Shawnee Indian Mission and Cemetery

NOTES ON THE SHAWNEE MISSION METHODIST CEMETERY

When the cemetery land was deeded to the Kansas State Historical Society in 1928, signatures were requested  from  Mrs. Edna Johnson Anderson and Mrs. Cora Johnson Fuller (daughters of Rev. and Mrs. Thomas Johnson), Frank C. Wornall (grandson of the Johnson’s) and his wife.   The old deeds on record at Olathe referred to the tract as “Johnson Burying Ground containing about one-third of an acre.”

The attorney representing the State of Kansas believed that because other Johnson relatives were scattered, that only the above signatures were needed to deed the land to KSHS.

At that time, 1928, the burying ground was surrounded by a stone wall
(Photo # 1)

There is some doubt as to who was involved in the construction.  According to both Edna Johnson Anderson and Mrs. William Johnson (wife of the Johnson’s son, William), Alexander (eldest son of the Johnsons) helped build the wall.  There is disagreement between the two ladies whether son, William, was involved.  (From 21 page KSHS interview in Johnson file).  It is possible that John Wornall may have been involved in the construction of the stone wall.

The exact date that the memorial shaft honoring Rev. and Mrs. Johnson was erected is unknown but it is probable that it was dedicated by the Johnson family shortly after the Civil War, after Rev. Johnson’s death in 1865, but prior to Mrs. Johnson’s death in 1873.  The inscriptions for Rev. Johnson and Mrs. Johnson indicate that they were not done at the same time.  The inscription for Rev. Johnson is shown in photocopy #2.

A Kansas City Star article dated June 8, 1930, reported that descendents of Rev. Thomas Johnson and Rev. William Johnson attended a ceremony at the cemetery.  At that time the  Kansas City Chapter of the D.A. R. unveiled “tablets” dedicated  to the two brothers. There is a bronze plaque (tablet) on Rev. Thomas Johnson’s tombstone which, it is believed, the one presented at that time. The plaque  is inscribed,” Erected by the Kansas City Chapter of the D.A.R.” Another plaque, possibly the tablet for Rev. William Johnson, is in the possession of the “Friends of the Mission” (Photo # 3).  The Kansas DAR has mentioned installing the plaque near Rev. Johnson’s grave stone.  According to the same Kansas City Star article the cemetery stood in a dairy pasture.

Photocopy #4 shows the condition of the cemetery in 1941.

Photo #5, dated July 11, 1944, shows  Frank Wornall with his granddaughter at a re-dedication ceremony at the cemetery. Although the photo is dated 1944, in all probability this ceremony occurred in 1943, celebrating the 141st anniversary of Rev. Johnson’s birth  Frank was a grandson of  Rev. and Mrs. Johnson and son of Eliza and John Wornall. Eliza was a daughter of the Johnsons.

It is not known when the first displacement of burial sites may have occurred by road building, but the first KDOT records showing concrete improvement of  US highway #56, which runs north of the cemetery was in December 1932. It is possible that some burial sites may have been disturbed at that time, but this is pure conjecture.

It is known, however, that in the 1950’s, Highway 56 (Also known as  Highway 50 and Shawnee Mission Parkway) was widened which did displace some graves outside the wall.   The only known grave to be transferred within the walls was Sarah Berryman. Her vault is the only above-ground grave site. Her original burial stone is inlaid on the crypt which is inscribed with the marble dealer’s name, Rosebrough Sons (Photo #6), St. Louis, Missouri.  Mrs. Berryman was the wife of Rev. Jerome Berryman, a co-worker of Rev. Johnson.  Rev. Berryman also served as Supt. of the Mission during most of the years that Rev. Johnson was gone from the Mission due to illness.

According to Jerome W. Berryman, grandson of the Berrymans,  two of the Berryman children were buried in the Mission cemetery (Berryman’s File, Mission Library).  Supposedly Mrs. Berryman was buried near her children but their gravesites have been lost to history.

In 1989 a neighbor initiated a movement to place the remains of Mrs. Berryman underground.  The movement obviously did not succeed.  Lee Wright, former Shawnee Mission curator, said that there was concern that any new graves dug in the cemetery could disturb early unmarked grave sites.

It may have been at the time of the road widening, in the 1950’s, that the stone wall was partially dismantled and a chain link fence was installed (Photo # 7).  According to Charles (Charlie) Stein, the stone wall had disappeared gradually as neighbors needed stones for their backyard projects.  In 1989 the few remaining rocks were placed on the stream banks of the Mission.

