INDIANA SPIRIT QUEST
Photos by Rupert2
The Indiana Spirit Quest series of geocaches will take you to a number of historic cemeteries built by Hoosier Pioneers. In less than a year, the quest has grown to over a hundred caches hidden in eleven north Indiana counties. ISQ #110 marks the expansion of the ISQ series, representing the FIRST to be hidden in Central Indiana! We look forward to bring more ISQ caches to this area over the next several weeks, months, years…
PRAIRIEPARTNERS has set a record for one-day ISQ finds on 10-16-2004 at 55! 112 cacher teams have logged over 1,600 finds.
INDIANA SPIRIT QUEST #110
”SHIFTING GROUND!"
The first Indiana Spirit Quest cache located in central Indiana also happens to be right in my home town of Avon, Washington Township, Hendricks County. Avon was not incorporated until 1995, long after this cemetery was founded. In years past this area was known as Hampton, White Lick, Smootsdell and New Philadelphia In less than 10 short years this area has transformed from a quitet rural setting to one the fastest growing suburbs of Indianapolis:
Welcome to the Gossett (also knows as Gossett/Fox) cemetery. This site has fascinated me for several years, looking very out of place just inside the town limits. Recent activity in the right of way along State Road 267 has brought a few more visitors and some major improvements to the site. Most recently, trees and shrubs have been trimmed back and the split rail fence defining the site has been completely replaced. Grave markers are predominately from the late 1830’s ranging up to 1910’s. Most are well worn and difficult to read. The many toppled headstones can be attributed to shifting soils rather than vandalism. The only two modern headstones on the grounds also happen to be the most interesting. Take a minute to view them.
Parking is available off of County Road 100 south approximately 50 feet east of State Road 267. The gravel lot can accommodate approximately two cars, even in wet weather.
This headstone has obviously been upgraded since 1842. It represents one of twenty confirmed Revolutionary War Veteran gravesites within Hendricks County.
William Wiley was born 1762 Pennsylvania or Guilford County. He died in 1842 and buried in the Gossett Cemetery south of Avon, Indiana. He was married to Anna A. Shannon. Children: Abney born 1789; Shannon born 1791; Samuel born 1793; William born 1796; Izarrah born 1801 married Miss Jenkins; Alfred born 1802 married Suzannah Thomas. Source Page 304, Roster of Soldiers and Patriots of the American Revolution Buried in Indiana, 1938.
This modern stone has a little too much growth on it to be completely legible. It reads JOHN ROSS, Ohio Militia, War of 1812, Dec 8 1789, Aug 1851. When I can find more on John Ross I will add it.
This one is a camoflagued pill container. BYOP. As always, please be respectful, and cache in, trash out. .
”LOGS INDICATING NIGHT CACHING WILL BE DELETED WITHOUT NOTICE!"