Posted on: Edgar Co., IL Queries Reply Here: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Il/Edgar/339 Surname: Whalen ------------------------- I have found the article about Whalen Cemetery printed in the Paris Beacon News, May 29, 2000. I am going to condense the article because of it's length. CEMETERY CLEAN UP UNCOVERS PIECES OF HISTORY The sound of chain saws and weed eaters interrupted the tranquil setting of Whalen Cemetery Saturday afternoon as volunteers uncovered pieces of Edgar County history. The oldest tombstone, dated 1825 and bearing the name of Michael Whalen, was unearthed among the treasures uncovered. In the ensuing years, a total of eight family members were interred in the small cemetery, which has been neglected and abandoned in recent years. The last buriel was in 1875. The cemetery is remote, hidden from view of the nearby roadway. Access is gained by traveling through a gate to a grassy field and to the edge of the adjoining woods. Among the overgrowth, workers found six formerly erect headstones now encased in a concrete slab for preservation. The stones and history of Whalen Cemetery indicate places of final rest for seven members of the Whalen family, including the mother, father and four children, and two others. The Edgar County Genealogy Library would appreciate any factual information known about the people buried in Whalen Cemetery or their descendants. The attention toward Whalen Cemetery has already resulted in correspondence which indicates the cemetery has not been forgotten. A descendent, Carolyn Gillespy Browning of Mitchellville, MD, formerly of Paris, visited the cemetery in early May with her husband. She is the great-granddaughter of Patrick and Almira Whalen. Impetus for the clean up was Comptroller Dan Hynes' visit to Edgar County as part of his "Statewide Cemetery Clean Up" effort during the month of May. Members of the Paris FFA Club and the Democratic Boosters joined Comptroller Hynes in the Whalen Cemetery reclamation. When finished, the group planted some perennials in memory of these early settlers. By Jenny Barkley, Beacon News City Editor