Old Shiloh Church and Cemetery, Jackson Co., Arkansas Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Mark Williamson <mwillia3@midsouth.rr.com> and Tina Romans-Bode. ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net ************************************************************************ Inventory taken from "Jackson County Cemeteries", published circa 1976 [title page missing] by the Jackson County Historical Society. The above book can be found in the W.A. Billingsley Library, Newport, AR. John McFadden retyped many of the published inventories in alphabetical order, and it is from his work that this transcription is made. A copy of his work is located in the Circuit Court office at the Jackson County Courthouse, Newport, AR. Reprinted with the cooperation of the Jackson County Historical Society. Transcribed for use on the Internet by Tina Romans-Bode. Thanks to Gail Lies of the Genealogy Society of Craighead County for her assistance. (* before an entry suggests that this entry made have errors and will need to be rechecked against the originals.) ************************************************************************ "OLD SHILOH CHURCH AND CEMETERY by James Logan Morgan" "In 1845, George Sink bought a large tract just east of what is now Diaz (a little more than 248 acres) from his wife's stepfather, Elijah Blansett. Afterwards, he made a large number of land purchases in the area. Sarah Ann Sink died 25 Jan 1857, and was buried near their home. She was born 29 Nov 1828 in the Surrounded Hill area (then Independence Co.), daughter of William and Anne (Yocum) Smith, who settled in that area about 1817. William Smith died in 1835. His widow, Anne, married Elijah Blansett in 1937. George Sink was born 4 Jul 1816 in North Carolina. He died 8 Feb 1874 and was buried at Shiloh Cemetery. He was survived by his second wife, Mrs. Sallie Sink. His children, all by Sarah Ann, were: 1. Mary Ann (married Andrew Sullard) 2. Elena (marries Christopher Young Steen) 3. Christina (married 1. R. H. Ellis, 2. Asa S. Blackwood) 4. Sarah Jane (married Joseph M. Wolf) 5. John Peter Sink George Sink donated land near his wife's grave for a church, built in 1858. On 13 Feb 1858, Sink deeded two acres 'including the church now in process of erection on said land.' The land was given 'for the use of the public and to be used by the neighborhood as a site for the erection of a church and Academy.' The church mentioned in Sink's 1858 deed became known as Shiloh Church and was later called 'Old Shiloh Church.' It was a typical country 'union' church, where Baptists and Methodists (and later the Disciples of Christ) met more or less regularly and where schools were held when funds were available and a teacher could be secured. George Sink served as common school commissioner of Jackson County from 1858 to the establishment of school districts in 1868. By 1900, a district schoolhouse had replaced the Shiloh Church as the school. The Newport Daily Independent of March 10, 1904 included this item from its Diaz correspondent: 'The old Shiloh church house, which was built about 45 years ago, fell Monday.' The Diaz correspondence in the June 10, 1904 issue, included this note: 'We see some of our neighbors are using the cemetery for a pasture. We think they should have more respect for the dead.' The July 8 issue contained this report: 'J. R. Cox had the remains of his mother and child taken up Wednesday and moved to Walnut Grove Cemetery.'"