Scott Cemetery - Chenoa

From Historic Map Works, 1874 McLean County Atlas

In the summer of 1858, several young Chenoa children unexpectedly passed away. Most of them were buried in land owned by Matthew Scott. Some were moved to Payne Cemetery in Livingston County. However, at least one account states that not all the bodies were removed.

Background

Nothing is known about what killed the nine children. They all died just weeks apart. Central Illinois did witness several waves of Asiatic Cholera in the 1850's.

As a developing town, Chenoa needed a burial ground. Land for this purpose was donated by Matthew Scott, a wealthy landowner who arrived in the early 1850's. Scott eventually moved to the Vrooman Mansion in Bloomington in 1873, where he lived until his death in 1891. Scott's Chenoa home, built in 1855, still stands and is a historic landmark.

According to the Chenoa community centennial book, burials were made in the land donated by Scott for several years. At some point, Scott abruptly ordered the headstones and remains be removed. According to the book, some remains were transferred to Payne Cemetery, just north of Chenoa in Livingston County. It's possible some were transferred to other local cemeteries.

Location of Scott Cemetery

The Chenoa centennial book states the cemetery was located "on the hill north of the National Hotel about 1/2 mile away, a little north of the east end of Piety Hill on the north side of the road."

National Hotel Location

The first step to finding the location of the Scott Cemetery is locating the National Hotel. According to the Chenoa centennial book, the Chenoa Catholic Church displaced the National Hotel in the 1880's. This would put the National Hotel in block 22. Other hotels also stood at this location. I believe the name of the hotel was the Munsell Hotel in the 1880's.

Piety Hill Location

The second step is locating Piety Hill. Piety Hill was actually a road, but a hill could have stood at the corner of the road. It was described as being northwest of town. I believe this road to be Lincoln Road, as shown in the 1874, 1895 and 1914 atlases. Today, this is Sunset Drive.

Scott Cemetery Location

The Chenoa centennial book describes a nursery established by Scott and local businessman William Maxwell. The 1874 atlas displays a nursery. This certainly would have been needed, as the area was lacking in trees.

The National Hotel was located in block 22
From Historic Map Works, 1874 McLean County Atlas

Over the years, this nursery was prosperous. As coincidence would have it, the nursery was located 1/2 mile north of the National Hotel, where the Chenoa Catholic Church sits (on block 22). I speculate Scott Cemetery was located in this general area.

Note line about 1/2 mile north of the Catholic Church on the east end of Piety Road.
Screenshot from Google Maps.

I suspect Scott ordered the removal of the gravestones from this land to build the nursery. Timber was scarce in the Chenoa at the time, and a growing railroad town would have needed it. The location, the edge of town on a major road, was perfect. An ambitious businessman, it's probable Scott would have capitalized on a business opportunity.

The timing fits with the narrative, as the 1874 atlas depicts a nursery on the north side of Piety Hill road towards the east end.

While Scott apparently directed some graves and headstones be moved, some or many were left behind. This may seem careless on Scott's part. Perhaps he was a cold-hearted businessman. Or perhaps Scott didn't know some graves were left behind. Maybe it didn't matter. The bodies could have been fully decomposed. 

While Scott's intentions are speculative on my part, I feel fairly confident about the general location of Scott Cemetery.

Scott Cemetery Remains in Payne Cemetery

I was able to find the gravestones of two children who died in the summer months of 1858. There is no evidence, however, the children were originally buried in Scott Cemetery. One child is mentioned in the Chenoa centennial history, W.H. Leavers. Perhaps this child was the son or daughter or another W.H. Leavers, whose name is mentioned in several Chenoa historical accounts. Leavers’ father in law owned the original National Hotel. Many of the individuals originally buried in Scott Cemetery, however, are perhaps lost to history.

References

• Chenoa Centennial Committee. (1954), Chenoa community centennial : a century of co-operation, 1854-1954. 
• Custer, M. (1930). Asiatic Cholera in Central Illinois. Journal of the State Historical Society, 22.