Save the Thompson Cemetery in Rural Illinois
Save the Thompson Cemetery in Rural Illinois
Save the Thompson Cemetery in Rural Illinois
Save the Thompson Cemetery in Rural Illinois
Save the Thompson Cemetery in Rural Illinois
This campaign is closed
Save the Thompson Cemetery in Rural Illinois
What is the Thompson Cemetery?
The Thompson Cemetery is a rural cemetery in Central Illinois. The descendants of Revolutionary War soldier, John Thompson, as well as his friends, family, and neighbors are interred there. The first burial appears to have been John Thompson, in 1843. Although there is no headstone for his wife, Winifred Brickey, we believe her grave is there as well. The last burial appears to have been William "Bill" Thompson in 1940. There are at least 42 adults and 20 children buried there with many unmarked graves. The cemetery is located adjacent to farm fields in Barrow, Roodhouse, Illinois. The coordinates are: 39°30'30.2"N and 90°24'11.4"W.
Why is it worth saving?
This cemetery is a part of United States history and the families that were the earliest settlers of Central Illinois. The memory and the history of those buried in the cemetery is worth preserving for future generations. The number of children buried there is a testament to how hard the life was for the early settlers.
What needs to be done?
Through the years the Cemetery has been maintained by the families of those buried there. Funds were raised and the Cemetery grass has been mowed, but very little has been done in the last 50 years to maintain more than that. For example, many of the gravestones have fallen over and are stacked in a pile and there is no longer a sign.
In the last year, a Thompson Cemetery Board has been formed and we have taken over the management of the Cemetery. We have established the following goals:
Fundraising
The Board has established a fundraising goal of $40,000 during the campaign which ends in July 2017. The money will be used for the capital projects with the remaining funds invested so that the maintenance expenses will be covered in perpetuity. We want this the be the final fundraising campaign.
Please donate to the Thompson Cemetery Association. The Association is a Federally recognized non-profit and your contributions are fully tax deductible.
Contributions may also be mailed:
Peoples Bank & Trust
PO Box 258
White Hall, IL 62092
Deposit to: Thompson Cemetery Association #100403490