Vaughn Graveyard

Vaughn Graveyard

The Josiah Vaughn family donated one half acre and 20 rods for a the cemetery around the year 1816, making it one of the oldest in Madison County. Josiah provided cemetery plots free to family members, friends, and neighbors. Early pioneer families buried at the graveyard include Vaughn, Starkey, Henry, Jones, Kendall, Berry, and Lawrence. The historic site is the burial grounds for victims of the Wood River Massacre of 1814, Revolutionary Soldier, John Rattan, a veteran of the War of 1812, and several Civil War veterans. The cemetery was deeded to the City of Wood River in 1985 by the Vaughn descendants and shortly thereafter, the Wood River Heritage Council installed iron gates and cleaned and marked the gravesites that could be identified.