Historic Chapel Cemetery
Where the Departed Sleeps Serenely
A Tranquil Chapel Cemetery for the Departed
Our History
Lindsey and Delilah [JONES] ROBERTSON, and their family, moved from Monroe County, TN, to Greene County, MO, in 1837. They settled southwest of Springfield about one mile east of what would become Republic. Lindsey owned 660 acres in various parcels at the time of his death in 1861. The family home was southwest of the corner of Lynn Avenue and Miller Road. Water was obtained from a spring at the northeast corner of Lynn Avenue and Wood Street.
What would become the Lindsey Chapel Cemetery probably had its beginning with the earliest known grave and tombstone for Mary C. ROBERTSON, b. Dec 5, 1845: d. Apr 26, 1846. Mary was the daughter of Thomas Edward and Jane Caroline [JARRETT] ROBERTSON and a granddaughter of Lindsey and Delilah. She was probably the first death in the ROBERTSON family after their move to Missouri.
It was probably Lindsey who selected the high area across from the family home, which is now just southeast of the corner of Lynn Avenue and Miller Road. Whether Lindsey and Delilah envisioned the growth of their family burial site to a cemetery of over 570 graves will never be known.
The next burial was probably about two years later. William F. STEELE, b. May 8, 1809: d. Jul 22, 1848, was apparently a family friend with no direct relationship to the ROBERTSON family. His widow, Roxanna, later married John Andrew RAY. Both were buried at the cemetery in 1875 and 1876. William’s daughter from his earlier marriage, Anna Elizabeth STEELE, had been buried next to her father in 1862.
The third burial at the cemetery was probably Lindsey’s sister, Lucy ROBERTSON, b. Feb 14, 1799: d. Dec 1, 1849. Lucy was the wife of Alexander McCULLAH, Jr., b. Jul 16, 1793: d. Apr 18, 1856. They had arrived in Greene County about a month before her death. Alexander was buried beside her in 1856. The fourth burial was probably Lindsey’s third son, Samuel H. ROBERTSON, b. Dec 12, 1823: d. Sep 22, 1853. The fifth burial was probably an infant grandson of Lindsey, b. Jun 6, 1855: d. Jun 12, 1855. His parents were Warham A. and Stella Jane [ROBERTSON] McELHANY.
Burials in the next decade included Lindsey’s sister, Mary “Polly” [ROBERTSON] HAGEWOOD, b. 1791: d. Feb 24, 1861; Lindsey ROBERTSON, b. Oct 13, 1792: d. Jul 29, 1861; Lindsey’s second son. Thomas Edward ROBERTSON, b. Dec 17, 1821: d. Feb 2, 1863; and Sarah [JONES] O’BRYANT, b. Jul 29, 1797: d. Jan 12, 1867. Sarah, wife of Elias O’BRYANT, was a sister to Delilah [JONES] ROBERTSON. Another sister to Lindsey, Mickey [ROBERTSON] SMITH, died in the early 1850s. Her grave has not been located, but a burial in the family cemetery would have been likely.
These early burials at Lindsey Chapel Cemetery are identified by their tombstones. There may have been other early burials in unmarked graves, or their tombstones have been lost or are illegible.
New Sign & Fence
We were able to have a new fence and sign installed in 2014 by the generous gift from Helen Crum. Helen wanted to honor her husband Vale Gene Crum buried at Lindsey. We are also honored by Vale Gene serving this country in World War II in The United States Army.
Lindsey Chapel Cemetery
We have no record of when the Lindsey Cemetery Chapel was built. We do know that Lindsey Robertson was a Methodist lay minister of the gospel and would hold services in the Chapel. Many funeral services were conducted here as well. School was also held in the chapel we know of family members who attended, in the late 1800s and early 1900's. The Chapel was still in good repair in the 1940s and 1950s as many programs were conducted and was always open on Decoration Day.
The Chapel was across Lynn about middle ways of the cemetery.
This picture was taken in Jun 1966.
This land, where The Lindsey Chapel sat, was sold in 1971.
