Hocking County Downhour - Dawley  Cemetery

Transcriptions Compiled by:

 Carolyn Decker Donahoe, Sally Decker Messenger and Lola Decker Rowan
 copyright July 11, 2007 remains with the submitter

Corrections and Additions are welcome!

Dawley/Downhour Cemetery is found by going south out of  New Straitsville on State Route 216.  Turn right on Sand Run Road. Sand Run Road is just after New Straitsville. If coming the opposite direction going north on state route 216 out of Murray City, Sand Run  Road would go to the leftt.  After turning on Sand Run Road traveling about a mile, turn right on Jacob Road There is a small sign nearly covered by weeds.  It is the first crossroads you will encounter. Jacob Road curves in several places but it dead ends after several miles into the cemetery. Except for paved State Route 216 the roads are graveled but well maintained.  

 This cemetery appears to be known by two names. We grew up knowing it as Downhour but most recently it has been changed to Dawley. When we grew up there was no sign at the cemetery as I recall. Now there is a large new sign  as you enter the cemetery on the left. There are very few gravestones in the cemetery belonging to the Downhours but there are many Dawley's which  apparently accounts for the correction or change in the name. However,  there are many sunken areas and whether Downhours represent earlier burials is  not known.

Dawley/Downhour Cemetery is said to be haunted .  We have not heard the stories but it is one of the few cemeteries that we have visited which actually feels frightening. When there I have always had a sharp image in my mind of someone looking at us and worse yet, ready to "pounce".  In the last many years it has been a favorite place for dirt bike riders but that area has been blocked off and is not now used for that purpose although there are dirt bike trails nearby.

The day that we went there were county workers clearing the brush on the side of the roads and we felt quite safe. The cemetery itself is also well maintained. As you enter the cemetery on the right there is a large area which has been designated as a potters field. A county worker that day explained that  many  people were marking plots in that area for their family. However, this is not allowed.  

 The Cemetery is on a hill, there are no distinct rows, there are several stones which  have fallen and some are unreadable  Many graves have sunken and are without  any stones at all.. Although we had to do rubbings on several,  the  majority were legible.  Surprisingly, there are burials in this decade although it was hard to find and few people appear to be aware of its  location..

Because there are  no distinct rows we have put the names in alphabetical order.

-A-
A.M.A  (small brick footstone)
Azbell, Mary E., Dec. 27, 1905 - May 8, 1915 -
Azbell, Infant son of Mary,  May 10, 1911 Budded on earth to be born in heaven.

-B-
Beal,Christina,   1886 -  19 - (no date)  &
Beal,  Edward  1884 - 1943
Beal, Opal,   7- 21- 1915 -  4-14-1918
Borden, Emily, wife of  J.R. Borden,  died Feborn 21, 1891 Aged 36y

-C-
Campbell, Edward  1839 - 1918

-D-
Dawley, (?), died Dec 6, 1851 age 2yrs 6d
Dawley, Abigail, wife of WH Lehman, born Dec. 9, 1832 -  died Dec. 14, 1926
Dawley, Ellen,  1854 - 19 (?)
Dawley, Elmer, July 14, 189(?) - Oct. 12, 1918
Dawley, Ellis,  1879 - 1954 &  Wilburn, 1873 - 1944
Dawley, Harriet, died 12-24-1895 , 65y 11mo 7d
Dawley, Harrison,  Father died Dec., 5 1889 age 53y 3m 2d , Co. C. 151 Regt. O.N.G.&  Mary Everett Dawley, Mother 1840 - 1927
Dawley, Ivan W., Oct., 1898- 1988 U.S. Veteran
Dawley, Joe , 1850 - 1912
Dawley, Mary A., wife of Horace Dawley, died Oct. (?), 1860
Dawley, Nathan, died Sept 12, 1873 age 80y 1m 13d
Dawley, Nathan ,  died Sept 12, 1873  died 11-(?)   & Amma w/o Nathan Dawley age 80y 1m 18days
Dawley, Perry, Feborn,28,1871 - (no date)
Dawley, Perry, Co. G. 15 ST. O.V.I. Feborn 28, 1839
Dawley, Lawrence E., PFC US Marine Corps Vietnam, 7-13-1950 - 12-2-1990
Dawley , Marie V.,  daughter of C.V. & M.E., died 6-18-1901, Age 20 days
Dawley, Mary A., Apr. 15, 1846 - died Feborn 11, 1918
Dawley, Rachael , Mother died Sept. 16, 1865 Age 40y. 8m. 4d  & Boon Dawley, Father,  Apr 13, 1858 age 31y 2m18 days
Dawley, Riley, April 13, 1858  age 31y. 2m. 18d
Dawley, Ruth , 11-4-1916 - 5-31-1919
Dawley, Sarah, died 9-18-1922 80y 4mo 5d
Dawley, Verna , born 12 - 2-1910 -  died 1-18-1991
Dawley, William , died 8-2-1905 age 84y 9mo 12d &  Augusta,  wife of Wm. Dawley, died 2-24-1894 age 65y 11mo, 21 days
Donaldson, Alma, 1851-1889
Downhour, David  May 11, 1860  31yrs 5mts 11days
Downhour , Emanuel, Father, died Feb 1891 age 64y 6m 2d & Downhour, Mary, Mother, 1834- 1906
Downhour, Ivan W., U.S. Veteran Oct. 1898 - 1988
Downhour , Jacob, May(?) 12,  1866
Downhour, Jacob, died Oct 20, 185(?) age 64y 9m 12d (top of stone broken off)
Donaldson, Emory 1874-1873 (?)
Donaldson, John Frances 1856 - 1926 & Jennie V. wife of 1864 - 1942
Dumott, Julia A. daughter of Nicholas and Mary died 6-20-1883 age 25y 9m 24d
Dumott, A.J.died (small brick stone)
Dumott, Nicholas died 10-25-1889 age 57y 8m 2d &
Dumott, Mary wife of Nicholas died 8-1-1886 age 46yrs 8m 17died
Dyson, John R. 1903 - 1912

