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This cemetery is located on the south side of Section 21 in Melrose Twp.

In July 1872, Mr. & Mrs. Salmon B. Sayre gave a burial plot from their land for a neighbor's wife, Mrs. Thomas Baskin. In September, burial of a Baskin infant, Nancy, who was born July 9, followed and again in October, a son, George. In 1875 the land was deeded to the cemetery.

As much of the community was Methodist, worshipers had been meeting in homes, and felt the need for a church. In 1880, the Sayre's again deeded land and the Melrose Methodist Church was built during the ministry of Rev. J. Hudson. As changes in population and needs changed, the church dissolved and on May 6, 1927 the church land was deeded to The Melrose Cemetery completing the 2.66 acre parcel.

Headstone Photos at GPP

WPA Records from the 1930s

Name Maiden
Name		 Birth Date Death Date Aged Grave Obit GPP WPA Bio Marker Inscription Military Other
Information		 Parents
Adams, Riley O.   31 Jan 1850 04 Nov 1874 024y 09m 04d Lot 14 G W       Adams, John Q. & Jane nee Patterson
Aiken, Ira F.   02 Sep 1813 18 Mar 1888 074y 06m 16d Lot 36 O G W      
Aiken, Lovina Snyder 12 Jun 1814 04 Oct 1908 094y 03m 22d Lot 36 O G W     w/o Ira F.
Baker, Caroline Dunn 12 Mar 1848 02 May 1883 035y 01m 20d Lot 46 G W Wife Of S. Baker; Dau. Of J. & E. A. Dunn   w/o S. R.
Baskin, Charles   06 Jan 1870 20 May 1932 062y 04m 14d Lot 01 O G W Their Son     Baskin, Thomas & Nancy nee Simmons
Baskin, George   17 Jun 1866 31 Oct 1872 006y 04m 14d Lot 01 G W Their Son     Baskin, Thomas & Nancy nee Simmons
Baskin, Nancy Simmons 24 Apr 1845 31 Jul 1872 027y 03m 07d Lot 01 G W His Wife   w/o Thomas; First burial in the cemetery
Baskin, Nancy   09 Jul 1872 06 Sep 1872 000y 01m 28d Lot 01 G W Their Dau.     Baskin, Thomas & Nancy nee Simmons
Baskin, Thomas   07 Apr 1825 13 Oct 1903 078y 06m 06d Lot 01 O G W B       Baskin, Moses
Baskin, William   31 Oct 1864 14 Nov 1892 028y 00m 14d Lot 01 O G W Their Son     Baskin, Thomas & Nancy nee Simmons
Beck, Arthur R.   01 Nov 1881 01 Dec 1937 056y 01m 00d Lot 19 G      
Beck, Hazel Esther Callaway 17 Aug 1896 26 Dec 1994 098y 04m 09d Lot 19 O G Married 15 Dec 1921; Parents of Clara Louise Beck Mortiboy   w/o Arthur R.
Boike, Alta O. Essig 02 Jan 1888 16 Oct 1945 057y 09m 14d Lot 28 O G Parents of Miles, Gail & Duane   w/o Herman
Boike, Duane Burdette   27 Apr 1928 13 Apr 1997 068y 11m 17d Lot 43 O G   WWII; US Army; Cpl   Boike, Herman & Alta O. nee Essig
Boike, Herman   09 Jun 1887 01 Mar 1961 073y 08m 20d Lot 28 O G       Boike, Christopher H. & Grace E. nee Muhring
Boike, Miles Wayne   20 Mar 1914 14 Nov 2002 088y 07m 25d Lot 45 O G      
Boike, Orpha Jean Kinsinger 13 Nov 1918 09 Jan 1996 077y 01m 27d Lot 45 O G Parents of Roger & Douglas   w/o Miles Wayne
Bowker, Elizabeth "Betsey" Smith 13 Sep 1814 13 Apr 1898 083y 07m 00d   O     w/o Lyman H.
Bowker, Lyman H.   11 Feb 1814 11 Mar 1899 085y 01m 00d        
Brown, John W.   18 Jan 1812 13 Jul 1882 070y 05m 25d Lot 63 G W      
Bruders, Harold S.   08 Dec 1912 29 Dec 1964 052y 00m 21d Lot 40-42 O G      
Bruders, Pauline C. Beverlin 27 Sep 1918 02 Apr 1994 075y 06m 06d Lot 40-42 G     w/o Harold S.
