Cemeteries In Shelby County, Kentucky (1979)

This book project originated on September 14, 1975 when Charles Long and Martha and Bernice Hedges visited a cemetery on the site of the former Olivet Presbyterian Church. They were searching for ancestor’s graves, and had no idea that this visit would mark the beginning of a county-wide cemetery survey which resulted in the publishing of Cemeteries in Shelby County, Kentucky. More members joined with them to form a Cemetery Survey Team and spend four years traversing the county to record their findings. Many community members jumped in to help with this monumental project.

The project was challenging because many of the very first cemeteries established by white settlers in Shelby County were probably community burying grounds placed near the early stations or forts. Although many stations were erected in the county between 1780 and 1800, almost no evidence remains of the burials. During this period, it was not unusual for the victims of Native American attacks and epidemics to be buried in common graves.

By 1790, settlers had moved out of the forts and had begun to build homes on their own land. In time, most of these farms contained a small family graveyard which was widely used for interments until about 1870. Field stones marked graves where no formal gravestones were placed. These cemeteries were usually located within 1,000 feet of the house and often enclosed by a rock fence. If not fenced and maintained, cattle and other farm stock were free to wander among the graves and trample the markers, making them hard to locate today.

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, amid a revival of religious feeling in Kentucky,many churches were erected within the county. Many times, a certain section of the property was designated as a burial place for church members and their families. These sites were more attractive as maintenance was the responsibility of the congregation. As long as the church survived, families were assured that the graves and markers in the cemetery would receive care.

Beginning in the 1850’s, large public cemeteries came into existence, the first ones organized in Shelbyville, Bagdad, Simpsonville, Todds Point and Pleasureville. Operated by private companies, or in the case of Simpsonville, by the Masons, they were developed on a scale not matched by church cemeteries. The grounds were also landscaped to provide a pleasant, almost park-like atmosphere. Maintenance was provided by full-time superintendents. By about 1875, it is thought that the majority of burials in the county were probably taking place in public cemeteries.

From 1865 to 1900, headstone markers became more ornate in style. Today most stones are no longer embellished by sculpture, and epitaphs have almost entirely disappeared. Inscriptions now usually give only the name and the year of birth and death. The information contained in this cemetery book points out any embellishments and records information that may have been long lost or forgotten. This book is an invaluable research tool for those seeking long lost relatives or finding new ancestors on their genealogical journey.