WPA VETERANS' CEMETERY PROJECT
The Macoupin County Archives has in its files, indexes/listings of many veterans buried in numerous Macoupin County cemeteries. WPA workers compiled the indexes during the Depression Era (about 1939-1940). The cemeteries below were checked for veterans and I found there was also other information that a genealogist might find useful.   I generally didn't copy the legal descriptions of the property if they were very long and drawn out. If you want that information, contact the Archives.

As in previous issues of the Macoupin County Searcher, I listed veterans' information from both typed sheets and work sheets. The work sheets are typed in bold and the typed sheets are typed in a normal font. In some cases the work sheet had additional or conflicting information from the typed sheets. The work sheets with soldier information stated to check these sources: burial plot, cemetery record, death certificate or burial permit, patriotic organization (name), official U. S. records or other. These sources would probably be good sources to check still, today, as we have no way of knowing how thorough the WPA workers were. In these records, as always, I try to keep the spellings "as is" even if it appears incorrect.

Baird Private Cemetery
Bunker Hill Township 22-8-6
Macoupin County, Illinois
2 Miles SW of Bunker Hill


Name of Cemetery Baird Private Cemetery
Location  Sec. 22, Bunker Hill
Oldest Grave John Jones 1835-1835
Number of graves 18 is all that can be counted
Number of graves to be filled 8
Number of Veterans graves that need stones none
Number of stones in cemetery that need resetting 7
Number of stones that need recutting 6
Rods of fence around cemetery 18 1/4
Condition of fence poor
Rods of fence to be repaired none
Rods of fence to be replaced 18 1/4
Number of people interviewed 3


Ground around Cemetery belongs to Arthur W. Nobbie and is in a pasture. Cemetery Recorded in Carlinville.

The Baird Cemetery is a small private cemetery located in Bunker Hill Township. This cemetery was laid out by Mr. Baird in 1835 as a burial place the members of the Baird family and derives its name from them.

Land records of Macoupin County have been searched for a deed to the cemetery but none was found. We have however found a deed for the transfer of the land on which the cemetery is located and the deed excepts the burial grounds giving the dimensions as fenced in to-day. The deed conveying the land and excepting the cemetery reads in part as follows: This indenture witnessed THAT THE GRANTORS: William Baird and Abagail Baird, his wife, of the township of Bunker Hill in the County of Macoupin and State of Illinois for and in consideration of the sum of $__ in hand paid, CONVEY AND WARRANT to Mrs. Louis S. Richards of the Township of Bunker Hill County of Macoupin and State of Illinois the following described real estate to wit:

The SE 1/4 of the NE. 1/4 of Section 21; and the SW. 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of Section 22 all in T. 7R 8 reserving a piece of ground near the SW corner in the SW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 65 feet by 90 ft. as now fenced—and other lands. This deed is dated June 6, 1881 and was recorded in the office of the Recorder of Deeds for Macoupin County, Illinois on July 6, 1881 in Book "C.W." of Deed Record at page 295.

The Baird Cemetery is not incorporated.

There are no trustees to the Baird Cemetery.

Friends and relatives of the deceased take care of the burial grounds.

The Baird Cemetery is located in a pasture on the Arthur W. Nobbie land. Only 18 graves can be counted in the cemetery but the center is full of unmarked graves which cannot be distinguished. 7 stones in the cemetery are down and need resetting. The inscriptions on 6 stones are weather worn and need recutting. The cemetery is covered with brush and sprouts. The woven-wire fence is half down and hi need of replacing. There is no passable driveway to the Baird cemetery at the present time. The one that had originally been there is covered with brush and the bridge washed out.

To reach the Baird Cemetery one travels 1 mile west of Bunker Hill on rock road, then south /4 mile to the Nobbie farm then 1/8 mile west on a lane. Then one leaves his vehicle (bridge washed out) and walks 1/8 mile west to cemetery. The cemetery is 50 feet to the north of the road.

There are no known veterans buried in this cemetery.

The oldest grave we can locate in the Baird Cemetery is that of "John Jones", who died in 1853. (as is).

Reserving piece of ground near the SW Corner in the SW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 65 feet by 90 feet as now fenced in---—also hereby granting to the said Louise S. Richards, her heirs and assigns a right of way over and upon a strip of land 20 feet wide off of the east side of the NW 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of Section 22 in said township with the right to pass and repass and to use the same as a roadway forever upon the express condition that Louise S. Richards, her heirs and assigns will at their own expense maintain & keep at all times a good and lawful fence on the west lines of said roadway and upon a failure of the said Louisa S. Richards, her heirs or assigns to keep and Maintain at all times such good and lawful fence as aforesaid then the right to said roadway here granted shall cease and determine; and the grantees herein or their heirs or assigns may reenter and take possession of said right of way and premises herein as if no such grant had ever been made. Also hereby reserving to the grantors herein, their heirs & assigns the right tore-enter and take possession of said right of way in case of the non-user of the same for the period of 6 months by the said grantees, their heirs & assigns.

Note from MCGS Macoupin County Searcher Editor: There are two cemeteries in this area known as Baird Cemetery. We printed the Baird/Waggoner WPA Veterans cemetery project in the October 2010 issue, which is in Hilyard Township. The Baird Cemetery printed here in the January 2012 issue is in Bunker Hill Township.