Bruders, Robert E.   19 Aug 1940 14 Feb 1987 046y 05m 26d Lot 40-42 G      
Callaway, Amelia Frosch 14 Jun 1836 27 Jun 1909 073y 00m 13d Lot 03 O G W Mother   w/o Jonathan B.
Callaway, Bertha B. Bittner 11 Aug 1892 05 Aug 1968 075y 11m 25d Lot 03 O G     w/o Herbert G.
Callaway, Herbert G.   06 Jun 1872 15 Jun 1949 077y 00m 09d Lot 03 O G       Callaway, Jonathan B. & Amelia nee Frosch
Callaway, Jonathan B.   11 Feb 1833 09 Jun 1888 055y 03m 29d Lot 03 O G W Father     Callaway, Samuel H. & Esther nee Mucklow
Callaway, Jonathan Frederick   05 Jul 1857 22 Mar 1874 016y 08m 17d Lot 03 G W       Callaway, Jonathan B. & Amelia nee Frosch
Callaway, Mary A.   08 Mar 1856 27 Mar 1874 018y 00m 19d Lot 08-11       Callaway, Jonathan B. & Amelia nee Frosch
Callaway, Pauline Julia Callaway 24 Mar 1864 22 Jun 1948 084y 02m 29d Lot 19 O G Married 23 Jan 1892; Parents of Charles Chester "Chet" Callaway 1893-1959, Hazel Esther Callaway Beck 1896-1994, Arthur Russell "Art" Callaway 1904-1985 & Gladys Julia Callaway Schalk 1905-1944   w/o Samuel H. Callaway, Samuel & Julia
Callaway, Robert   26 Feb 1874 27 Oct 1874 000y 08m 01d Lot 03 G W       Callaway, Jonathan B. & Amelia nee Frosch
Callaway, Russell   20 Feb 1905 20 Feb 1905 000y 00m 00d Lot 18 O G W Son of James A. & Hattie     Callaway, James A. & Hattie A. nee Bowers
Callaway, Samuel Henry   23 Apr 1859 05 Jul 1937 078y 02m 12d Lot 19 O G W       Callaway, Jonathan B. & Amelia nee Frosch
Davis, Rebecca   16 Aug 1820 10 Oct 1863 043y 01m 24d Lot 51 G W Wife of Andrew    
Dunn, infant   19 Jun 1897 19 Jun 1897 000y 00m 00d Lot 53 G W      
Dunn, Bennett   27 Mar 1904 11 Jun 1904 000y 02m 15d Lot 54 O G W       Dunn, Jess
Dunn, Charlie   17 Sep 1877 Lot 59 G W       Dunn, William D. & Mary A. nee Neet
Dunn, Elizabeth Ann Shuff 25 Dec 1819 17 Jan 1896 076y 00m 23d Lot 45 O G W Wife of James   w/o James D.
Dunn, Floyd T.   06 Nov 1894 17 Sep 1899 004y 10m 11d Lot 53 O G W       Dunn, J. A.
Dunn, George W.   Jan 1860 05 Nov 1904         Dunn, James D. & Elizabeth A. nee Shuff
Dunn, James Dallas   10 Dec 1815 29 Mar 1907 091y 03m 19d Lot 45 O G W       Dunn, Thomas & Temperance nee Pierpont
Dunn, Jesse Amos   23 Jan 1862 14 May 1909 047y 03m 21d Lot 54 O G W Father     Dunn, James D. & Elizabeth A. nee Shuff
Dunn, Lizzie Ratliff 21 Feb 1870 27 Feb 1901 031y 00m 06d Lot 46 O G W Wife of George W.   w/o George W.
Dunn, Luella M. Groesbeck 09 Aug 1864 30 Mar 1938 073y 07m 21d Lot 54 O G W Mother   w/o Jesse A.
Dunn, Mabel   22 Sep 1890 22 Sep 1890 000y 00m 00d Lot 53 G W      
Dunn, Maggie   23 Dec 1891 24 Dec 1891 000y 00m 01d Lot 46 G W Dau of G. W. & Lizzie     Dunn, George W. & Lizzie nee Ratliff
Dunn, Roy   16 Dec 1893 30 Dec 1893 000y 00m 14d Lot 53 G W      
Essig, Emilie Mae   1928 15 Dec 1944 Lot 02 O G Daughter of John & Thresa     Essig, John M. & Thresa M. nee Ernest
Essig, Emily Orel Sayre 29 Oct 1863 27 Jun 1950 086y 07m 29d Lot 16 O G     w/o John F.
