Monument Ridge

I love to read the maps of the area that are called Topographic Maps.  They are done in sections called Quadrangles.  Each quadrangle has a different area of the county and on these maps are wonderful names of places in that area.  It names the old creeks,springs, the hills,hollows, knobs, bluffs, even has many of the church and schools and cemeteries names on it.  I want to see them all and walk over the area and identify the names with the places, but this is impossible, I know.  But I have been fortunate to see many of the areas on the different maps. The one this article is written from is the Blackford Quadrangle, athough Blackford is in Webster County there is many Crittenden County places on the map.  

When I first started looking at this map about 15 years ago,I recognized some of the names, such as Crowell Hill and Crowell Cemetery, Pat Duffy Hollow, Cave Spring Hollow and Cave Spring Church, the Blowing Spring ad Pigeon Roost Creek.  What wonderful names and what wonderful stories goes with these places.  But there was one area on the map that I wasn't familiar with and it intrigued me for a long time, it was named Monument Ridge, and near by was Historical Grave.  Located on the Cave Spring Church Road, what could this possibly mean this far out in the county and off the main highway.  Monument Ridge, that sounded very important.  I finally got to talk to a local person that owned the land and found out it's story.  

Monument Ridge was located on a ridge just off the Cave Spring Road on the side of a hill.  It has only one large monument on it and it was for the Wilson family that lived a short ways from the hill.  But it was this monument that created the name Monument Ridge for the Topographic Map.  And the Historical Grave was for the Wilson family that was buried there.  

The cemetery contained four graves and the information for the graves are all on this one large monument.

James W. Wilson, an early pioneer of Crittenden County had a large plantation located here and also owned several slaves.  He owned a impressive large two story brick home, and the bricks were made on the grounds by the slaves.  Just until in the past several years you could see the intentions where the clay was dug from the ground to help in the making of these bricks.  Besides being a large land owner, he was also a prominent business man in the town of Marion, located about 10 miles away.

The names on the stone reads: James W. Wilson, born June 17, 1798, died April 23, 1865.

Rebecca (Bridges) Wilson, born July 9, 1803, died Aug. 6, 1856.

John B. Wilson, born Aug. 24, 1828, died Sept. 1, 1846.

  Son of James W. and Rebecca

James J. Wilson, born Aug. 23, 1832, died Nov. 21, 1837.

  Son of James W. and Rebecca

The names of the two young sons are on the opposite side of the monument.

Pictures were made in April 1997.