Cemetery Histories

The Jackson township United Presbyterian cemetery, known as the Eppard-Pitzer Cemetery, is located about two miles northeast of Pitzer, just south of North river in Section 10. Mrs. Pauline Christensen Kuntz wrote about this cemetery, and also another one, for the Madison County Antique association of which she is a member.

The first burial was made in the above cemetery some time before 1860, but as these earliest graves are not marked, no exact time or location can be given. It was started by the early settlers who were living in that community along North river, and they were the Spences, Eppards, Dunns, Mabbitts, Gordons, Binns, Phillips, Becks, Duffs and Earlys.

John Early, who lived about three quarters of a mile east of the cemetery, maintained a station on the underground railroad to aid runaway slaves on their way to Canada. Maggie Duff, who taught school nearby, often had these slaves as visitors at her school, while they were awaiting to be taken to the nest station.

No one seems certain of the date when the cemetery was taken over by the United Presbyterian church of Pitzer, but it is well cared for and in good condition.

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Source: Madison County Antique Association, publication specifics unknown.

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