Vieux Cemetery -- Vieux Crossing, nr Louisville KS
N 39° 15.361 W 096° 14.801
14S E 737571 N 4348801
A guestbook outside of a small grotto close to Vieux Cemetery near Louisville KS.
Waymark Code: WMGVNB
Location: Kansas, United States
Date Posted: 04/12/2013
Views: 2
Take a moment to sign your name here at a very historic and tragic Oregon Trail site.
Nearby you will see the grand obelisk tombstone of Louis Vieux, two of his wives, and several of their children. Louis Vieux was a prominent Pottawatonie Indian who owned and operated the historic Vermillion River Crossing on the Oregon Trail. He could make up to $300 a day in tolls charged emigrants to cross the river.
One year, cholera broke out at the site. Over 90 emigrants, who had no known friends or family to bury them, died. Louis Vieux gave some of these tragic unfortunates burial space in his family cemetery just up the hill.
Another OT cholera cemetery is just a short distance west of here.
Also at this site: a historic marker, a beautiful iron arch, a mysterious grotto, and a wonderful tombstone of Louis Vieux, the namesake of this cemetery. Himself a historcal figure in his own right, his tombstone also attests to his great standing in the community.
The tombstone reads as follows:
To the memory of
LOUIS VIEUX
Died
May 3, 1872
Aged
62 yrs., 5 mos., 3 ds
Requiescat in pace -- Amen.
His worthy deeds within our hearts
Shall live beyond the tomb.
LOUIS VIEUX
On the back of the tombstone is a much longer epitaph. It has taken us 2 weeks and all the photoshop manipulation we are capable of to read this, and still the lichens have prevailed in obscuring some words. Here is the best we can do:
For many years, one of the
headmen of the Pottawatomies,
influential in their councils, just
and kind with them in his deal-
ings, he won their confidence, which
was never betrayed, and their [illeg],
[illeg] which was never despised.
His business relations with the
whites brought him into intimate
association with them, and all who
knew him respected and loved him.
A man of strict integrity, he ne-
ver forgot his words of great be-
lief [4-5 words illeg] the
[5-6 words illeg] public-spirited,
he gave largely to promote
improvement, and died loved
and [illeg] by a wide circle
of friends, embracing all classes.
Owners Name: Vieux Cemetery caretakers
Location Type: Other
Date Guest Book Was Started: Not listed
Nearest Parking Spot: Not Listed
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Visit Instructions:
Visits to Guest books must:
- Include recording your visit in the Book with either your real name followed by (WM) or real name followed by (waymarking username).
- Not involve any inappropriate writing in the Guest Book (use common sense)
- Conform to the intended use of the Guest Book.
- include a photo of guest book AND the site required.