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mcc-jrr_622-007
Hancock Cemetery, 62-2 Summary Report, page 7
acquired the land in 1892. Of course, the Hertzlers came by land in the NW/4 of S25 through Jacob Hertzler in 1870. From Jacob it passed to Daniel Hertzler, who in turn deeded it to John Sr. - all per the INDEX TO LANDS above. It should also be noted that Jacob Hertzler acquired the land from Orville M. Hundley, who was related to Lucy Lanier Ives Clark of the Clark Cemetery (65-2) on the arsenal. Exactly how the Hundleys got the land is not clear on the INDEX TO LANDS. That index shows that Orville Hundley purchased land in the area from J. J. Fletcher, who in turn acquired land in the area from Eldred Rawlins. However, the quarter section indications on the INDEX TO LANDS do not show that Eldred Rawlins or J. J. Fletcher owned land in the NW/4 to sell to Orville Hundley in 1870. It is possibly just an incomplete marking of the index, but until the original deeds are examined, the whole truth may not be known. It is known that Eldred Rawlins entered into some questionable land dealings during his residence in Madison County, before he moved to Limestone County and other areas (see the Rawlins - Lanier Cemetery Summary Report for more of Eldred Rawlins' life story). Since there is no known arsenal or Madison-area cemetery with the graves of the Hertzlers, it is certainly possible that the Hancock Cemetery was used by their family for its burials until after the land was sold into black family possession. As is known from other cemetery records, such as the nearby Inman Cemetery (62-1), it is not unusual for the pre-Civil War white plantation owners to start a family cemetery that is later used by the black families. Sometimes, plantation cemeteries included especially the graves of household slaves with those of the white owners, even though normally they would be in separate sections. Likewise, it is known that families of the “old days” generally buried their dead in their own land, as community cemeteries generally did not exist. (Of course, there were often church cemeteries used throughout the ages by several families together.) If family land burial practices were used here, then Jacob and Daniel Hertzler and their wives and children may well be buried in the Hancock Cemetery. The Maple Hill death certificate assures that John Hertzler Jr. was buried in Maple Hill, perhaps along with his wife, but there is no firm record of their burials there, other than the one death certificate. The death certificate for John Hertzler also shows that John Hertzler Sr. was a doctor, as reported by Dr. Kyser of Madison. 7 - (2276)