Six Man Cemetery
Jackson County, Missouri, USA
To visit the cemetery, inquire at the Lone Jack Battlefield Museum for directions and information on getting permission as it's located on private land.
On September 6, 1863, Union troops arrested six men from the Lone Jack area who were suspected of aiding Confederate bushwhackers in the area. They took them away from their families into a nearby field and shot them. Their families, who were preparing to leave the county in obedience to Gen. Ewing's General Order No. 11, only had time to wrap them in quilts and bury them where they fell. All six of the men were closely related. Later, a monument was erected on the spot.
For more detail on the story of the massacre, Larry Sullivan's website is well worthwhile:
http://erazone.com/family/family.htm
An old article from the Kansas City Star [undated]:
Tragic Story behind Lone Jack Monument
Inside a short concrete barrier about ten feet square, a marble monument stands over the shallow graves of six southerners killed on Sept. 6, 1863. It is between two fields on a farm one and one-half miles east of Lone Jack, MO.
Moss and the wear of nearly 100 years have blemished the obelisk. It rises just above the tall weeds around it. The monument is on the E.E. Colebank farm. Colebank, who has lived there 14 years, said the monument has few visitors anymore. "Many people around here have already seen it," he said. "And it's not too easy to find."
(inscribed)
Confederate Cemetery
John D. Hunter, born 9-28-1831 D 9-6-1863
Andrew W. Ousley, died 9-6-1863, age 17 years
Benjamin Potter, born 5-17-1788, died 9-6-1863
John S. Cave, born 9-18-1809, died 9-6-1863
Wm J. Hunter, died 9-6-1863, age 48 years
Wm C. Tate, born 1-23-1831, died 9-6-1863
http://genforum.genealogy.com/melungeon/messages/14417.html
From the article "The Massacre at Lone Jack, Missouri" by William K. Brown II; published in "The Missouri Confederate The Official Newsletter of the Missouri Division - Sons of Confederate Veterans," Volume V - Issue I January 2003:
Page 6
"On Sunday morning, September 6, 1863, Captain Charles F. Coleman and a squad of the 9thKansas Volunteer Cavalry were tracking the signs left by hundreds of horses leading back into Missouri. Coleman had spent many days chasing and skirmishing with Quantrill's raiders during their flight from the devastating raid on Lawrence, Kansas on August 21st. Captain Coleman had retraced Quantrill's route to a location four miles Southeast of Lone Jack, Missouri. A month earlier (August 19, 1863) Quantrill's men had camped here at the Benjamin Potter Farm. The men had been well fed from Ben's smokehouse, and neighbors had brought food and well wishes for the young warriors. The horses were fed a stack and a half of oats and at sundown they proceeded on their way to camp for the night on the Middle Fork of the Grand River before entering Kansas. When Coleman's men arrived the residents of this area were making preparations to evacuate the area in compliance with General Ewing's infamous "Order #11" which had been issued on August 25th. The order would de-populate most of Jackson, Bates and Vernon Counties. Coleman and his squad approached from the east on what is now Boswell Road. Before he got to the crossroad of the modern day Outer Belt he arrested David Hunter. Looking westward up a slight incline he saw the Rice Family loading their wagon. Coleman sent his "Sons of Kansas [sic]" to arrest Martin Rice, his son Isaac, and son-in-law William Tate. Martin presented Coleman with his "Loyalty Papers" that he had received the previous day from the garrison at Pleasant Hill. Undeterred, Coleman arrested them anyway. Coleman now had four prisoners (all non-combatants). He called his pack to heal and wheeled back east to the crossroads where he turned South on today's Outer Belt Road. A few hundred yards down the road, young Andrew Owsley was taken prisoner. He had