Cemetery Location Description:
Cemetery Location: The cemetery sets astride parcels 15-1692.000 and 15-0944.000 on OSU Lot 8 in Nile Township, Scioto County, Ohio. The former parcel is owned by the State of Ohio and the latter is private property. The private property access is posted and only accessible via a four-wheel drive vehicle.
The cemetery itself is in a wooded area known to being a rattlesnake nesting area and while navigable in cooler months it is likely overgrown with briars in the summer months making identifying the low to ground fieldstone markers less visible.
Four rows of field stone markers were identified; many with corresponding footstone markers. Several grave collapses were noted. Several grave markers had been improved or replaced with the original hand-carved marker being used as supports. The dates of these improved markers were as early as 1894. Given that the improved markers were on their own row and other fieldstone markers that were adjacent it likely that the unimproved markers are from burials prior to 1894. The most recent burial was 2016. All markers identified faced on a east-west axis.
Based upon observations it is believed that there are at least 20 burials at this location.
Coordinates:
38.7122, -83.2575
Google Map:
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Walking Tour of McGraw
March 24, 2022 Cemetery Visit
We had been planning to visit this cemetery, then thought to be Brown Cemetery, since at least 2018. Records such as though provided by the Ohio Genealogical Society’s Ohio Cemeteries: 1803-2003 and the Scioto County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society’s Gravestone Inscriptions: Nile Township provided some information as to the approximate location of Brown Cemetery, but also the two sources contradicted themselves. This was further complicated by lack of location reporting by the WPA survey that was conducted placing placing Brown Cemetery on OSU Lot 9, and other nearby cemeteries such as Cooper 1, 2, and 3 had locations (and names) that changed depending on which resource was being utilized.
As many of these rural cemeteries are not just “walk-ups” and require planning and often permission interviews were conducted with local who have extensive knowledge of the immediate area. While operating under the premise that we were locating the likely lost Brown cemetery interviews were conducted and provided us with this cemetery / burial ground. However, none of those interviewed identified the cemetery as Brown Cemetery or had referred to it as such. Nor had any of those interviewed had knowledge of a burial for JT Rose, who was identified by Caryn R Shoemaker in her 1984 publication. It is worth noting that this publication made mention of JT Rose as being the the only veteran’s grave registered, yet the WPA surveys conducted and held by the Scioto County Recorder’s office note that there are no veteran burials at Brown Cemetery. This information may have came from another currently unknown source, however. During our visit no burial marker for JT Rose or an gravemarker for a veteran were located.
Upon review of gravestone inscriptions for other nearby cemeteries that may have been mislocated none of the burials for this cemetery were identified. Acting upon this information and the information provided by locals we are now of the belief that this cemetery had not previously been documented. Death certificates for those immediately researched only note that they were buried on “Brushy”, another name used for Upper Twin Creek on older maps.
Local resident and person very knowledgeable of the area, Brian Richards, shared with us that the cemetery once served as the burying ground for a nearby church on Upper Twin Creek that was north of the head of Mackletree. They accessed the cemetery from a slope rear of the church and proceeded across the ridgeline.
Stories from McGraw Cemetery
Additional Sources:
Page Updated On:
March 25, 2022