-E-
 Evans, Ernest, PVT US Army World War I & II Aug 27, 1898 - Oct 16, 1976

-G-
 
Giffin Harold W., Sept 3, 1922 - June 16, 1978
Giffin, Richard Lee, CS 3 U.S. Navy Vietnam May 9, 1950 - June 2, 1982
Griffin, Allen 1856 - 1940 & Effie 1856 - 19 (no date)
Griffin , Carel son of AV & MF Griffin born Mar 26, 1897 died Feb 6, 1961
Guess, Paul L,  son of Walter & Bertha born and died 9-11-1911

-H-

Hashman, Hezekiah, Jan., 13, 1887 - aged 61years 3months
(Hezekiah was born in 1826/1827 in Loudon County, Virginia and died Jan. 13, 1887 in Hocking county, OH.  He was the son of  Zachariah and Henrietta Hashman/ Halsman and they were born in Germany.Hezekiah married Sarah Elizabeth Strickland and lived in Senecaville, Monroe county Ohio in 1850, then Washington county Ohio in 1860, Wood county WV in 1870, and in Hocking county Ohio in 1880.  His wife is living with daughter Mary Elizabeth  Hashman Eckles in 1900, she is also listed again in 1900 with her daughter Nancy Jane Hashman Bonnett )
Hashman, Sarah E.,  April 26, 1901 aged 67y 9mos 15days
(Sarah the wife of Hezekiah was born in 1833 in Ohio and died April 26, 1901 in Hocking county, Ohio.  She was the daughter of  John Strickland and wife who was born in Pennsylvania.  Hezekiah and Sarah had children: Harriett who married a Mr. Scott in Wood county, Virginia, Hezekiah Jr married to Sarah Hicks in Wood county WV, John  who married Anna, George W. who married Susannah Lanning daughter of Joseph and Margaret Skinner Lanning {daughter of Amelia/Emily/Emma Allen Skinner Spurgeon} , Mary Elizabeth {webmaster Sandra Quinn's  ancestor grandmother who married John W. Eckels in Wood county WV}, Nancy Jane that married John Bonnett in Wood county, WV,  Halinda, and Jeff that married Bertha Reed. )
Hellyer, John J.,  Co.born 31 Ohio Inf. (no date)
Hill, Johnson Corpl 8 KY Mil War of 1912 (no death date)
Hill, Phebe, d Oct., 15, 1874, age 77yrs 6mts 14days
Hillyer, Julia L, died Dec 18, (?) Age 34y (?)

-K-

Kieffer, Jacob,  1-31, 1860  -. 11- 24-1937  &  Alvira wife of 4- 21- 1881 - 11-19-1921

-L-

Lanning, Carrie Olive, daughter of  H & H Lanning , Aug. 29, 1901 - Sept. 19, 1906
Lanning, Hiram born 1827 - 1912 & Ann  1831- 1905 (Hiram and Anna Lanning came to Hocking county Ohio from Somerset Pennsylvania and had children Zephaniah, Vincent, Alminda, May, Alice, Hiram Jr.,  and Samuel. Hiram/Hyram was a brother of James Lanning who was married to Elsy/Elsie Allen the sister of Amelia/Emily/Emma Allen Skinner Spurgeon)
Lanning, Zephaniah, 1849 - 1926
Leaman, Anna, d/o W.H. & A. Leaman, died Oct, 30, 1880 aged 22y 3d
Lehman,  Julia, d/o W.H. & Abigail   April, 1856 - Jan. 12, 1939
Leaman, Mary , dau of W.H. & A., died Apr 21, 1891  aged 38y 2mts, 9d
Leaman, W.H. ,  Sept 6, 1828 -  May 24, 1908
Lepley, C., b June 19, 1866 - died. Apr. 22, 1895 , age 25yrs, 16mo, 4d

