"This cemetery is located where the old Primitive Baptist Church of early date was located and was about one mile east of the west line of the Simpson Township on the west side of the Maxwell Creek and about one mile north of the Simpson and Vienna highway and it is also about four and one half miles west of the present old Primitive Baptist church now stands in Johnson County."

The above is the description of the location of the old Rock Springs Cemetery left for us, the Kerley family, by Silvo S. Kerley (b. 1875 d. 1947) about 1938. Our branch ancestors, my (Raymond A. Kerley)great, great, great grandparents, Lewis Kerley b.1788 d. 1864 and Mary (Polly) Simmons Kerley b. 1792 d. 1879 are buried there.

Directions to this old Rock Springs Cemetery would be to start at the 146 - 147 routes west of I-24 and go N. E. on Route 147 (Simpson blacktop) about 3.0 miles to the "Pond Road." Then turn north on Pond Road 0.9 mile to the Pleasant Ridge road Tee, then east on Pleasant Ridge Road ( a dead-end road) about 1.2 miles to the end of the public road, then about 200 yards (maybe) to the old cemetery. This cemetery is on private land and is well-posted with no trespassing and keep out signs.
To gain entry, please get permission from the owner or managers. They will appreciate it.

On August 30, 1999, after securing permission, Mr. Charlie Bench, a resident of the neighborhood near the old Rock Springs cemetery, and I visited the cemetery. The condition of the cemetery is good, with little or no vegetation other than the trees whose shade has kept vines, briars and weeds from growing, is in a woods lot used over the years for livestock.

Only about nine store bought and lettered stones were found with about thirty more graves marked with sandstone and two or three by live cedar trees as was the custom of days gone by. Charlie and I tried tolist the lettered stones and as we read them, they are:

Mary Elizabeth Murrie,
Dau. of J. L. and A. J. Murrie,
born Oct. 5, 1884
died May 10, 1900

Daniel, son of J. L. and N. E. Mullen
born Oct. 14, 1886
died Jan. 16, 1889

"Sleep on sweet babe, take thy rest
God called you home, He thought it best."

On the north side of the same stone:

Nancy E. wife of J. L. Mullen
born June 20, 1842
died Mar 12, 1888 aged 46 yrs 2 mos 20ds

"Alas, she has left us, her spirit has fled
Her body now slumbers along with the dead
Her Savior hath called her to Him
She is gone, be ready also, to follow her soon."

Daniel J. Brooks
born Dec. 1818
died Apr. 3, 1861, profession Baptist

Nellie A. Miller
Born Dec. 29, 1889
Died Dec. 31, 1889

Isabella, wife of G. D. Wheelis
Born Jan. 14, 1862
Died Sept. 15, 1886 aged 24 yrs 8 mos 1 d

Mattie, dau of G. D. and I. B. Wheelis
Died June 11, 1881, aged 1 mo 19 ds

"Sweet Mattie unto earth, a little while was given,
she planned her wings flight and soared away to heaven."

Wm M. Workman
Born Aug. 10, 1824
Died Mar. 21, 1879 aged 54 yrs 2 mos 11 ds
"A loving husband, a father dear
A faithful friend lies buried here."

"Vienna Marble Works" at bottom of stone.

Fransis, wife of G. D. Wheelis
Born Jan. 20 1870
Died 19 yrs. 8 m 20 d

"Alas, she has left us, her spirit has fled
Her body now slumbers along with the dead."

Francis McCuan wife of W. S. McCuan
was born Oct 10, 1820
Died Oct. 12, 1862.

Submitted by:

Raymond A. Kerley,
6039 So. US 45 Road
Metropolis, IL 62960

January 31, 2002