Gravestone: Henry, Elizabeth, and Mary Ann KEPHART

The graves of Henry KEPHART Jr., his wife Elizabeth (Epley) KEPHART, and daughter Mary Ann KEPHART are all marked by one obelisk-shaped gravestone in the Cottage Hill Methodist-Episcopal Cemetery in Dubuque Co., IA. The stone is in Row 2, Stone 5 as catalogued by Tom and Vicki Schlarman in 2007.

Verla and Vince Williams visited the cemetery in late 1978 and took several pictures. At the time there obviously had been very little maintenance done on the site which can be seen by the height of the grass in the pictures from that time. The inscription for Henry was on the east side of the obelisk, Elizabeth the south side, and Mary Ann the west side.


East side of gravestone. Henry KEPHART. Died 9 Sep 1845. Æ 78 yrs. Image courtesy of Verla Williams (1978).


South side of gravestone. Elizabeth, Wife of H. KEPHART. Died 23 Dec 1849. Æ 86 yrs. Image courtesy of Verla Williams (1978). In the upper right hand corner one can barely make out the gravestone for Naugle KEPHART.


West side of gravestone. Mary Ann KEPHART. Dau. of H. & E. KEPHART. Died 25 May 1844. Æ 20 yrs. Image courtesy of Verla Williams (1978). From the impression in the ground it appears as if the stone had been lying on its side for some time.

The Williamses visited again in Apr 1993 and took additional pictures. By this time someone had been maintaining the cemetery and mowing the grass. It also appears as if the caretaker or someone had cleaned, leveled, and repositioned the stone. Henry's inscription was now on the north side of the obelisk, Elizabeth's was on the east side, Mary Ann's was on the south side.


North side of gravestone. Henry KEPHART. Died 9 Sep 1845. Æ 78 yrs. Image courtesy of Vince Williams (Apr 1993).


Closeup of Gravestone. Henry KEPHART. Died 9 Sep 1845. Æ 78 yrs. Image courtesy of Verla Williams (Apr 1993).


East side of gravestone. Elizabeth, Wife of H. KEPHART. Died 23 Dec 1849. Æ 86 yrs. Image courtesy of Verla Williams (Apr 1993).


Closeup of gravestone. Elizabeth, Wife of H. KEPHART. Died 23 Dec 1849. Æ 86 yrs. Image courtesy of Verla Williams (Apr 1993).


South side of gravestone. Mary Ann KEPHART. Dau. of H. & E. KEPHART. Died 25 May 1844. Æ 20 yrs. Image courtesy of Verla Williams (Apr 1993). In the upper left corner one can see Naugle and Susan KEPHART's gravestone.