been riding from his grand father's farm to see Martin Rice about borrowing one of his wagons to help his grand parents move. Coleman's gang then stopped at the home of John Cave. He arrested Mr. Cave and William Hunter here and added them to his list of captives. As they were leaving, 75 year old Benjamin Potter rode up and was arrested also. Ben had been out looking for his son and grand son who had been sent to gather a team of oxen to haul their wagon load of household goods. As the Kansans and their prisoners rode past the Potter farm, Ben's daughter and grand-daughter stood on the porch watching. Ben stared straight ahead so as not to give the Kansas Captain the satisfaction of seeing his pain. The prisoners were marched about a half mile further, to the camp of Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Clark, and ordered to sit next to a fence row. Colonel Clark appeared and took the name of each prisoner and the "loyalty papers" belonging to Martin Rice. After a brief interlude Colonel Clark spoke briefly with Captain Coleman and returned the "loyalty papers" to Martin Rice. Coleman then released Martin Rice and his son Isaac, after retrieving a hat that had been stolen from Isaac by one of Coleman's gang. As Martin and Isaac Rice were leaving, a series of shots was heard.....a volley followed by scattered reports. Returning home, Martin assured his family that the shots were probably just some soldiers killing chickens for their breakfast. Later that day Miss Jane Cave and Miss Amanda Potter left from Rice's to look for the horse that John Cave was riding when he was captured. When they arrived at the camp where the prisoners were held the girls found the bodies of six men, murdered by the Kansans. Some of the men were riddled with bullets. David Hunter, who had broke and run, was found several yards away, shot in the head many times after he had been killed. 75 year old Ben Potter had been "gut shot" and left to die slowly. Andrew Owsley was killed as he tried to jump the fence, and was left hanging there. The girls rushed home to relate the scenes of horror that they had just witnessed. Martin and Isaac Rice went to John Hunter's farm to get help burying the men. The three dug a shallow trench and gathered the scattered remains from the site. They placed the victims shoulder to shoulder, facing west, and covered them with blankets and then dirt. Elderly John Hunter ( 75 years old) had just buried his only sons, a son-in-law, grandson and two other relatives."
To visit the cemetery, inquire at the Lone Jack Battlefield Museum for directions and information on getting permission as it's located on private land.
On September 6, 1863, Union troops arrested six men from the Lone Jack area who were suspected of aiding Confederate bushwhackers in the area. They took them away from their families into a nearby field and shot them. Their families, who were preparing to leave the county in obedience to Gen. Ewing's General Order No. 11, only had time to wrap them in quilts and bury them where they fell. All six of the men were closely related. Later, a monument was erected on the spot.
For more detail on the story of the massacre, Larry Sullivan's website is well worthwhile:
http://erazone.com/family/family.htm
An old article from the Kansas City Star [undated]:
Tragic Story behind Lone Jack Monument
Inside a short concrete barrier about ten feet square, a marble monument stands over the shallow graves of six southerners killed on Sept. 6, 1863. It is between two fields on a farm one and one-half miles east of Lone Jack, MO.
Moss and the wear of nearly 100 years have blemished the obelisk. It rises just above the tall weeds around it. The monument is on the E.E. Colebank farm. Colebank, who has lived there 14 years, said the monument has few visitors anymore. "Many people around here have already seen it," he said. "And it's not too easy to find."
