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RIKER CEMETERY

Sec. 9-5-11

Shelby Township
Jefferson County, Indiana

July 2003 Survey – done by Robert W. Scott

HISTORY: By Robert W. Scott
The Ryker family cemetery is in a pasture just off the road, and less than a half mile from Jefferson Presbyterian Church. Within the last three years, the grounds have been cleaned of brush and a fence with a gate erected. There must be other graves here as most of the stones are on the boundaries of the cemetery with a space in the middle (now filling in with trees).

KEY: SS = Same Stone, W = Wife, S = Son, D = Daughter, y = year(s), m = month(s), d = day(s)

    LAST NAME
    FIRST
    MIDDLE
    BORN
    DIED
    INSCRIPTION(S)
    COMMENTS
  
    Beebe
    Patsy
    A fieldstone with the name roughly carved in. No dates.
    
    Benefiel
    - - y
    24 Jul 1845
    The part of the stone with the other letters is broken away. (This is surely Amy)
    
    Conaway
    Henry
    28 Sep 1838
    In memory of - Aged 38y 12d – Also his son and daughter Hugh and Cyntha Ann
    Cyntha is not an error – it is not Cynthia
    
    Riker
    Samuel
    24 Jun 1843
    
    Weatherford
    John
    12 Mar 1857
    Aged ?3y 3m 25d
    
    Weatherford
    Sarah
    21 Feb 1809
    26 May 1891
    W of John
    Bob Scott notes: Sarah was John’s second wife
    
    Weatherford *
    H.
    N.
    12 Mar 1857
    Age _3y 3m 25d
    
    Weatherford
    P.
    A.
    Co. H, 10th Indiana Cavalry
    No dates. This is probably Peter, son of John & Rachel Ryker Weatherford.

COMMENTS: The cemetery is in a wooded area not far from the Jefferson Presbyterian Church. Take Hwy 421 to SR 62 towards Canaan. Turn left on Flat Bottom Road, then left on Thornton Road. Turn right on Jefferson Road (comes up quickly).

The stone of Samuel Riker is the only example of the original spelling of the Ryker name ever seen in Jefferson County by Robert W. Scott.

* Jackie Rhodes read the same date, but read the name as John. Using chalk, I found H.N. Weatherford and believe this is Harden Weatherford, who was son of John Weatherford and his first wife Rachel Ryker. Harden was a brother to Peter Weatherford, the P.A. Weatherford buried here.