County of cemetery: Fayette County
Location of cemetery: 3rd St., Vandalia
Number of graves: 1,025
Cemetery began: 1823
9 Famous interments: [text from Find-A-Grave - bio by Connie Nisinger]
1. "Ernst, Ferdinand d. 1822
One of Vandalia's original settlers, Ernst was the leader of a colony from Hanover, Germany. He came to Vandalia with Frederick Hollman, who remained to build houses. Bearing all expenses, Ernst returned with colonists in December 1820. He became the Director of the State Bank in 1821, was a trustee of Vandalia & was appointed by the Illinois General Assembly 1821.
2. Greathouse, Lucien b. June 7, 1842 d. July 22, 1864
U.S. Army Colonel. Greathouse led his command in 40 hard-fought battles & was killed at the age of 22 with the flag of his regiment & country in his hands, standing before the enemy in the city of Atlanta, Georgia in the memorable fight of July 22, 1864.
Cause of death: Killed in action
3. Hall, Mary b. January 22, 1799 d. August 18, 1832
Born in Kentucky, Mary was the wife of James Hall, the first man of letters in Illinois, the State Treasurer 1827-1831, President of the First State Historical Society 1827-1833, author of the first book of literary style in Illinois 1828, Trustee of Illinois College 1829, editor of the first Western Annual 1828, editor of the "Illinois Intelligencer" 1829-1832, editor of the first literary magazine of Illinois 1830-1832 & author of "Legends of the West" 1832.
4. Leidig, George d. February 3, 1847
Born in Hanover, Germany, Leidig was a member of Ernst Colony. He was a builder, a merchant & an operator of the Vandalia Hotel. His daughter, Olivia Whiteman, was a friend of the Abraham Lincoln family & unveiled the Madonna of the Trail statue in Vandalia (a tribute at the western terminue of the Cumberland Road as a tribute to pioneer women.)
5. McHenry, William b. October 3, 1771 d. February 3, 1835
McHenry was an Illinois State Representative from White County.
6. McLaughlin, Isabella b. September 9, 1791 d. June 5, 1868
Wife of Illinois House of Representatives & Illinois Senate member Robert K. McLaughlin, Isabella was also the niece of Shadrack Bond, the first governor of Illinois. The Governor resided in their home in Vandalia during legislative sessions.
7.
McLaughlin, Robert K b. October 25, 1779 d. May 29, 1862
Born in Virginia, Robert was appointed trustee of Vandalia, Illinois by the legislature in 1821, a member of the Illinois House of Representatives 1826-1828 & the Illinois Senate 1828-1832 & 1836-1838. He was a State Bank commissioner 1835-1837 & Registrar of the U.S. Land Office.
8.
Remann, Frederick b. April 10, 1807 d. June 17, 1873
Remann was born in Hanover, Germany. He was a member of Ernst Colony, a merchant, a paymaster during the Black Hawk War 1832, a Division Quarter Master in the Illinois Militia (Colonel 1834) & a member of the Illinois House of Representatives 1846-1848.
9.
Thompson, John d. 1836
State Representative from Randolph County, Illinois, Thompson died during the Winter Session 1836.
Old Illinois State Historical Society marker text:
The Illinois General Assembly authorized Governor Edward Coles in 1823 to convey to Vandalia one and one-half acres for a state burial ground. Here were buried four members of the legislature and several state officials who died while in office. The monument erected by the state is in adjoining South Hill Cemetery.
New Illinois State Historical Society marker text:
On June 12, 1823, the Third General Assembly, meeting in the newly formed city of Vandalia, conveyed one and one-half acres of land be used as a burial ground. This is the location of that original cemetery property. One-half acre was reserved for members of the legislature who might die while serving at the capital. During this time period, weather conditions could prevent the transfer of a body home for burial. The body could easily decompose in the withering summer heat – or suffer further indignities from the crude forms of transportation currently available. The most humane and practical solution, then was to bury the body as quickly as possible on nearby land. In point of fact, churches and cemeteries were some of the first landmarks to appear in the recently settled villages and town on the Illinois prairie. Life and death existed side by side in this oftentimes harsh and demanding environment.
On February 3, 1835, Major William McHenry, from White County passed away. A memorial service was conducted by the House Chambers for Representative McHenry. Representative Webb of White County delivered the eulogy. The eulogy read in part: “Sir, he was among the most prominent of those bold and enterprising pioneers… who first disputed the mastery over these fair plains… with the ferocious beast of prey, and still more ferocious savage.” Lincoln attended this funeral, among many others. This obituary ran in the February 5, 1835 issue of the Illinois Advocate and State Register that was published in Vandalia.
Four Legislators and one Federal Judge were buried at this cemetery in Vandalia. Abraham Lincoln attended funerals for two of his fellow legislators who died while serving here. Abraham Lincoln, like most of his peers and neighbors, was certainly no stranger to death. At an early age, Lincoln’s mother died, and as a young man he experienced the death of his sister and his sweetheart, Ann Rutledge. After his marriage to Mary Todd, he suffered the loss of two sons, Edward in 1850, and William in 1862. During the 1850’s and 1860’s, sprawling, park-like cemeteries were built throughout the country, particularly in the northeast. Lincoln gave one of his most famous speeches at one of these new cemeteries in Pennsylvania – the Gettysburg Address.
On January 10, 1836 Abraham Lincoln attended the funeral of Representative Benjamin A. Clark from Wayne County. On January 11, 1836 all members of the House voted to donate their day’s pay to Clark’s wife and children. The state officials’ tombstone in South Hill Cemetery in Vandalia, shown above, memorializes the four state officials who died here other than Benjamin Clark. Their remains were moved to that cemetery in 1871.