THE BUNN GRAVEYARD
Pg. 140

     This old burial ground occupies the greater part of outlot 26, and a part of outlot 27 in the south half of the original town of Jackson.  The lots were laid out by Gabriel McNeel, the county surveyor, on May 25, 1819, but the spot had been selected for a town cemetery before that date, for Charles O'Neil was buried there May 17, 1819.  Mrs. Sophia Mitchell states that her mother, Mrs. Tacy Bunn, attended his funeral, and that this burial was the first in the cemetery.  The spot was selected on account of its location and the character of the soil.  It lay a quarter of a mile from the new town of that day, but it could be reached without crossing low or wet ground.  The high ground selected forms a little hummock, which was more than Half surrounded by water at that time, and therefore unsuitable for building purposes.  The soil was sandy, free from slate or rock, and thoroughly drained, considerations that appealed to the pioneers.  The sale of the lots in the south half of Jackson occurred in June, 1819.  Outlots 26 and 27 were purchased by Peter Bunn, the first for $31 and the second for $25.25.  The title remains in the family to this day.  The Bunns came originally from Germany and settled near Baltimore.  Peter Bunn, Sr., born in Maryland, moved with his family to Ross county, in this state, about the beginning of this century.  Four of his children, Peter, Jr., Samuel, Hannah and Polly, settled in this county.  Peter Bunn, Jr., was born near Baltimore, January 1, 1780.  He married Tacy Howe in this county February 29, 1824.  Five daughters were born to them.  Mary Ann died an infant.  Sophia, who became the wife of Dr. D. H. Mitchell, was born May 29, 1826; Elizabeth, who became the wife of John Ratcliffe, was born February 4, 1828; Eunice, who married John Smith, was born October 16, 1829, and Tacy, who married Henry C. Hale, was born July 27, 1836.  Elizabeth is dead, but two of her children, Mr. Peter Ratcliffe and Mrs. W. H. Steele, survive.  The other three daughters are still living, Mrs. Mitchell and Mrs. Smith in this city, and Mrs. Hale at Warrensburg, Mo.   There father died July 19, 1853, aged 72 years, 6 months and 19 days.  His wife survived until January 4, 1881, dying at the age of 78 years, 8 months and 29 days.  Both now lie side by side in the burial ground bought by Mr. Bunn in 1819.  The oldest tombstone in it is that of Charles O'Neil.  It is a flagstone, and the inscription reads as follows:  "In memory of Charles O'Neil, who departed this life May 16, 1819, aged 26 years."  O'Neil was county treasurer at the time of death.  Although a young man, he became a victim of the insalubrious climatic conditions at the licks.  A number of other officers suffered a like fate, as the following inscriptions indicate:  "Sacred to the memory of Jared Strong, who departed this life December 20, 1827, aged 43 years, 7 months, 10 days."  "Sacred to the memory of William Ransom; born September 20, A.D. 1794, died December 8, 1832; aged 38 years, 2 months, 19 days.  'For me to live is Christ, and to died is gain.'"  "In memory of of Absalom M. Faulkner, who departed this life September 18, 1829, aged 31 years, 7 months, 10 days."
     Strong was the first representative of this county, and held many other positions of trust.  Ransom was treasurer of the county for about 12 years, dying in office.  Faulkner, who was a Free Mason, was clerk of courts for about six years and died in office.  Henry May Faulkner, his little son, died the same day, and his infant son, Jacob Offnere, died December 13, 1829.  The fatality among county officers was great in those days, for the records show that in addition to those named above, Sheriff William White died in 1824.  Other prominent people in early Jackson who died in the twenties where Edmund Richmond, who died February 16, 1820, aged 55 years, 5 months and 6 days, and Huldah, his wife, who died August 21, 1823, aged 59 years, 3 months and 18 days.  The Richmonds were an influential family here for years.  There were four brothers in all, named Seth, Nathaniel, David and Edmund.  I have not been able to learn what became of the other three.  A woman that deserves to be mentioned was the wife of Thomas Scott, who was prosecuting attorney in 1830-2.  The inscription on her tombstone reads as follows:  "In memory of Elizabeth Scott, consort of Thomas Scott, who departed this life December 13, 1822, aged 43 years."  A large, wide spreading elm tree now grows near her grave.  It sprouted after her burial, but it now shades a space sixty feet in diameter.  It should be cared for and preserved.  Not far away lie the remains of the first wife of Daniel Perry, who was sheriff of this county two terms.  The inscription reads thus; "In memory of Jane, consort of Daniel Perry, who died February 1, 1833, in the 29th year of her age."
     The graves of two children of Daniel and Susan Perry, named Cornelia and Isham, are on the same lot, also that of Perry's brother, Simeon, who died February 28, 1825, in the 32nd year of his age.  The majority of those buried here before the fifties died before reaching old age, which goes to show that the climate was fatal to whites until Salt Creek valley was cleared and drained.
     More than 700 persons have been interred in this cemetery, but the graves of the great majority were left unmarked, and even the names of many of them have been forgotten.  For instance, 217 bodies were removed in March, 1900, to Fairmount, of whom only 64 were known.  The unknown removed and left included some men and women who were once prominent in this county.  Mr. Bunn remembers that he helped to dig the grave of one of them way back about 1835, viz:  Joseph Schellenger, uncle of ex-Auditor William Schellenger, and brothers.  Schellenger had served with Samuel Bunn, the father of Peter Bunn, in the war of 1812.