Beautiful lovingly cared for grounds.
MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE WILL BE HELD
SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2024 AT 1:00 P.M.
note: earlier time than year's past
Memorial Day is a holiday reserved to honor our many brave soldiers special remembrance of loved ones. It's a time to reflect together upon the holiday outside of summer fun — themes of freedom, justice, opportunity and sacrifice abound.
MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE WILL BE HELD
SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2024 AT 1:00 P.M.
NOTE: EARLIER TIME THAN YEAR'S PAST
donations will be accepted at the cemetery over the memorial day weekend or can be can be mailed to:
Jim Tarasuik @ 1337 Villa vista place Greenville, il 62246
Robinson Cemetery was established November 28, 1850 and is located approximately 3 miles northwest of Pocahontas, Illinois on Robinson Cemetery Avenue.
Robinson Cemetery has a rich history in the Bond County community. Not only have families selected the beautiful grounds as the final resting place for their loved ones, it is a peaceful sanctuary for remembrance as well as celebration. If you have Robinson Cemetery experiences or stories to share please email them to Lori Kalous at kalous11@yahoo.com. We would love to share them on our site.
Some Early History:
Transcription of an undated, unsourced publication by Henry Kleinmann, Robinson Cemetery Secretary. The original document has been saved in an old Cemetery ledger. Due to the article’s age and condition, portions of the text are missing or illegible and so noted in this transcription.
“H. Kleinmann Secretary of the Robinson Cemetery”
“By request of the board of trustees of the Robinson cemetery association and others, the undersigned herewith presents a brief history of the cemetery which is one and a half miles northwest of Pocahontas.
In the early 50’s (1850’s) Simon Brown, who then owned the farm, donated a long narrow strip three-fourths of an acre off the west side of his farm for burial purposes. Later the Robinson brothers came in and took possession of this farm and did not like the looks of that kind of a graveyard. As no one had been buried in the north portion he added a quarter of an acre and made a square acre of it. This was fenced in with a good substantial plank fence.
Like many others this was everybody’s graveyard and as a result nobody did anything to keep it in shape. In fact it got so grown up with trees, weeds, etc., that it was almost impossible to find a place to dig a grave.
Sometime in the month of August 1885, the writer was called upon (?) dig a grave for one of his neighbors. It took me longer to find a spot than it did to dig the grave. I concluded to work up an interest among those who had relatives buried there. Three different times a meeting was called at the school house in Pocahontas. Two of them were failures but the third was a success and quite a number met on September 5, 1885 and formed an organization. A day was then set to clean up the cemetery and about 20 men worked two days to finish the job of one acre. When the cemetery was cleaned off and the graves could be seen it was found to be about full and it was discovered that more land was needed. A subscription list was circulated and enough money to purchase 2 ¼ acres from J. S. Holt, the present owner of the farm, was raised. After an investigation it was found that neither Mr. Brown nor the Messrs. Robinson had conveyed the land to the cemetery association or to anyone, so Mr. Holt made the conveyance.
The trustees were in favor of incorporating under the state laws but lack of funds kept them from doing so for a while. Soon after (?) the trustees of the cemetery received word from the county clerk that there was $25 left for the Robinson cemetery by David Goebel by will, he having died in New York, while there on a visit. Mr. Goebel was resident of Pocahontas, a bachelor and a man who took on (an) interest in all public affairs. He was a great friend of John Robinson. Mr. Robinson had moved to Kansas and Mr. Goebel was in New York and both died the same day and about the same hour when the difference of time is taken in to consideration.
The $25 gave us the means whereby the association could be incorporated on June 11 (1889?).
The association (?) the need for more land for burial purposes as the last purchase was filling up fast, but after considering the matter it (?) agreed to purchase more land (?) to the cemetery and (?) purchase elsewhere for a branch (?).
(?) was appointed a special committee of one to investigate the matter and make a deal if one could be made for land adjoining the cemetery with the result that a deal was made with George Kroder for four and a forth acres for $325.
This money was all borrowed and Mr. Kroder was paid in full. The association now has a fine cemetery covering eight acres in all, is beautifully situated, high in the center, sloping in all directions. The new purchase was surveyed and platted, making fifty blocks with four lots to a block or 200 lots in all. Each lot has a driveway to it and a four foot walk all around it. The size of the lost (lot) is 19X21.
There is not enough interest taken by all concerned to keep up this cemetery. Too much of the work falls on a few. It is difficult even to get a quorum for the transaction of business and very few attend the annual elections. All parties who have relatives buried there are entitled to vote. The next election will be held Saturday, June 14th at the Bond County Bank at Pocahontas from two to four p.m.
Henry Kleinmann, Secretary”