(inscribed)
Confederate Cemetery
John D. Hunter, born 9-28-1831 D 9-6-1863
Andrew W. Ousley, died 9-6-1863, age 17 years
Benjamin Potter, born 5-17-1788, died 9-6-1863
John S. Cave, born 9-18-1809, died 9-6-1863
Wm J. Hunter, died 9-6-1863, age 48 years
Wm C. Tate, born 1-23-1831, died 9-6-1863
http://genforum.genealogy.com/melungeon/messages/14417.html
From the article "The Massacre at Lone Jack, Missouri" by William K. Brown II; published in "The Missouri Confederate The Official Newsletter of the Missouri Division - Sons of Confederate Veterans," Volume V - Issue I January 2003:
Page 6
"On Sunday morning, September 6, 1863, Captain Charles F. Coleman and a squad of the 9thKansas Volunteer Cavalry were tracking the signs left by hundreds of horses leading back into Missouri. Coleman had spent many days chasing and skirmishing with Quantrill's raiders during their flight from the devastating raid on Lawrence, Kansas on August 21st. Captain Coleman had retraced Quantrill's route to a location four miles Southeast of Lone Jack, Missouri. A month earlier (August 19, 1863) Quantrill's men had camped here at the Benjamin Potter Farm. The men had been well fed from Ben's smokehouse, and neighbors had brought food and well wishes for the young warriors. The horses were fed a stack and a half of oats and at sundown they proceeded on their way to camp for the night on the Middle Fork of the Grand River before entering Kansas. When Coleman's men arrived the residents of this area were making preparations to evacuate the area in compliance with General Ewing's infamous "Order #11" which had been issued on August 25th. The order would de-populate most of Jackson, Bates and Vernon Counties. Coleman and his squad approached from the east on what is now Boswell Road. Before he got to the crossroad of the modern day Outer Belt he arrested David Hunter. Looking westward up a slight incline he saw the Rice Family loading their wagon. Coleman sent his "Sons of Kansas [sic]" to arrest Martin Rice, his son Isaac, and son-in-law William Tate. Martin presented Coleman with his "Loyalty Papers" that he had received the previous day from the garrison at Pleasant Hill. Undeterred, Coleman arrested them anyway. Coleman now had four prisoners (all non-combatants). He called his pack to heal and wheeled back east to the crossroads where he turned South on today's Outer Belt Road. A few hundred yards down the road, young Andrew Owsley was taken prisoner. He had been riding from his grand father's farm to see Martin Rice about borrowing one of his wagons to help his grand parents move. Coleman's gang then stopped at the home of John Cave. He arrested Mr. Cave and William Hunter here and added them to his list of captives. As they were leaving, 75 year old Benjamin Potter rode up and was arrested also. Ben had been out looking for his son and grand son who had been sent to gather a team of oxen to haul their wagon load of household goods. As the Kansans and their prisoners rode past the Potter farm, Ben's daughter and grand-daughter stood on the porch watching. Ben stared straight ahead so as not to give the Kansas Captain the satisfaction of seeing his pain. The prisoners were marched about a half mile further, to the camp of Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Clark, and ordered to sit next to a fence row. Colonel Clark appeared and took the name of each prisoner and the "loyalty papers" belonging to Martin Rice. After a brief interlude Colonel Clark spoke briefly with Captain Coleman and returned the "loyalty papers" to Martin Rice. Coleman then released Martin Rice and his son Isaac, after retrieving a hat that had been stolen from Isaac by one of Coleman's gang. As Martin and Isaac Rice were leaving, a series of shots was heard.....a volley followed by scattered reports. Returning home, Martin assured his family that the shots were probably just some soldiers killing chickens for their breakfast. Later that day Miss Jane Cave and Miss Amanda Potter left from Rice's to look for the horse that John Cave was riding when he was captured. When they arrived at the camp where the prisoners were held the girls found the bodies of six men, murdered by the Kansans. Some of the men were riddled with bullets. David Hunter, who had broke and run, was found several yards away, shot in the head many times after he had been killed. 75 year old Ben Potter had been "gut shot" and left to die slowly. Andrew Owsley was killed as he tried to jump the fence, and was left hanging there. The girls rushed home to relate the scenes of horror that they had just witnessed. Martin and Isaac Rice went to John Hunter's farm to get help burying the men. The three dug a shallow trench and gathered the scattered remains from the site. They placed the victims shoulder to shoulder, facing west, and covered them with blankets and then dirt. Elderly John Hunter ( 75 years old) had just buried his only sons, a son-in-law, grandson and two other relatives."
Nearby cemeteries
Lone Jack, Jackson County, Missouri, USA
- Total memorials59
- Percent photographed59%
- Percent with GPS0%
Lone Jack, Jackson County, Missouri, USA
- Total memorials3
- Percent photographed0%
Lone Jack, Jackson County, Missouri, USA
- Total memorials1k+
- Percent photographed96%
- Percent with GPS15%
Lone Jack, Jackson County, Missouri, USA
- Total memorials100
- Percent photographed95%
- Percent with GPS1%
- Added: 2 Jun 2011
- Find a Grave Cemetery ID: 2404657
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