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Listed in Cemetery, Historical place, Ohio River Scenic Byway, Pioneer History, Visited by Old Folks Adventures

• 601 East 6th Street
  Mount Vernon, Indiana 47620

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Description

The Old North Cemetery is one of Mount Vernon's oldest surviving historic burial grounds and serves as a quiet reminder of the city's earliest years. Established during the early nineteenth century on what was once known as Hedges Hill, the cemetery was the primary burial place for many of Mount Vernon's pioneer families before the establishment of Bellefontaine Cemetery. Although time and weather have claimed many of its original monuments, the cemetery remains one of Posey County's most historically significant sites.

Among those buried here is Judge John Pitcher, one of southwestern Indiana's most respected early attorneys and judges. Pitcher is remembered for his friendship with Abraham Lincoln, to whom he loaned law books while Lincoln was practicing law in southern Indiana and Illinois. Years later, Judge Pitcher also mentored future Union General and Indiana Governor Alvin P. Hovey, making the cemetery an important stop for anyone interested in Lincoln-era history.

The cemetery also preserves the memory of many of Mount Vernon's earliest settlers, including members of the Craig, Welborn, Leonard, Baker, and Newman families. Historical accounts indicate that victims of the 1873 cholera epidemic, veterans of the Mexican-American War, and numerous Civil War soldiers were buried here. Over time, many original grave markers disappeared or deteriorated, leaving only fragments of what was once one of the community's largest cemeteries. Despite these losses, the site continues to represent the hardships, triumphs, and everyday lives of the people who built early Mount Vernon.

Today, Old North Cemetery offers visitors an opportunity to reflect on nearly two centuries of local history. While it lacks the polished appearance of many modern cemeteries, its historic graves and connections to Indiana's frontier, the Civil War, and Abraham Lincoln's legal career make it one of Posey County's most meaningful historical sites.

Historical References / Learn More

Posey County Historical Society – Local cemetery records, pioneer families, and county history.
Mount Vernon Democrat – Historical articles documenting Old North Cemetery and Judge John Pitcher's burial.
Indiana Historical Bureau – Resources on Judge John Pitcher, Alvin P. Hovey, and Indiana history.
https://www.in.gov/history/
Find a Grave – Burial records for Judge John Pitcher, Alvin P. Hovey family members, and other early Mount Vernon residents.
Posey County Public Library Local History Collection – Historical maps, newspapers, and cemetery documentation.

Listing Tags

Abraham Lincoln, Alvin P. Hovey, Cholera Epidemic, Civil War Veterans, Frontier History, Historic Cemetery, Indiana History, Judge John Pitcher, Mexican-American War, Mount Vernon Indiana, Old North Cemetery, Pioneer Cemetery, Posey County

Street

601 East 6th Street

Latitude

37.935542

Longitude

-87.890493

Country

USA

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