Bourne-Sutton-West Family Plot, Forks of Dix River Baptist Cemetery, Garrard County, Kentucky

Within the Forks of the Dix River Baptist Cemetery in Garrard County, Kentucky, is a small enclosed plot where members of the Bourne, Sutton and West families are buried.  There are six stones (two for one woman!) for ten individuals.

Nancy Bourne died May 8, 1871, aged 84 years.  ‘Mother, thou has from us flown, To the regions far above, We to thee erect this stone, Consecrated by our love.’

The two oldest family members are Nancy Sutton Bourne and Lucy Kemper West, born 1787 and 1792, respectively, just five years apart.

Nancy Sutton, daughter of Benjamin Sutton and Mary Arnold, married John H. Bourne.  He died in 1833, possibly of cholera since it was rampant in the state in that year.

Lucy Kemper West, born March 4, 1792, died March 16, 1876.

Lucy Kemper married Lysander West, who died in 1840.  Both husbands died young, both widows never remarried, but concentrated on raising their families.  Lucy and Nancy both lived to the age of 84.  Their husbands are buried elsewhere.

Simeon West, 1813-1840.  Sallie Bourne West, 1814-1876.

Simeon West, son of Lucy Kemper and Lysander West, married Sallie Bourne, daughter of Nancy Sutton and John H. Bourne – and thus gives the connection and relationship for the rest of the family members.

Edmund B. Sutton, 1832-1876.  Margaret E. Sutton, 1838-1916.  John K. Sutton, 1857-1937.

Simeon  and Sallie West had a daughter, Margaret, who married Edmund B. Sutton.  Remember, Nancy Bourne was a Sutton before marriage.  I think we can safely say Edmund is a distant relative to his wife Margaret.  Here, again, we have an example of the husband dying early in life and the wife left a widow for 40 years.  The following obituary is from The Central Record from Lancaster, April 13, 1916:

Mrs. Margaret Elizabeth Sutton, who died at her home last Saturday morning, was the daughter of Simeon and Sallie West, and was born June 27^th, 1838.  She was married to E. B. Sutton, February 17, 1853.  To this union was born ten children, four dying in infancy, the six surviving are, J. K., E. B., J. B., and Susan K. of this place, Mrs. B. W. Hughes of Lancaster and James Harvey Sutton of Cincinnati.  Left a widow early in life, the care of the orphan children fell upon her and the oldest son, neither of whom was heard to murmur.  When she was only nine years old she was converted and united with the Fork Church, of which she remained a faithful member 68 years last October.  The deceased was a sufferer for 20 years, but the end came as she would have liked it, ‘just to steal away, give little warning, say not good night, but in some brighter clime say good morning’.  The funeral services were conducted by Rev. J. W. Mahan at 2 p.m. last Sunday who read from 1^st Eccle: 12; 1-7, the portion of scripture that was read at her husband’s funeral.  She was laid to rest in the Fork Cemetery.  Sympathy is offered to the bereaved family by the large circle of friends, especially to Miss Susan K. who will be so lonely without mother.

John K. Sutton is buried beside his parents.

Samuel, Lucinda, Simeon Sutton, infant children of Edmond and Margaret Sutton.

Three of Edmund and Margaret Sutton’s children died as infants.  This stone is in remembrance of those little angels.

Nancy Sutton Bourne, 1787-1871, wife of John H. Bourne.

Another gravestone for Nancy Sutton Bourne.

Someone loves these people very much.  The fence around the stones is relatively new, with a small brick wall and new stones for some of the graves.  How I wish all cemetery plots were so well cared for!