CEDAR RIDGE CEMETERY, located in Honey Bend, Illinois

The present Cemetery was purchased by the Little Flock Regular Baptist Church. The first tract was acquired from Charles A. Rogers in 1869.  Other tracts were acquired by conveyance from Alfred Boan and B. P. Lewright in 1870 and from Charles A. Rogers in 1873.  The legal description of the present Cemetery being as follows:  Beginning at a point eight rods west of the southeast corner of the southwest quadrant of the northeast quadrant of the southwest quadrant of Section Three, Township Nine North, Range five West of the Third Principle Meridian in Montgomery County, Illinois and running thence north thirty-six rods, thence east sixteen rods, thence south thirty-six rods and thence west to the place in beginning.

Two Blocks were surveyed and platted in 1871.  Block one comprising eighty-five lots and now contain one hundred and seven graves.  Block two comprising ninety-eight lots and now contains one hundred and thirteen graves.  There are fifty-seven vacant lots remaining unsold.  Block three has not been plotted.

The first person buried was Mrs. Mary Terry on December 1, 1871 and the last was William S. Wood who was buried December 13, 1913.  Many of the first settlers in this part of Montgomery County were interred in this Cemetery, among them being the following:  Oliver Bewley and wife, Tobias C. Groner and wife, J. G. Wilson and wife, Isaac N. Jones and wife, Blufford Bandy and wife, Elias Bandy and wife, Aaron Kean and wife, Stephen D. Crawford and wife, Elder John Wood and wife, Littleton Westbrook and wife, Elbert Morrison and wife, Joseph Hart and wife, John Eliason and wife, Irvin Wells and wife, Edward Striplin and wife, Squire Neal and wife, John Duff and wife, John P. Davis and wife, James M. Crawford and wife, B. P. Lewright and wife, Mrs. Joshua McElfresh, John D. Wallis and John Stanley Bowles.   

On December 6, 1913, the Church unanimously adopted a resolution to have the Cemetery chartered under the State Law and appointed a committee of three to make the proper conveyance of the Cemetery grounds to the new corporation when it was chartered, said committee being as follows:  D. M. Masters, Thomas McWilliams and Wesley C. Davis.

The Honey Bend Cemetery Association received its Charter December 16, 1913 and on December 22, 1913 at 2:00 pm a meeting was held in a church in Honey Bend for the purpose of organizing.  Samuel H. Crawford was elected Chairman and William H. Wallis, Secretary.  The object of the meeting was stated by the Chairman and the roll of the Charter Members was read by the Secretary as follows:  J. Morgan Corlew, G. W. Wallis, W. C. Davis, J. A. Bewley, E. M. Aikman, G. W. Crawford, Bluford W. Bandy, H. B. Lewright, M. F. Bandy, W. H. Wallis, W. E. Bowles, George Stears, Ben White, and S. H. Crawford.  A motion was made and carried by unanimous vote that the Board should consist of eight Trustees, and the following persons were elected as the first Board of Trustees:  J. Morgan Corlew, Wesley C. Davis, George Stears, George W. Wallis, Bluford W. Bandy, Harley B. Lewright, William E. Bowles and Samuel H. Crawford.  The Board organized by electing the following officers:  George W. Wallis, President, Harley B. Lewright, Vice President, Samuel H. Crawford, Treasurer, and William H. Wallis, Secretary.  On December 17, 1913 the committee appointed by the Church conveyed by deed the Cemetery grounds above set forth to the Honey Bend Cemetery Association. 

The Constitution adopted at that time by the Board declared the Association shall be known as the Honey Bend Cemetery Association and the name of the Cemetery shall be CEDAR RIDEGE CEMETERY. 

History originally published in 1914 by Randle Printers, Litchfield, IL.  

Provided by:  Beverly Deaton