Oak Mound Cemetery - Illinois Spirit Quest
Located on Chicago Road near the United Presbyterian Church, the cemetery was created by Lucius Frisbee as a place to bury his two children who had died of consumption, sometime after 1835. In 1838 he donated the land as a cemetery to DeKalb County. By 1881 the county board had deeded it over to the Oak Mound Cemetery Association, later known as the Somonauk Cemetery Association. This would make it one of the earliest cemeteries in the county, according to cemetery board president Bud Burgin.
One of the most prominent pioneer family members to be buried here was James Hoy Beveridge (1817 - 1896). James was the first person from DeKalb County to be elected to statewide office. He became state treasurer in 1964. Another major achievement in his life was being one of the three founders of the Sycamore True Republican in 1857, along with D.B. James and C.M. Brown Son of George and Ann Beveridge. He married Elizabeth A. Disbrow. He attended Granville Academy in Illinois and Mt. Morris Seminary. He came to Somonauk, IL in 1841 and took a claim adjoining his father's on the north. About 1848, he and his brother-in-law Alexander R. Patten, opened a store at Freeland Corners (the intersection of the Chicago-Galena Hwy, later known as Somonauk corners) and did a good business. In 1849, he was elected one of the associate justices of the county and in 1852 was elected assessor. In 1864, he was elected State Treasurer and moved to Springfield. He was Secretary of the Lincoln Memorial Association. In 1874, he was on the Illinois State House building commission, and he paid the architect of the State House for plans and specifications for the new church in Somonauk, IL and donated them to the congregation. He returned to Somonauk, IL in 1879 and bred and raised Jersey cattle. Beveridge’s youngest brother, John Lourie, (1824 - 1910) practiced law in Sycamore and later was elected 16th governor of Illinois from 1873 - 1877. Beveridge previously served in the Army during the American Civil War, becoming colonel of the 17th Illinois Cavalry. John Beveridge is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Chicago.
This beautiful cemetery is surrounded by an ornate stone fence making it unique to the county. Oak Mound cemetery also has a memorial to honor all the military veterans.
As with all cemetery caches, please be respectful of the property and stay on the paved road. Please seek this gem during daylight hours only. If there is a service or someone is visiting a loved one, please return at another time to claim this cache.
FTF Honors go to FeastBeast2 on his way to a CITO event!
A green bison tube found a cozy spot to build a perfect nest in the corner of this pristine cemetery.