Click photo to enlarge

Click photo to enlarge

McConnell Cemetery (Stipe Cemetery)
Diamond, Whitman County, Washington

Lat: 46° 57' 15"N, Lon: 117° 28' 02"W
T17N R43E Sec 24

Transcribed by Maggie Rail, © May 30, 2007, last edited Nov 30, 2007 [mrail@asisna.com]. Total records = 39.

To reach this cemetery from Steptoe WA take State Rte 23 west for about 5.5 miles, turn south or left onto Shields Road and continue for another 4.5 miles, then turn left onto the Gene Feenan Road and it will take you to the cemetery in less than 2 miles.

The original way to get to this cemetery no longer works because the bridge crossing the Palouse River is no longer there from Diamond. Andrews and Cooper deeded out one acre to be used as cemetery, according to the map. It is situated just north of Diamond across the river.

The name of the cemetery back then was Stipe Cemetery, and that is what is on old maps and in older readings of this cemetery. I do not know when they decided to change the name of it. The road extending east from the Gene Feenan Road is called the Stipe Road.

After two different failed tries I was finally able to find this cemetery with the assistance of Allen McSweeney, of Colfax. Allen also provided me with a map to assist in locating the burial sites. I was trying the route up from Diamond, not knowing it no longer existed. It is best visited in the summer because the roads will be muddy and washed out any other time and are closed from Nov 15 to May 15 each year.

The cemetery receives care, but in places huge lilac and other types of bushes have grown to huge sizes. One cannot easily reach the stones that exist in a few of those areas. There are some newer stones marking some of the burials, while a few are unmarked.

I have added a few names from sexton files and an older reading done in 1973. Last burial was in 1987. First burial was in 1881.

I visited this cemetery on Jul 29, 2007 and read all existing and legible markers and stones, using a digital camera, thus I have a photo of all existing markers.

- Maggie Rail

Legend:

b. = born d. = died c/o = child of d/o = dau of s/by = stone by s/o = son of

s/w = stone with w/o = wife of ** = no stone, from city or family * = from Robertson 1973 Record + = map didn't list location

Anderson, Daniel W, b. 1957, d. 1957, s/o Johnny, FH marker, SE corner, Row 1 #1
Andrews, Child 1, no dates **
Andrews, Child 2, no dates **
Challis, Child 1, no dates, c/o George **
Challis, Child 2, no dates, c/o George **
Challis, Child 3, no dates, c/o George **
Challis, Child 4, no dates, c/o George **
Groom, child, no dates, s/w Mrs, NW corner, Row 1 #1 +
Groom, Mrs, no dates, s/w child, NW corner, Row 1 #1 +
Lomison, daughter, no dates, s/w Mrs Lomison, North end, middle row #3 +
Lomison, Mrs , no dates, s/w daughter, North end, middle row #4 +
Lyons, sister, no dates, s/w Willie *
Lyons, Willie, b. 1888, d. 1911, FH marker, SE corner, Row 1 #2
McConnell, Baby, d. May 31, 1909, South end, Row 3 #3
McConnell, Charles A, b. 1871, d. 1942, s/w Elizabeth A, South end Row 3 #1
McConnell, Del, no dates, shot in saloon, on map, SE corner Row 2 #1 +
McConnell, Elizabeth A, b. 1874, d. 1947, s/w Charles A, South end Row 3 #2
McConnell, Frederick, no dates, run over by a train, SE corner Row 2 #2 +
McConnell, George F, b. Aug 08, 1873, d. Nov 14, 1905, footstone says S.F McC, South end Row 3
McConnell, James Arthur, b. Jan 23, 1897, d. Jan 26, 1897, s/o L.A., NW corner, Row 1 #1
McConnell, James Arthur, b. Nov 04, 1905, d. Feb 15, 1908, NW corner, Row 1 #2
McConnell, James D, b. Jun 29, 1877, d. Jul 05, 1910, (Co H 147th Inf), SE end Row 2 #5
McConnell, James M, b. Jul 04, 1845, d. Jan 08, 1919, Span American War *
McConnell, Mary A, b. Aug 31, 1849, d. Oct 16, 1901, s/w James M, SE end Row 2 #4
McConnell, Mary A, b. Dec 16, 1862, d. May 28, 1881, first burial in cemetery, w/o & s/w Moses, West side, Row 2
McConnell, Moses A, b. Oct 02, 1850, d. Dec 18, 1884, s/w Mary A, West side, Row 2
McConnell, Rollie D, b. Feb 15, 1879, d. Sep 21, 1902, s/o J.M. & M.A., SE corner Row 2 #3 +
McSweeney, Anna, b. 1895, d. 1896, age: 18mo, d/o John and Flora, s/w George and Baby Boy, SW corner
McSweeney, Baby Boy, b. 1900, d. 1900, age: stillborn, s/o John and Flora, s/w George and Anna, SW corner
McSweeney, George, b. 1896, d. 1896, age: 6mo, s/o John and Flora, s/w Anna and Baby Boy, SW corner
Miller, Lois A, b. Apr 08, 1925, d. Apr 14, 1999, Loving Wife and Mother, SW corner Row 2
Nelson, Charles K, b. Feb 11, 1859, d. Aug 14, 1914, s/w Fay Etta, North end, middle Row #2 *
Nelson, Fay Etta, b. Aug 23, 1905, d. Feb 26, 1907, d/o C.H. & S.E., North end, middle Row #1 *
Stipe, Bertha E, b. (Aug 09) 1893, d. (Dec 12) 1987, s/by & w/o John, South end, Row 3 #1
Stipe, Carl L, b. Mar 13, 1895, d. Dec 12, 1896, s/o J.A. & L.M., South End, Row 3 #5
Stipe, John Lewis, b. Oct 08, 1912, d. Nov 22, 1939, s/o J.S. & L., South End, Row 3 #3
Stipe, John, b. 1871, d. 1956, s/by Bertha E, South End, Row 3 #2
Stipe, Lulu M(elvina), b. Mar 26, 1875, d. Nov 11, 1913, s/by John Lewis and Carl L, South End, Row 3 #4
Stuart, Infant, no dates **