purchase from Mr. Barton) Also at this time Nichings obtained the
80 acres that once had been Dr. Siviter/Siveter. (The S ½ of the SW ¼,
24-70-7 containing 80 acres more or less.) This helped to verify that
all of the 80 acres was still one parcel at this time.
Listing of Burials Salem South Cemetery |
