Nast Chapel Cemetery-Morgan County, IN

Find A Grave is an amazing website I use to research family history. It provides photographs of headstones and/or grave markers so others can more easily search out their kindred dead. I have been volunteering now as a photographer for the past two years and have taken thousands of photos that I know will help others find links to their past. 

One of my objectives while in Indiana this time was to visit and photograph for a second time three family cemeteries in Morgan County. I started researching my husband's family history back in May 2009 when we first moved to North Carolina. So in July 2010 while attending two family reunions on my mother-in-law's side of the family, I jumped at the chance to photograph the family cemeteries and post the photos on Find A Grave afterwards. While posting photos I noticed quite a few missing graves and have been determined ever since to complete the photography of all the graves at all three cemeteries. 

Our first stop was the Nast Chapel Cemetery right off of State Rd 144 and Nast Chapel Rd. Much of the cemetery contains loved ones both closely and distantly related to my husband on his mother's side. It is a beautiful old cemetery surrounded by woods with cornfields beyond the trees. Last time we visited there were a few graves next to the tree line that were being encroached upon by nature. Tree trimmers were out there cutting back the over growth and it was nice to see what a difference clearing the trees back made when we visited this time two years later.

Here's Nast Chapel Cemetery when I first photographed it two years ago.

And here is what it looks like today with the trees trimmed back and a new fence up to prevent encroaching upon the cemetery again.

Here are the most direct ancestors on my husband's side of the family which are buried in the Nast Chapel Cemetery.

Dicy Elizabeth White Castner is my husband's 2nd Great Grandmother. She was born in Indiana. Dicy had two children and raised the five children of Julius' previous wife. 

 Julius Castner is my husband's 2nd Great Grandfather. He was born in Esperstat, Prussia or Germany and immigrated to the United States around 1851. Julius was a stock/grain farmer. He was married twice and had seven children. 

Mary Emaline Smith Castner was Julius Castner's first wife. She was born in Indiana. Unfortunately, Emaline died at the age of 36 leaving behind five children.

John C. Castner is my husband's 3rd Great Grandfather. He was born in Prussia or Germany and immigrated to the United States around 1851. John was a successful farmer.

Mary C. is my husband's 3rd Great Grandmother. She was also born in Prussia or Germany and immigrated to the United States around 1851 with her husband and two small sons. Mary bore three children: two sons while in Prussia and one daughter in Indiana. One of those sons is my husband's 2nd Great Grandfather, Julius Castner.

John H. A. Sichting is my husband's 3rd Great Grandfather. He was born in Prussia or Germany and immigrated to the United States around 1848. John was a farmer.

Martisha E. Scroggins Sichting is my husband's 3rd Great Grandfather. She was born in Indiana. Martisha bore nine children: four sons and five daughters. One of those daughters is my husband's 2nd Great Grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Sichting Flake.

Last time we visited the cemetery this was the view directly across the street, but look how the view has changed. It was such a surprise to see that beautiful home in place of the cornfields. 

On the land next to the Nast Chapel Cemetery used to stand the home of my mother-in-law's grandmother. (It has been two years since I last heard the information and welcome any corrections if I am mistaken.)

Next time we go back to Indiana we will have to bring flowers to leave on the graves. Just love the quiet beauty of this cemetery.