-M-

Matheny,  Amos, 1876 - 1939 At Rest
Matheny, Maggie 1878 -1942  At Rest
Mays (cement marker, no date)
Mays, Audrey, 1906-1987 - &  Philip 1904 - 1969
Mays, Bertha A, 1899 - 1962 & James E. 1895 - 1945 WW 1917 - 1918
Mays, Charles Edward, 8-17-1925 - 5-21-1984
Mays, Charles H. 1863- 1923 & Ida, his wife, 1868 - 1946  Father and Mother
Mays, Daniel P,. 1929- 1998 &  Mary born, 1938 - 2000
Mays, Daniel P., CPL US Army, Korea, 2-23-1929 - 11-27-1998
Mays, Gail and Dale,   3/16/1937
Mays, Glen L. 1935 - 1965
Mays, Larry Earsel, Sp4 Co. born 499 Engineer BA,  1- 6- 1937 -. 3-31-1960
Mays, Nellie M., dau of Charles & Ida Mays , May 3, 1901 - July 28, 1907
Mickelwait,  Linda S.,  4-19-1913 - 2-1-1973
Mount, Paul H., 7-12-1938 - 9-8-1997

-R-

Reed, Richard M., PFC US Army Korea , June 1931 - Aug 12, 2001
Ryan, Jesse L., 1871 - 1900 &  Idella, his wife,  1872 - 1918

-S-

Sandborn, Annie Coral, daughter of John & Henrietta Sanborn, died Nov. 29, 1901 - Aged  9yrs 8 mts 12 days
Sandborn, Jona, 8-25- 1937
Sandborn ,  John born   12-16-1900  died 2-28-1900   & Henrietta Hull Sandborn, 4-27-1845
Sandborn Mary (Barnes) ,  1911 - 1995   & Ray 1907 - (no date)
Sandborn, Mary Smith, wife of Wesley E. Sandborn, 1885 - 1914
Earl 1904, Ellen Fay 1918 & inf dau. 1914   (these names were all on one stone)
SMS (small brick stone)
Shields , Mary 2-22-1903- age 81y 10mo 24died
Shields, William  8-19-1882 age 81years 5mo 8 died
Smith, Norma, 1932 - 1989
Spencer, (?) Oct 1822 - (?)
Spencer, Anne , dau of Isaiah & Abbey Spencer, born May 21, 1902 - died Nov.13 , 1910 aged 8y 5m 22d
Spencer, Asa, Oct,  5(?)1820 - Mar., 15, 1905
Spencer, Caroline,  Feb 1841 - March 20, 1917 aged 76yrs
Spencer E.R.,  (small brick stone)
Spencer, Elizabeth A. , 1888 - 1979  &   Asa J. 1883 - 1960
Spencer, Jas., Corpl. Co H, 62 Ohio Infantry, Gar 1861 - 1865  (no date of death)
Spencer , LA  (small brick stone)
Spencer, Mary Wauneta, born April 1916 - died May 1918
Spencer, Marion , Ohio PVT US Army WWI , Aapril 4, 1893 - Sept 23, 1968
Spencer, Reese , Co H 62 Ohio Infantry , 1861 - 1865 (no date of death)
Spencer, Samuel 1868 - 1950 & Sarah M. Spencer 1874 - 1915
Spencer, William R.,  1857 - 1946 & Martha 1865-1950
Spencer, Woodrow W.,  PFC 534 AAA AW BN CAC,World War II, 1-20-1915 - 11-15-1971
Stage C. died(small brick stone)
Stage, H.C. (small brick stone)
Steenrod, Fred Everett 1887 - 1933

-V-

Vermillion, Loyd "Ed",  7-13-1958 -  2-7-1998

-W-

Williams, Adda L. 1880 - 1966,  & William , 1877-1948
Williams, Bonnie,  7-15-1933 - 5-31-2006
Williams Jr., Calvin, 1-31-1931 -  9-10-1993
Williams, Calvin Rich,  6-4-1955 -  3-3-1993
Williams James L. 1867 - 1940 & Emma 1870 - 19 (?)
Williams, John H., 1910-1985 & Violet O. 1910 - 2004
Williams , Keith Herbert, 3-16-1940 -1-29-2004
Wilt, Annis died Aug 8, 1909 aged 86yrs 11mts 22d
 Wilt, Jacob, Co. B 75 Ohio Infantry WWI 1917 - 1918 (no death date)

submitted to
Sandra Quinn for Hocking and Athens county, OHGenWeb
copyright 2007
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED