Jerseyville Oak Grove Cemetery

	On January 18, 1856, The City of Jerseyville purchased a section of land now known as Oak Grove Cemetery. The land was purchased from H.L. Adams for the price of $80.00 per acre. A total of 10 acres were purchased and they were divided into 792 lots. Fifty of those lots of one section known as “Potters’ Field” was set aside for the burial of underprivileged people from the area. These 792were the original cemetery with one entrance and dirt roads. Only 10 sextons, or caretakers for the cemetery in the last 148 years of operation. The first person buried in the cemetery was a young woman of 45 years. Her name was Clarisse Stelle. She was buried on August 14,1856. Since then the size of the cemetery has increased to 47 acres, with a total of 9,596 people buried to date. With an average of 80-90 burials per year.
	The Soldier Monument Erected May 30, 1885. The statue was added in 1891. The granite columns were received from Scotland in 1885.
	Oakgrove Cemetery Dedicated May 30, 1980