Westfall Cemetery

Westfall Cemetery is located in Copley Township west of the center of Section 29. Go west on Route 7 and then turn right on 1350E. The cemetery will be on the left-hand side of the road. It is a very well-kept cemetery in a scenic location.

Westfall Cemetery is located in the Southeast corner of the North West Quarter of Section twenty-nine (29), Copley Twp., Knox County, Illinois. The plot of land was purchased March 3,1858 A.D. from Isaac E. Hurr of the county of Knox, state of Illinois by church trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Those being Lewis Mitchell, Sylvanus Westfall, Lorenzo Lane, James Johnson and Gustavus Waddle. Purchase price for the three-acre plot was $24.00 of lawful money in hand. Deed of sale was recorded May 2, 1864 A.D. 2:00 P.M. at the Recorder of Deeds office, Knox County Court House, Galesburg, Illinois. The Deed states that the trustees and their successors shall build or cause to be erected a house or place of worship for the use of the members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States of America.

The cemetery located on the west two acres of the tract of land purchased by the church trustees was named after the Westfall family. Alexander Westfall being buried on Dec 17, 1862 at the age of 78 yrs. 8mos. 22days. Alexander was among the earliest burials but according to record was not the first.

It has been told that the families of the area cleared the cemetery from hazel brush making a total of 108 lots. One acre in front of cemetery of Oak trees next to the road was where the house of worship was to be located. Up keep of the cemetery in early days was done by each of the different families and small donations of money.

The original plot of three acres was surveyed by C. S. Richey, County Surveyor on Oct 30,1894. In 1904 according to a newspaper article the Cemetery was incorporated to be known as the Westfall Cemetery Association. The meeting was held at the home of Arthur Westergreen. Samuel Aston Westfall was elected sexton of the cemetery. Arthur Westergreen served as Secretary-Treasurer and A1bert Seiboldt as Vice President.

In 1942 after all lots being taken the cemetery board purchased a 1/2 acre tract of land to the west of cemetery being 82 ft. deep making 84 'Lots. This was purchased from Albert and Grace Seiboldt.

In 1968 the Cemetery Board turned over all funds and equipment to the Copley Twp. Board of Trustees. Up keep of cemetery is now maintained from Copley Twp. tax funds.

The last addition to the cemetery was purchased from Jerry and Inis King the 17th day of December 1985. The 1.25 acres of land were plotted by Ron Zuck into 176 lots with a circle drive. A plot for veteran’s burial and flagpole was included. The American Legion Post 726 of Victoria, Ill. erected the flagpole and mortar. Each Memorial Day they hold military services for those veterans buried in Westfall Cemetery. (Unknown author, submitted by Mike Osler)

Here are a few tombstone pictures...click on thumbnails for a larger image...

Additional information (in purple) submitted by Mike Osler. Thank you very much, Mike!!

Bruce Cherrington
Mar. 15, 1801-Mar. 4 1885

Rachel Cherrington
Mar. 9, 1807-Jun. 19, 1889

Mary J. Cherrington 1864 - 1954
(Mary Jane Milroy Cherrington
2/14/1864-8/31/1954)
see obit

Gardner B. Cherrington 1858 - 1934
(4/29/1858-5/18/1934)
see obit

Gardner A. Cherrington son o f S. R.? & S. S.
b. 10/3/1855 d. Mar. 17, 1871

Elvine Crouch son of J. W. & R.
Apr. 15, 1860-May 15, 1867

J. W. Crouch
Oct. 1, 1813-Nov. 17, 1873

Rebecca Crouch wife of J. W.
Nov. 26, 1822-Apr. 11, 1874

Mary Eiker wife of N.
d. Nov. 16, 1876 Age 17 yr 11 mo 21 da

Infant Eiker died at the same time

Gardner Eldridge
d. Jan. 18, 1870 Age 75 yr 7 mo 1 da

See bio of James Eldridge

Permelia Eldridge wife of Gardner
d. Jun. 23, 1868 Age 68 yr 4 mo 8 da

Other Eldridges buried here...

Benjamin Flynn son of J. & M.
d. Mar. 31, 1865 Age 20 yr 1 mo 18 da
d. White Oak, Tenn. PVT 83 Ill. Inf.