Essig, Frederic A.   26 Jan 1895 15 Oct 1926 031y 08m 19d Lot 15 O G W       Essig, John F. & Emily O. nee Sayre
Essig, Gottlob   31 Dec 1825 06 Dec 1916 090y 11m 06d Lot 17 O G W       Essig, Gottlieb
Essig, John Frederic   Jul 1862 23 Oct 1941 Lot 16 O G       Essig, Gottlieb & Margaret nee Hursch
Essig, John Morse   25 Feb 1900 12 Aug 1982 082y 05m 18d Lot 02 O G       Essig, John F. & Emily O. nee Sayre
Essig, Margaret Harsch 10 Jan 1826 29 Nov 1904 078y 10m 19d Lot 17 O G W Wife of Gottlob   w/o Gottlob
Essig, Thresa Marie Ernest 04 Feb 1906 18 Mar 1993 087y 01m 14d Lot 02 O G     w/o John M.
Forsythe, Samuel J.   Oct 1851 16 Feb 1917 Lot 42 O G W      
Frosch, Rosina S.   12 Mar 1798 12 Dec 1879 081y 09m 00d Lot 03 G W Grandma Frosch    
Gohner, Ernestine Hess 1845 06 Sep 1883       1st w/o Joseph N.
Gohner, Joseph N.   12 Dec 1843 31 Mar 1914 070y 03m 19d   O      
Hartman, Agnes C. R.   24 Sep 1887 11 Jul 1899 011y 09m 17d Lot 44 O G W       Hartman, William & Zelena nee Dunn
Jones, Clara J. Baskin 13 Jun 1868 26 Mar 1928 059y 09m 13d Lot 01 O G W Their Dau.     Baskin, Thomas & Nancy nee Simmons
LaRue, Forrest   Apr 1880 10 Jan 1899   O       LaRue, Martin & Fannie L. nee Bowker
LaRue, Silas Martin   12 Jul 1837 29 Apr 1900 062y 09m 17d   O      
Mason, Baty P.   14 Mar 1876 11 May 1876 000y 01m 27d Lot 50 G Children of H. & S. A.     Mason, H. & S. A.
Mason, Birty I.   02 Mar 1879 20 Mar 1879 000y 00m 18d Lot 50 G Children of H. & S. A.     Mason, H. & S. A.
Modlin, Annie Matie   25 Nov 1882 05 Oct 1885 002y 10m 10d Lot 11 O G W Dau. of A. & I. A.     Modlin, Alfred & Ida A. nee Walker
Moser, Harry B.   08 May 1873 19 Jan 1889 015y 08m 11d Lot 05 O      
Petersen, Gail W. Boike 21 Sep 1917 11 Aug 1999 081y 10m 21d Lot 71 O G     w/o Roy A.
Petersen, Roy A.   26 Dec 1910 12 Mar 1991 080y 02m 14d Lot 71 O G   WWII; US Army; PFC  
Reynolds, Carrie Mabel Smith 15 Oct 1859 11 May 1881 021y 06m 26d Lot 39 G W Wife of A. A.   w/o Almer A.
Reynolds, Fannie E.   12 Mar 1873 01 Jan 1883 009y 09m 20d Lot 40 G W Dau of J. M. & E. T.     Reynolds, James M. & Emily J. nee Thayer
Reynolds, J.     W      
Reynolds, Jennie   17 Sep 1880 05 Aug 1881 000y 10m 19d Lot 53-55 G W Dau. of A. A. & C. M.     Reynolds, Arthur A. & Cora M.
Ruegseger, Elizabeth   03 Jan 1828 19 Feb 1902 074y 01m 16d Lot 06 O G Wife of Levi   w/o Levi
Ruegseger, Levi   22 Jan 1823 06 Nov 1905 082y 09m 15d Lot 06 O G W       Ruegseger, John
Sayre, John M. Franklin   04 Jul 1867 25 May 1868 000y 10m 21d Lot 04 G W Son of S. B. & P. J.     Sayre, Salmon B. & Paulina J. nee Norman
Sayre, Paulina Jane Norman 09 Nov 1831 12 Dec 1902 071y 01m 03d Lot 04 O G W Wife of Salmon B.; Mother   w/o Salmon B.