It was that year, 1989, that work was completed on a three-year project costing $22,000, which replaced the chain-link fence with a wrought-iron fence, brick patio, brick wall, and two planters.  These improvements were made by Charley Stein and Derrell Southern (Photo # 8).   The funds for the materials were raised by donations.

Mayor Neale Peterson, of Fairway was the leader in renovating the “dilapidated” cemetery (Photo # 8A).  Under his direction the Shawnee Mission Historical Society and the Mission Hills chapter of the DAR assumed leadership in raising donations. Approximately 150 citizens and businesses also contributed.

It is reported that in the past the Old Mission Church held many special services at the cemetery.

On the East wall are six brick crosses in relief.  According to Charlie they caused some controversy at the time the wall was built. A careful look at Photo Copy #8 reveals these crosses.

Just inside the gate is a bronze plaque on a pedestal furnished by the Old Mission United Methodist Church dated 1989 (Lower Photo #9).  The pedestal, erected by Charlie and Lee Wright, contain a heretofore bit of little known history..  Charlie Stein and Lee Wright, with the permission of Harold Bingham, Old Mission Church Historian, enclosed in the pedestal a “time capsule.”  This capsule consisted of a gallon fruit jar in which was placed newspaper articles and pictures featuring the Mission, coins and possibly other memorabilia.  Lee said the only thing he had to contribute was his KSHS identification tag.  There are no plans to open the capsule. 

In 1990 the following marker was placed in the cemetery just South of the patio.  It reads: “Shawnee Mission Historical Trail, Site #7, Shawnee Indian Mission Cemetery.”  It was one of an unknown number of  historical markers placed by Eagle Scout Brian Evans, Troop 219 of the Nall Avenue Baptist Church.  At one time another marker stood on the Northeast corner of the intersection of Reinhardt Drive and 53^rd St.

A bronze plaque inscribed “Prairie Garden” was donated by the Grassland Heritage Foundation in 1999 and attached to the East patio wall.  It was that year that the Foundation began a prairie garden as a part of the KC150 celebration.

The original cemetery was larger and according to Edna Johnson Anderson contained bodies of additional Johnsons, Indian children and adults.  These graves have been lost over time and road building disturbances.  The only Johnson relative mentioned by Edna was Preston Johnson, son of David Johnson, brother of  Rev. Thomas Johnson.  Many of the early gravesites would not have had permanent markers.  One source indicates that the cemetery extended primarily to the South and West.

It is believed that the cemetery was started in 1839 when the Mission was moved from its original site.  Inquires have not uncovered any knowledge of a cemetery prior to the establishment of the Mission to its present site. However, there are two graves stones with earlier date engravings:  Alexander McAllister Johnson, b. 6-22-1831, d. 8-15-1831 and Mary Cummins Johnson, b. 1-15-1836, d. 3-19-1838.  Both are known children of the Johnsons.  It is believed that the graves were moved from the original site when the Mission was moved to its present site.

The inscription that has created the most mystery is on the tombstone of Thomas Johnson, son of Alexander Soule Johnson, son of Rev. and Mrs. Johnson.  Part of the inscription has deteriorated over time and it was not until Linda Lewis photographed the tombstone and enhanced the photo that we were able to identify the following engraving perceived as “Thomas, son of 1 S. A. P. Johnson” as actually being, “Thomas, son of A. S. & P Johnson.” This identified the parents as Alexander Soule and Prudence Johnson.

The last burial was Elizabeth Price Johnson, wife of Wm. McKendree Johnson (son of the Johnsons), August 2, 1930.

All existing headstones, except Mrs. Berryman’s, are for members of the immediate and extended family of the Johnsons. 

There are seven head stones for Rev. and Mrs. Johnson’s children. A list and location map is available showing all grave stones (#10 and #11)

An unnamed source states that in 1854 the value of the property on which the cemetery is located was 59 cents an acre.

The cemetery is a Registered National Historical Landmark.

 Acknowledgments:

Mission Library Files
Leland Adams (Mission Library)
Harold Bingham (Old Mission United Methodist Church Historian, Mission Library)
Shirley Kingsley (Johnson Genealogy, Mission Library)
Shirley Ziegler (Mission Library)
Linda Lewis (Member Association of Grave Stone Studies)
Charles Stein (Friend of the Mission and Constructor)