John Flynn
d. Nov. 19, 1880 Age 64 yr 12 da
see obit

Mary Flynn dau of J. & M.
d. Jan. 20, 1879 Age 11 yr 2 mo
(Correction: 31 yr 2 mo)

Willie Flynn son of Wm. & M. E.
d. May 6, 1882 Age 15 yr 6 mo 7 da

J. Haptonstall
Co. A 59 Ill. Inf
(Correction: Co. A 58 Ill. Inf.)

Tryphena Haptonstall dau of J. & M.
d. 11, 1868 Age 16 da

Sarah J. Holm wife of John
d. Jan. 16, 1880 Age 29 yr 6 mo 26 da
(Full name: Sarah Jane Cherrington Holm)

Albert Larson
Apr. 12, 1860-Mar. 8, 1880

John E. Larson
Nov. 7, 1862-Feb. 29, 1884

William Larson 1831-1864

Catharine Larson 1829-1894
wife of William

Betsey Moberg wife of Olaf
d. Aug. 5, 1899 Age 87 yr 6 mo 23 da
see obit

Olaf [Peter] Moberg
d. Apr. 2, 1871 Age 62 yr 3 mo 22 da

James H. Patton
Co. A. 59 Ill. Inf.
d. at hospital at Louisville, Ky.
d. Jan. 16, 1864 Age 21 yr 11 mo 24 da

Samuel F. Patton
1st Lieut. Co. A. 59 Ill. Inf.
d. Feb. 18, 1893 Age 53 yr 11 mo 5 da
see obit

Mary E. Patton wife of H. T.
d. Apr. 1, 1876 Age 27 yr 2 mo 5 da

Sarah Grace Patton dau of H. T & M. E..
d. May 9, 1876 Age 1 yr 9 mo 6 da

Anna Peterson wife of L.
Dec. 18, 1808-Dec. 6, 1886

Lars Peterson
Apr. 29, 1816-Jan. 28, 1909

Gustaf Pratt Jr. born in Sweden
d. Feb. 8, 1876 Age 23? yr ? mo 13 da

Charles N. Russell
Jul. 2, 1820-Sep. 20, 1901
see obit

Ernst Jacob Steffen
b. Bobsdorf Per Prob Ste j Hagen H atski n, Germany
Aug. 23, 1859-Nov. 2 3 , 1940
see obit

Alive Wyman Steffen wife of E. J.
b. Persifer Twp. Knox Co., Ill.
Mar. 19, 1860-Sep. 8, 1914

Charles H. Wagher
d. Aug. 2, 1871 Age 10 mo 11 da
(b. 9/21/1870, son of Barrett and Priscilla)

Fanny E. Wagher
d. Jul. 30, 1876 Age 1 yr 8 mo 2 da

children of B. & S. E. Wagher

Priscilla [Crouch] Wagher wife of Barney
d. Sep. 19, 1867 Age 25 yr 3 mo 2 da

Infant Wagher (son)
d. Oct. 1, 1867 Age 22 da

Anna Wyman wife of A.
Jun. 1, 1807-Jan. 10, 1884

Arthur Wyman
Feb. 5, 1807-May 18, 1875

Catharine [Minor] Wyman wife of Stephen
d. Jun. 5, 1868 Age 2 0 yr 7 mo 23 da

Edward J. Wyman Jan. 10, 1833-Feb. 3, 1903
see obit

Susan E. Wyman his wife Nov. 24, 1837-Sep. 19, 1909
(Susan Elizabeth Bradford Wyman)

Hannah Wyman wife of John
Oct. 1 , 1836-Apr. 8, 1864
(Hannah Taylor Wyman)

John Wyman
Jul 2 5 , 1830-Jan. 3, 1904
see obit

William P. Wyman
Aug. 18, 1862-Jan. 11, 1918

Note: Additional Eldridges buried at Westfall Cemetery:

Eldridge, Agnes E., b. 4/3/1859 d. 8/25/1860 (unmarked stone)

Eldridge, Angelina C. dau. of J. & S. b. 9/14/1865 d. 5/19/1866

Eldridge, Augustus F. son of J. & S. b. 4/27/1867 d. 5/3/1868