County of marker: Cooper County
Location of marker: W end of South St., Boonville
Number of graves: 1,650
This arch is made of wrought iron. It is black. It is plain in design, with two straight poles for uprights, rising to over 30 feet. Across the top is a double row of arched wrought iron pipes, and between the are the stamped letters spelling the cemeteries name.
SUNSET HILLS CEMETERY
"This is the oldest Cemetery in Boonville dating back to before 1835. It contains 11 acres and is the final resting place for many of the early pioneers who were responsible for the early development of Boonville." ~ City of Boonville
"This listing is taken from many sources. I order to provide some order to this listing, I have alphabetized the listing. Additionally, I have eliminated unmarked grave listings, foot stone, and not included the source of the entry.
"In Feb. 1841, Jacob F. Wyan, for the sum of five dollars deeded to the Mayor, the Council and the People of the City of Boonville and their successors forever one acre for the purpose of a graveyard under the control of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as the burial ground of said church. Although the ground was not officially set aside as a cemetery until 1841, burials appear to have taken place as early as 1818. At one time there was a large gate at the entrance of this cemetery." ~ Cooper - MoGenWeb
Marker Text:
"The Sunset Hills Cemetery
Originally this cemetery was known as the "old Methodist Episcopal Church Burying Ground." The area was probably used as early as 1818 but certainly several burials had occurred here by 1820.
In 1841, prominent local merchant Jacob Wyan began proceedings to turn over the burial b grounds to the City of Boonville. The ground was accepted by the city and served as the city cemetery for many years. As you stand facing this plaque, the original Methodist Burial Ground is the portion of the cemetery that is to the east, across the road. Additions were made going south to the top of the hill, the across the road turning north coming down the hill to this area. The newest additions are the two to the west divided by the road.
"The Civil War brought turmoil and tension to this community originally established by Southerners and their slaves, but beginning in the 1830's large numbers of German immigrants were drawn to the area. Differences in the points of view of these groups resulted in a particularly turbulent atmosphere in Boonville and Cooper County that was to prevail through the Civil War. This came to a head in the summer of 1864 as Missouri Southern guerrillas fought in and around Boonville, at places like Rawlings Lane in Howard County.
"Earlier in the war, Boonville was a jumping off point for Union troops from Illinois and Iowa who were involved in campaigns in Missouri. Men from the 1st and 5th Iowa Infantry regiments were in Boonville in 1861, pausing here as the joined Union campaigns targeting Springfield. Companies of the 37th Illinois Infantry, for example, occupied Boonville during the winter of 1861-1862. Sunset Hills was the burial place of the Illinois and Iowa soldiers of these regiments who died of disease or other causes while stationed here, but the bodies of these men were exhumed and reburied in the Jefferson City National Cemetery after the war.
"There were local Union troops who survived the war and remain at rest here. Sergeant Lee Harris enlisted on February 29, 1864, in the 68th Regiment of Infantry, United States Colored Troops (USCT). The 68th Regiment served in the defense of Fort Pickering, Tennessee nd the siege of Fort Blakely, Alabama, among other engagements. Sgt. Harris mustered out of the Army in February, 1866 in Louisiana. Three other African American Civil War veterans are buried in Sunset Hills Cemetery. Charles Collins, James Shipley, Cyrus Wilson of the 62nd and 65th regiments, USCT. Companies "C" and "E" of the 62nd Regiment, to which Collins and Shipley belonged, fought in the last battle of the Civil War, on May 13, 1865 at Palmetto Ranch, Texas. Both men enlisted in Boonville in November, 1863." ~ Missouri Civil War Heritage Foundation, Inc.; Boonville Tourism Commission