Photo of newer of 2 Morgan Co. Poor Farm cemeteries. Taken spring 2011 by J T Hemphill

Although the following burials are actually in two plots about 1/2 mile apart, the two sites are commonly lumped together and called "Poor Farm Cemetery". Both sites are on what was the grounds of the Morgan County Poor farm in Sections 1 and 2 of Township 15N, Range 11W, northwest of Jacksonville. The older part of Morgan County Poor Farm Cemetery is about 1/2 mile northwest of the newer burial ground. The Jacksonville Journal of Thursday, July 15, 1897, refers to the Morgan County Farm Cemetery as " .... burying ground, at least 100 sod covered mounds ... each wooden slab marker." On Oct. 18, 1934, the commissioners of Morgan County set aside a plot of ground as a second cemetery for the interment of remains of indigent persons. On Aug. 23, 1956, the commissioners partially vacated this action, as the ground set aside was more area than was needed. Indigent persons are no longer buried in this cemetery. This second cemetery is along side and north of a gravel road and about 500 feet west of the intersection of County Road 16. The site is marked by a red oak tree and a flat leaf cedar tree along the east edge of the partially fenced burial ground, which contains about 1/2 acre. Cement blocks mark the graves, numbered form 1 to 75, in two rows along the east side of the cemetery. The area is in poor condition and apparently receives no maintenance. A search for records of who is buried in each particular grave has been unfruitful, but it is reasonable to assume the burials before Oct. 18, 1934 are in the older cemetery and burials since that date are in the newer cemetery. All names listed below are taken from death certificates in the Morgan County Court House and from the March 1975 issue of Jacksonville Geneal Journal, a publication of the Jacksonville Genealogical and Historical Society. The list is not complete.