Sayre, Salmon Bonnell   28 Dec 1830 29 Dec 1914 084y 00m 01d Lot 04 O G W B Father Civil; 18 Ill Inf   Sayre, John N. & Jane nee Valentine
Sayre, Salmon Burdette, Dr.   01 Feb 1870 27 Nov 1905 035y 09m 26d Lot 04 O G W Son of S. B. & P. J.     Sayre, Salmon B. & Paulina J. nee Norman
Schwarck, infant   1898 1898 Lot 02       Schwarck, Christian N. & Maude E. nee LaRue
Sherbon, Grace A.   26 Aug 1884 17 May 1885 000y 08m 21d Lot 58 O G W Daughter of B. T. & ? H.     Sherbon, Barnard T. & Carrie H. nee Shirk
Sherbon, Worth ?   24 Sep 1885   O      
Smith, Adelia Tuttle 22 Feb 1835 03 Aug 1920 085y 05m 12d   O     w/o Minor O.
Smith, M. O.   1828 24 Mar 1902   O      
Taylor, Travis Neal   29 Aug 1982 05 Sep 1982 000y 00m 07d Lot 20 O G Our Angel     Taylor, Terry
Twiss, Harry   17 Jan 1882 21 Sep 1882 000y 08m 04d Lot 26 G W Son of M. & A. W.     Twiss, Myron & Amanda W. nee Riddle
Underwood, Malissa Gardner 01 Feb 1835 19 Jun 1877 042y 04m 18d Lot 09 G W Wife of J.   1st w/o James
Underwood, Milton F.   23 Jul 1866 11 Jul 1868 001y 11m 18d Lot 09 G W Son of J. & M.     Underwood, James & Malissa nee Gardner
Underwood, Osmon W.   27 Dec 1857 07 May 1861 003y 04m 10d Lot 09 G W Son of J. & M.     Underwood, James & Malissa nee Gardner
Watson, Anna Belle   19 Jun 1882 19 Aug 1882 000y 02m 00d Lot 24 G W Dau of M. S. & Jane     Watson, Merritt S. & Jane
Watson, Clarinda Sumner 05 Aug 1812 04 Jan 1897 084y 04m 30d Lot 22 G W     w/o Lyman G.
Watson, Herman A.   19 Jun 1872 06 Sep 1872 000y 02m 18d Lot 24 G W Son of M. & J.     Watson, Merrit S. & Jane
Watson, Lyman G.   03 May 1814 08 Feb 1889 074y 09m 05d Lot 22 O G W       Watson, Benjamin & Sarah
Weaver, Daniel   21 Aug 1808 01 May 1875 066y 08m 10d Lot 48 G W Father    
Weaver, Magdalene E. Wellsalger 12 Sep 1814 14 Apr 1894 079y 07m 02d Lot 48 O G W Mother   w/o Daniel
Wilcox, child   1912 Jul 1912   O       Wilcox, John
Wilcox, son   24 Jan 1902 24 Jan 1902 000y 00m 00d Lot 44 O G W Babe; Son of J. A. & C. E.     Wilcox, John A. & Cora E.
Wilcox, son   Oct 1911 22 Oct 1911   O       Wilcox, James
Wilcox, Anna E. Mikkelson 1885 1958 Lot 29 G     2nd w/o John A.
Wilcox, Cora Ellen LaRue 18 Jul 1878 09 Jun 1905 026y 10m 22d Lot 29 O G W Mother & Babe; Wife of John A.; Son of J. A. & C. E.   1st w/o John A.
Wilcox, John Arzella   1871 Oct 1949 Lot 29 G       Wilcox, Walter T. & Mary nee Myers
Willey, Addie E.   04 Nov 1868 25 May 1878 009y 06m 21d Lot 43 G W Daughter of W. S. & M. E.     Willey, W. S. & M. E.
Woodside, Edith C.   01 Aug 1881 01 Aug 1881 000y 00m 00d Lot 13 G W     Stone broken, only base showing Woodside name exists Woodside, William J. & Ludema A. nee Sayre
Woodside, Ludema A. Sayre 08 Oct 1854 27 Feb 1916 061y 04m 19d Lot 13 O G W     w/o William J.
Woodside, William J.   01 Sep 1848 26 Jan 1911 062y 04m 25d Lot 13 O G W B   Civil; 9 Ill Cav   Woodside, James & Eliza nee McBride
Woodside, Willie   20 May 1892 20 May 1892 000y 00m 00d Lot 13 G W       Woodside, William J. & Ludema A. nee Sayre

--Sources: Grave Markers, Cemetery Directory, Grundy County Birth/Marriage/Death Records, Obituaries, Newspapers