Among those utilizing this "Old Trail" were prospective landowner's. One such, William D. Stilley, began making land entries of ownership as early as 1840 to 1854, for these prairie lands. Eventually amassing more than 320 acres of these lands, we have the beginnings and namesake of what is known as Williams Prairie, Williams Prairie Baptist Church, Williams Prairie School and the William Davis Stilley Family Cemetery, of which; all were located.
This cemetery is located in Lake Creek Township, NE ¼ NW ¼, Section 11, approximately five miles northeast of Johnston City, within one of the eight expansive and fertile prairie areas of the county. Dating back to the mid 1800's, early settlers and natives traveled across this prairie on what was known as the "Old Trail". This crude, yet crucial trail began three miles to the east at Jordan's Fort leading west to the river crossing of the Big Muddy River.
This family burial ground had been neglected and left unkept for nearly 35 years. In 1986, a granddaughter of Wesley Stilley, made contact with our family in regards to the condition of the cemetery. She being in her late 80's and residing on the West Coast, had been informed that as a youth at that time, I had began to clean the sacred burial grounds. She had not visited the site since her own youth nor had we directly met; however, what began as a gesture, turned into a formidable friendship that since that initial communication, still today some 30 years later this sacred burial grounds is still being cared for by the Jent Family. Of note, there is no direct ancestral connection; however, through that initial contact and the development of a friendship that was developed through written communication a second generation of our own family is now paying respect to that request of a granddaughter, from across the country, and having gone to her own reward, still maintaining this sacred burial grounds that is and was important to those that so to were once loved.
The WILLIAM DAVIS STILLEY FAMILY CEMETERY, commonly referred to as the "STILLEY CEMETERY" is located in Lake Creek Township, Section 11, of Williamson County, Illinois
On April 20, 1881, William D. Stilley and his wife Nancy Stilley for and in consideration of fifteen dollars deeded just over one acre of land for the purpose of a burial ground. This was shortly after the burial of their son, Stephen A.D. Stilley, in November 1880. Historical accounts and church records of what is originally known as the "United Baptist Church at Williams Prairie", instituted on June 15, 1861, suggest that the church's first log meeting house may have been directly adjacent to this burial ground instead of the 300 yards to the west where the present church and cemetery sits today. The second and existing church was built in 1865. Today, that original deeded burial ground and the additional adjacent church and cemetery site are of one accord.
Cemetery gravestones are a symbolism of death. However, one cannot but acknowledge the lasting impact that William D. Stilley and his family surely must have had back in that day. Through even that symbolism, their lasting impact still lives on even today.
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Stilley Cemetery is a US Cemetery based in Johnston City, Illinois. Stilley Cemetery is located at 17333-17887 Dean Rd, Johnston City, IL 62951, USA.
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