McGuirk Cemetery

May 4, 2003
It has taken numerous trips to find this overgrown cemetery, but Charlie Clark did not give up until it was located. Following oral directions that placed the site on a ridge, west of the old Yancy Homeplace, almost in a direct line north with the Woodrow Howell homeplace, near Kenneth Cain's' north pasture fence line, Mr. Clark said that he has walked within a few feet of the cemetery several times trying to locate the cemetery.  Finally, he noticed a reflection shining through some overgrowth and located a tombstone base.

Click on the image for a larger view

Left to right: Edmond and Larry Hellums, Charles Diamond, Charlie and Mary Clark.

On May 4th, Mr. Clark, his wife Mary, friends Edmond and Larry Hellums and Charles and Rose Diamond congregated at the cemetery.  Weeds and small saplings were cut and a probe was used to try to locate at least five markers which Mr. Clark seemed to remember from a visit made to the site when he was a young boy. The Hellums brothers had also been walking the area several times over the year, trying to locate the site for the Calhoun County Historical Society records.All the markers found were lying flat and most were broken. The site was marked with surveyor's tape for future location purposes. The stones were washed and the larger stone was set upright on its base. Mr. Clark plans to try to repair the pieces and get the remaining markers upright.

Directions are provided by Mr. Clark: From Bruce go north 6.5 miles on Highway 9, toward Pontotoc. Turn north on State Highway 331 until you reach the Water Tower located on the west side of the highway. Turn west on the Weyerhaeuser Road and go 1.1 miles. Turn south on another Weyerhaeuser Road and go .8 miles to a clearing. Roughly in a south-southwesterly direction (about 8 o'clock position) go about 135 yards down a skidder road to the cemetery. Latitude and Longitude: North 34 degrees 08.129. by West 089 degrees 21.224

Tombstones located and transcribed:

McGuirk, Emma May  Aug. 20, 1881 - Aug. 12, 1899, daughter of Ketter and Susan Caroline McGuirk

McGuirk, Alace Valaria  Apr 14, 1879 - Feb. 10, 1898, daughter of Ketter and Susan Caroline McGuirk

McGuirk, Kate   Dec. 26, 1851 - March 28, 1894

McGouirk, Lee J.  died Oct. 4, 1875, Aged 1 year [spelled with an O], son of Cato and Caroline McGouirk

Brantly, W. A.  Nov. {broken} 1877  - died ---ch 20, 1878

Census Records on the family:

1860 Calhoun County MS Federal Census Transcription: Page 89      Date: 8/15/1860    Sarepta Post OfficeHousehold 604-623
Pascall McGuits age 45 male farmer $1600/$9000 born in Georgia     [Transcription note: Paschal H. McGuirk]
Sarah age 38 female born in South Carolina
William age 16 male born in Mississippi
James age 13 male born in Mississippi
Alice age 9 female born in Mississippi
Ara age 4 female born in Mississippi
Susan age 4/12 months born in Mississippi 

1870 Calhoun Co., MS Federal Census, household 158-160
Maquoirk, Paschal 56 m w farmer GA
               Sarah 48 f w keeping house MS
               James H. 23 m w farm laborer MS
               Alice 19 f w attending school MS
               Wilson 12 m w farm laborer MS
               Lula H. f w attending school MS
               William 26 m w farm laborer MS
               Martha 19 f w at home  SC [wife of Wm.]
               Sarah A. 2/12 (b. March) f w MS
               Kedder 20 m b farm laborer MS
               George 16 m mu farm laborer MS
               Lucinda 8 f b at home MS 
 
1880 Calhoun Co., MS Federal Census, household 58-58
McGouirk, William w m 36 farmer MS GA SC
                Martha w f 31 wife keeping house MS MS AL
                Sarah A. w f 10 dau MS MS MS
                Mattie M. w f 7 dau MS MS MS
                Harry A. w m 4 son TX MS MS
                Sarah E. w f 58 mother widowed SC SC SC
McIntosh, P.H. w m 7 nephew TX MS MS
 
household 59-59
McGouirk, Cato mu m 31 farmer MS MS MS
                Colline mu f 27 wife keeping house MS MS MS
                Edgar mu m 4 son MS MS MS     [bu. Dallas Cemetery, Lafayette Co., MS]
                Alice mu f 2 dau MS MS MS
                plus some more relatives living with them
1990 Calhoun Co., MS Federal Censushousehold 93-93
McGuirk, Colline b f 3/1856 44 widow 10 children/7 living MS MS MS farmer
               Ketter E. son 10/1875 24 single MS MS MS
               Thomas D. son 10/1883 16 MS MS MS
               Adda K. dau 2/1888 12 MS MS MS
               Harriet G. dau 1/1890 10 MS MS MS
               Albert  son 11/1891 8 MS MS MS
               Wilson H. son 6/1894 5 MS MS MS
Brazeal, Willie b m 11/1882 17 single  MS MS MS