Perry Township Cemeteries
The Office of the Perry Township Trustee oversees the cemeteries listed below.
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Alcorn-Tilton Cemetery
1107 W Banta Road Indianapolis, IN 46217 Alcorn-Tilton Cemetery has been significantly worn down by the march of time, and as a result most of the preserved monuments and stones in this small site are left bare. The grounds contain only a few sparse markers to identify the members of the Alcorn and Tilton families buried there, along with a single large tree that the majority of their graves surround. It is often also referenced as Tilton-Alcorn or Banta Cemetery. Burial plots here are listed under Tilton-Alcorn.
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Southport Cemetery
2800 E. Southport Road Indianapolis, IN 46227 Southport Cemetery, established around 1827 and currently found next to Bethel Community Church, is the final resting place of many early settlers, including Samuel and Mary Bryan, whose family helped establish Bryan’s Station in Lexington, Kentucky. In 1940, the cemetery had 236 markers; today, only a few remain.
The Mary Bryan and Samuel Bryan Chapters of the DAR helped install a monument to honor the Bryans and recently added a metal fence around their graves. The Samuel Bryan Chapter also digitized the cemetery’s records. |
Vorhies Cemetery
3900 S. Bluff Road Indianapolis, IN 46217 Vorhies Cemetery is located on the former Vorhies Farm, atop a hill. The cemetery has 16 tombstones, the oldest dating to 1830 and the most recent to 1903. The front two-thirds of the lot seemingly contain unmarked graves, likely including a mass grave for workers of a planned canal from Indianapolis to the Ohio River.
In the northwest corner, there is a 10’ square brick structure, likely a mausoleum or cold storage building, with no visible inscriptions. The structure features decorative tile, iron pieces around the door frame, and air vents on its sides. |
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Boxwood Cemetery
3320 Boxwood Dr Indianapolis, IN 46227 |
Fowler-Mundy Cemetery
7212 Wellwood Dr Indianapolis, IN 46217 |
Bell Cemetery
1720 W Epler Avenue Indianapolis, IN 46217 |
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In May 1832, members of Lick Creek Baptist Church formed Southport Baptist Church, which was originally led by Jeremiah Featherston. He left half an acre of land for a cemetery, now the abandoned Boxwood Cemetery, which is cared for by Perry Township. Despite efforts by Cedric Fowler, Trustee at Southport Baptist Church, his dedicated team, and the Perry Township Trustee's Office to preserve the site, only Sarah Featherston’s headstone remains visible.
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In 1997, developer R.N. Thompson brought new attention to the Fowler-Mundy Cemetery, raising concerns about its future. The cemetery, while not easily accessible due to its location between private land plots, dates back to the 1840s and contains graves from the Fowler, Mundy, and Hinkston families. Many of its headstones are damaged or missing due to neglect, and the site holds the remains of some of Perry Township’s first white settlers along with evidence of nearby Native American activity. In 2000, it was added to the Indiana Register of Historic Sites, and in 2016 the Perry Township Trustee's Office ordered renovations to restore some of the location's historic integrity.
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Bell Cemetery, about 165 years old, is located on land once owned by the Bell family, with many of its members buried there. It also holds the graves of prominent pioneers, like the Bristow family, which includes War of 1812 veteran Payton Bristow. The cemetery contains six veterans and graves dating back to the 1840s, including infants and young women.
In 2018, the cemetery received an award for its renovation, completed in partnership with the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and the Perry Township Trustee, and was featured in a national magazine. |
