ESPY CEMETERY BURIALS
Jeffersonville Township, Clark County, Indiana


This cemetery is located behind Vissing Park off Highway 62 in Jeffersonville, Indiana. The park is located just east of Allison Lane and is entered from Highway 62, near Jefferson Hospital. There is a walking path leading from near the shelter house through a deeply wooded area and circles back to the other side of the parking lot.
 

Espy Cemetery (5/10/98)

Espy Cemetery (taken 5/10/98)
Eagle Project - Scott Kost -- Troup 36 -- 1996
At the apex of this circular path, on the outside, between the path and a cultivated field, is Espy Cemetery, restored in 1996 by a local Eagle Scout, working in conjunction with the Jeffersonville Township Trustee, who provided the materials to restore the cemetery.
Click here for rough map of Vissing Park and Espy Cemetery
 

Broken stone. Appears to read "Anna Cawley"

Stone of David G. Espy, son of G. N. and H. Espy
A lovely stone fence has been constructed around the cemetery. Though only three stones were visible when the Scout's work began, there are now at least five legible stones found there. Some of the original stones were broken and those pieces have now been set in cement in slabs on the ground, where they will be much more difficult to break.

I'm very sad to report that Espy Cemetery seems to have recently been a victim of vandalism. A number of the small stones that were set in concrete on the ground have recently been dislodged, probably by children from the new houses that have sprung up within a few hundred yards of what was until recently a very isolated little cemetery. In addition, the stone pictured above which appears to read "Anna Cawley" looks as if it was very recently broken in two.

The Jeffersonville Township Trustee has been alerted to the problem and some of the damage has been corrected; however, further efforts are required to try to stop the problem from recurring.

The following stones were found there in 1997: 

ESPY *         ________ Espy           b. 05/01/1771   d. 10/21/1832

               Dave Pickenpaugh <pickenpaugh@bigfoot.com>

               believes that, based on his research,

               this is the stone of Hugh Espy, hus-

               band of Sarah and father of 11 children,

               including Isaac and George (listed

               below).  He was born in PA and is

               known to have died in Clark Co., IN

               on 10/21/1832.
ESPY           Ann, wife of I. H.      b. 02/28/1827   d. 10/28/1889
ESPY *         David C., son of G. N.

               & H. Espy               born July 1___
ESPY           George N. Espy (G. N.),

               husband of Hannah, is

               probably buried here

               as well; son of Hugh

               and Sarah               b. Nov. 1819



ESPY           Hannah, wife of

               G. N. Espy              b. 09/15/1822   d. 08/16/1850



ESPY           I. H. (Isaac); son of

               Hugh and Sarah Espy;

               brother of George       b. 10/27/1822   d. ????



ESPY           Sarah Bartholomew,      b. 09/26/1788   d. 01/20/1859

               wife of Hugh
ESPY *         "S. E." (probably a

               footstone for "Sarah Espy")
     * Reported 01/24/98 by Steve Stenbro <1877house@disknet.com>
Baird's History of Clark County, published in 1909, indicates that Hugh S. Espey [sic] was married to Abigail Haines and their daughter, Louise Haines, married Professor Claytes McHenry Marble in August of 1887. Baird's History also refers to a Josiah Espy as being here in Clark County as early as 1805. The relationship between this Josiah Espy and the Espys buried at Espy Cemetery is undetermined at present.

Clark County public records indicate the following ESPY marriages: 

ESPY, Catharine Ann GILMORE, John        30-Aug-1832

ESPY, David E.      SHIELDS, Mary        22-Nov-1848

ESPY, Eliza         NORRIS, James        30-Nov-1839

ESPY, George N.     SMITH, Hannah        12-May-1842

ESPY, Isaac H.      SABIN, Ann           20-May-1847

ESPY, Maria         NORRIS, Charles      22-Jul-1830

ESPY, Minerva       McHOLLAND, James     18-Dec-1834

ESPY, Sarah J.      McCLINTICK, Curtis   19-Dec-1848 *
Family historian Dave Pickenpaugh <pickenpaugh@bigfoot.com> reported in March 1998 the following ESPY/PICKENPAUGH/BARTHOLOMEW connection related to this family:
The information provided on the Clark County Cemeteries website has again assisted me in my research regarding the connections between the BECKENBACH/PICKENPAUGHS and the BARTHOLOMEWs, HUCKLEBERRYs, BRUNER/BRUNNERs.

Going back to the family of Johann Adam and Anna Maria (SCHMITT) BECKENBACH, of Eiterbach, Germany, after Johann's death in 1747, Anna and the family (7 sons and 4 daughters) came to this country on October 4, 1751 on the ship "Janet", Captain William Cunningham, from Rotterdam.

"They landed in Philadelphia and then went to Frederick County, Maryland the western outpost of civilization and also a center for the German Protestant refugees..." [From the book PECKINPAUGHS, PICKENPAUGHS BECKENBAUGHS, PECKINPAHS AND PECKENPAUGHS - Descendants of Johann Adam & Anna Maria Beckenbach, 1984 Edition, compiled by Edwin T. & Atha Peckenpaugh Brace, Gateway Press, Inc. Library of Congress Cat.# 74-24814.]

The seventh child, Anna Barbara, b.1731, d. 1814, m. 1752 George Michael BRUNNER.

The fifth child, Johann Georg (John), b. 1726, d. ? m.? Catherine HUCKLEBERRY. She is believed to be the sister of George Huckleberry, who married the widow of the forth child, George Adam (George): Anna Barbara (Maiden name unknown) Beckenbach.

It is believed that the Christiana Peckenpaugh who married Gen. Joseph BARTHOLOMEW was the daughter of the eighth child Johann Peter (Peter) & Anna Barbara (maiden name unknown) Beckenbach.

This brings us to the children of Joseph & Christiana Bartholomew:

I've attempted to write something here that you might be able to use for these EPSYs at rest there in Clark County. Maybe soon I can give you something for the Huckleberrys. Every time Lois posts one of these cemeteries, my search is that much nearer completion.

It appears strange to me to find these descendants from Johann Adam Beckenbach/Peckinpaugh showing up all over Clark County but no Beckenbachs or Pickenpaughs. These families that I am researching traveled from MD to PA to Wood Co. WV to Breckinridge & Jefferson Co. KY and into Clark and Crawford Counties of IN. at the same periods of time.

There is story that explains the connections between the families of BARTHOLOMEW, HUCKLEBERRY, BRUNNER and BECKENBACH/Pickenpaugh but so far it has eluded me.

Thank you once again.

I have no further information on this cemetery. This index was obtained from personal observations and an index found at the Jeffersonville Township Public Library, 211 East Court Avenue, Jeffersonville, Indiana 47130, telephone: (812) 285-5635.

E-mail: Dee Pavey

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© Nov 2004