The layout of the Lively Huggins Cemetery in New Athens, Illinois.

Reuben Lively was born on 15 Jul 1794 in Abbeville, South Carolina, died on 21 Mar 1870 in New Athens, St. Clair County, Illinois at age 75, and was buried in Lively-Huggins Cemetery, New Athens, Illinois.
General Notes: Reuben lived a short distance southeast of New Athens and operated the "Wild Duck" ferry across the Kaskaskia River. He also operated the Lively Tavern nearby. Veteran War of 1812. Reuben Lively is listed in Captain Jacob Short's Company as Private Reuben Liveley.

About 1810, Nathaniel Hill, Joshua Perkins, Reuben Stubblefield, James and Reuben Lively and Richard Beasley, senior, located in the same neighborhood. As a protection against the Indians, they constructed a block-house on Dosa creek, near the present site of Hillstown, (named for Nathaniel Hill.) It was built in the prevailing style of such structures, two stories high, the lower one provided with port-holes to shoot through, and also with strong puncheon doors, securely barred against entering from the outside. The second story projected over the first, enabling parties secreted within it to shoot down upon Indians attempting to gain access into the lower story. It was to this block-house that a son of Lively, who had been murdered in Washington county in March, 1813, and a hired man, made their escape before blood-thirsty savages. An account of this terrible tragedy may not be here amiss. Lively had left his home in this precinct to make a new one near Covington, Washington county, in company with David Huggins, a brother-in-law. They made one crop without being molested, in 1812. In 1813 Huggins returned to Monroe county. Friends importuned Lively to give up his place and join them at the block-house. He resolutely declined, saying, he had no fear of the red skins. His wife seemed to have a presentiment of the terrible scenes that were soon to be enacted. An account of the massacre, in the History of Washington county, is as follows: Lively had an enclosure into which he had his stock driven at night, to protect them from marauding bands of Indians. For several nights previous to the night that witnessed the fearful tragedy, Lively and his family were greatly disturbed. The stock gave evidence of their alarm by their unusual conduct; the dogs barked continuously, and Lively began to realize the imminent danger of himself and family. He frequently, with rifle in hand, would go out and search for the cause of the alarm, but his efforts to discover the source were unavailing. He endeavored to calm his wife's fears by telling her it was nothing but wolves or other wild animals that created the disturbance. This, however, did not suffice to quiet her feelings, and she labored more assiduously to convince her husband that their safety depended on their immediate removal to the fort. The last night before the massacre was so exceedingly noisy that Lively began to lose his composure, and agreed to accede to the request of his wife and go to a place of safety. He began preparations for moving about two hours before sundown. He directed his son, hired hand and his nephew, to get up the horses while his wife and daughters milked the cows, and got things in readiness to start to the settlements. The young man and boy started in quest of the horses, leaving the old gentleman in the cow-pen with his wife and daughters, who were milking the cows. He was on the stump of a fallen tree with. his loaded rifle across his knees ready for use, chatting with his wife and daughters, whose spirits were buoyant in anticipation of leaving that dreaded place. But alas! their fond hopes were never to be realized! The young man and boy had proceeded but a short distance in the direction of the horses, when they were alarmed at the report of fire-arms in the direction of the house. They hurried to the scene of the firing, and when they had come in sight, a scene met their gaze that was calculated to freeze their hearts! The premises were covered with Indians; the death-dealing tomahawk and scalping-knife were doing their work of destruction. All were found where they were slain, on the premises, scalped, and their. bodies horribly mutilated, except one boy, who was found by a party that followed the Indians, beheaded and with a hole cut through his body, with his buckskin shirt drawn through it."
The young man and boy made their way on foot to the block wading Little Mud creek, whose waters were so high, that they reached the boy's chin. They gave the alarm, and all occupants of the fort able to bear arms followed the savages, some of whom they killed.
Upon the abandonment of the block-house its occupants scattered to various parts of the country, only two or three families remaining in the neighborhood.
There are yet living representatives of the Hills and Livelys in this county. These pioneers followed the usual avocations and endured the hardships incident to such life. One of the Livelys located on section 34, where he lived for a number of years. To him whilst living here was born Mary Lively, who first enlivened the humble cabin of the Livelys in the spring of 1816. Peace had spread her fair wings, and when bands of Indians of the Tamarois tribe occasionally stopped at the house, they admired the little pale face, and bestowed on her presents more brilliant than useful.