Shady Grove Cemetery between Cape Girardeau and Dutchtown at the deadend of CR 211 is the final resting spot for more than 250 members of the area’s black community. It dates to before the Civil War. A reader pointed it out to me after I did a story on the Pecan Grove School, which is at the corner of Hwy 74 and CR 211.
When I went there about two years ago, it was in pretty ratty shape. When I returned with LaFern and Shari Stiver on a beautiful fall day in 2011, the land had been cleared. I hope careful note was made of where the tombstones were located because they had apparently been moved to make the clean-up easier. I did note red flags scattered here and there.
More information about Shady Grove
The Missourian ran a fairly long piece about the history of the cemetery in the June 25, 2008, edition.- The Find A Grave website lists 131 interments and has a map that shows where Shady Grove is located.
- Diana Steele-Bryant and Sharon Sanders, librarian for The Southeast Missourian, have published a book, “Dark Woods and Periwinkle: A Glance Back at Shady Grove,” which documents 240 burials. It is available from the Cape Girardeau Genealogical Society web site.
Photo Gallery of Shady Grove Cemetery
Click on any photo to make it larger, then click on the left or right side to move through the gallery.
What spectacular photos! Thanks for the marvelous links!
To think Mary J. Wilson is still alive……………..
I don’t know that Mary J. Wilson is still alive. She may be buried elsewhere or her tombstone may not have been updated.
As I was doing my genealogy project, I found several family tombstones where the date of death had not been entered. As a relative, I would get the death certificate listing the cemetery to have the local marker business enter the date of death. Most of these family members had been dead for decades.
Dick McLard and I did a lot lf clean up in 2012 but we did not move any markers..
Bob White
I grew up on the land next the cemetery (by the pond) and just walked the cemetery yesterday. Has anyone cleaned it up since 2012?
I think some work has been done it, but I don’t know for sure.
How does it look since then?
I erge all Gaboney and Cato to get an ancestry DNA test performed
D Cato, Ron Giboney here. Apparently there has been discussions relative to head stones or markers being moved. In any event, the Giboney’s and Cato’s are also related. Would love to talk
Diane Giboney-Bell what happen to all the head stones and markers out at Shady Grove Cemetery . There seems to be only about 5 or 6 left in place in the entire cemetery. Isn’t that against the law?
Everyone who has ancestors should be questioning what is going on out there
I am Anita Squires-Jones. I am a decendent of the Giboney & Cato families. My great grandmother was Janie (Cato) Davis. She was the daughter of Peter Cato & Odelia Melvina Giboney. I have made some calls regarding this cemetary but haven’t received any response. We need to organize to see what we can do to save this historic site.
Sharon Sanders, librarian at The Southeast Missourian in Cape, might be able to point you in the right direction.
Thanks for the information!
I am a descendant of several family members who are buried at Shady Grove Cemetery. Our families are in the process of making sure the cemetery never closes and will work diligently to get our members’ headstones/markers replaced. I recently read where they have closed the road to the cemetery. We will see that it reopens.
I am a descendant of the Giboney & Cato families. My great grandmother Janie (Cato) Davis, daughter of Peter Cato and Odelia Melvina Giboney are buried here. Our family is seeking to find out what is needed to replace damaged headstone/markers and find out why the road to the cemetery is closed.
I’ll drive up the road the first time I’m in the area.
My sister and several family members live in Cape. She is going to drive there tomorrow and take pictures. I am making contact with the MO Attorney General Office. I will keep you posted.
Thanks. I think this is the applicable statute:
Visiting abandoned family or private burying ground surrounded by private property, right of access, when, enforcement by sheriff–court’s power to disinter.
214.132. 1. Any person who wishes to visit an abandoned family cemetery or private burying ground which is completely surrounded by privately owned land, for which no public ingress or egress is available, shall have the right to reasonable ingress or egress for the purpose of visiting such cemetery. This right of access to such cemeteries extends only to visitation during reasonable hours and only for purposes usually associated with cemetery visits.
2. The sheriff or chief law enforcement officer of the county in which the abandoned family cemetery or private burying ground is located shall enforce the provisions of subsection 1 of this section.
For the record, I am not an attorney. I thought about studying law, but realized very quickly that you didn’t have to spend years in college to be a photographer.
GREAT INFORMATION! I forgot about the privately owned land that surrounds it. I will share this info with our family members.
Mr Steinhoff, if you will take a photo of the cemetary, we would greatly appreciate it!
It may take me a few days to get out there. I’m working on some stuff that has be tied to the house right now.
Hi family. We have been closely involved with Shady Grove Cemetery over the last few years. During that time we have contacted the Commissioner, Sheriff, Lt. Governor and we have been making slow but definite progress. Although numerous stones are now missing, we have been keeping it mowed and it has been recently surveyed. Please be aware that we are hosting a UNITY Family reunion in May 2022 in Cape and there will be much info shared at that time. We had our first Giboney/Bollinger reunion in 2019. This reunion includes all descendants of Shady Grove Cemetery including the Giboney’s, Bollinger’s, Catos, Wades, Caldwells, and more.
Please reach out to the Giboney/Bollinger Family page on Facebook or leave questions here.
Thanks for the information. I hope to make it there.
Hello family and friends!!!
I’m Valerie McGee
I visited this cemetery many times as a child.
I’m the great great granddaughter of Spencer Refroe. and Rosie Birch through their daughter Martha Renfro- McGee – Mayham through her son Lynn H McGee
I thank our Cuz Frank W H Maxwell and Cuz Diane Y Giboney- Bell for reconnecting me with this branch of our mutual family tree