Search for the Mt Palmer Cemetery
and the grave of John Ebenezer JONES
By Mike Duggan
Early 1972 – Mr Ken White approached Eric Carnicelli, a member of the Southern Cross Historical Society, to see if Mr White’s grandfather’s grave at Mt Palmer could be located. He offered to pay the Historical Society $150 if the grave could be located and access provided to it. He did not know whether anything had ever been done to mark the grave.
The members enthusiastically took up the challenge! A plan of Mt Palmer Town Site was studied, and the site of the cemetery was noted. It was in sandplain-type country, heavily overgrown mulga, with a few tracks barely discernible meandering among the trees. It appeared that
John Ebenezer JONES aged 70, had died at Mt Palmer.
Gold had only been found at Mt Palmer the previous year and it was not until 1938 that the cemetery site was gazetted. Nobody knew whether anything had actually been done to mark the grave – such as head stone, timber cross etc, so no one knew just what to look for – would they look for a mound? Or would they look for a depression?
An article in the “Countryman” mentioned the Society’s challenge to locate the grave and several people wrote associating themselves with the burial. One man said he had been delegated to clear a track through the scrub to the cemetery. The tinsmith at the mine wrote that he had been appointed to tap out a tin plate identifying the deceased. Several locals well remembered the funeral and the school children were given a holiday so they could attended.
The tinsmith was certain he could locate the grave without any difficulty.
Several excursions were made by members of the Historical Society and their families to search for the grave. Walking through the scrub was not easy, legs were scratched, “coo-ees” kept members in touch with each other, and pieces of rag tied to bushes helped, to identify country traversed – but all to no avail. Clear patches here and there were closely examined but proved to be only areas where kangaroos had dug “hippers” in which to rest. The remains of a mallee hen’s nest was also closely examined.
It was at this time that Mr Lewis E West of Corrigin (the former mine tin smith) contacted the Society and intimated that if the grave had not been found by September 1972, when his holidays were due, he would pay a sentimental visit to his old haunts and join in the search.
Accordingly, on 12 September 1972 , 72 year old Lew, accompanied by his wife, turned up at Mt Palmer, to do what the locals had been unable to achieve. With his wife as offsider, he took a compass bearing and proceeded to cut a line. A likely spot was located so he returned to Southern Cross, some 30 miles distant to get permission from Ken White to dig. (presuming that he had found the grave). There was only one obvious way to prove it – by digging.
A long handled shovel was borrowed from the Yilgarn Shire Council and a 3 ft hole was dug. The soil was packed too tight to make further progress with a shovel, so again Lew retraced his steps – this time to Yellowdine – eight miles distant, where he borrowed a pick from the only inhabitant – petrol pump proprietor – Joe Truran.
Further excavation revealed nothing, so Lew moved to another likely spot, and then another, digging holes up to 5 ft deep in the most difficult of hard packed soil. By this time his wife, understandably had lost some of her enthusiasm. It is not much fun moving round in the heat, in prickly scrub, at the end of a chain measure. So she was left at the camp site while yet another 5 ft hole was dug. This also revealed nothing, so on the afternoon of the 15th September the West’s packed up their gear, returned the borrowed tools, advised the Historical Society of their efforts and returned to Corrigin.
A few days later Lew West was to be found in the Lands and Surveys Dept in Perth, where he spent a lot of time trying to pinpoint the location of the cemetery. It transpired that, originally two tentative sites had been suggested for location of the Mt Palmer Cemetery. Reserve No 21435 was finally decided upon.
By midnight on the 22nd September Lew, accompanied by his son Lew, was once more at Mt Palmer. By 7am next morning, with his fresh information, he had cut a new line and proceeded to dig to a depth of 3ft at a likely clearing, but, still no luck. He decided that he had struck on the site of another mallee hen’s nest.
Returning to the main track from Mt Palmer to Nevoria, on the eastern approach a survey peg was found in good order. Measurements based on information obtained from Lands Dept were taken and at 3pm on 22 September in N.E. corner of the cemetery the grave was found – not a mound, or a depression but a well preserved grave surrounded by lovely spring time sandplain flowers.
John Ebenezer Jones
The small heart shaped headstone identified ‘John Ebenezer Jones’. Four concrete slabs covered the grave. A glass bottle and small broken ornaments were also there as well as a pickle bottle.
Mission accomplished,
The Wests advised the Historical Society of their success and returned home, deeply satisfied. Shortly afterwards Eric Carnicelli took some of his heavy equipment and cleared a track to the vicinity of the grave. Actually the grave is a short distance off the track on the left hand side as one approaches. This was intentional too many historic landmarks have been ruined by vandals. To locate the grave one must drive slowly or the grave could be missed.
The Yilgarn Shire Council have posted the cemetery track and Ken White was pleased with the efforts of Lew West and the Historical Society and happily paid the $150. It is opportune to add that members of the Historical Society and their families, who participated in the various searches for the grave, thoroughly enjoyed these excursions – despite scratches and sun-burn and learnt quite a lot about the once flourishing mining town of Mt Palmer discovered in 1934.
Mt Palmer’s Cemetery Reserve 21435
GPS – 31°24’26.5”S – 119°40’09.5E
At the junction of Murphy and Palmers streets stands a blackened signpost pointing south down Murphy Street. About 3 kilometres along and then a turn to the right and then follow this road for 1 kilometre to the end. To the left is a partly cleared area which is the tiny Mt Palmer Cemetery. The area is unfenced and there is only one headstone.
It was presumed at the time that John Ebenezer JONES was the only burial to occur on the Mt Palmer Cemetery. However, there were three other burials, that of twin boys of the Keeley’s and Jo White:
JONES John Ebenezer – d 14 Aug 1935, 70yrs, at Mt Palmer, Occ: Miner, Cause: Chronic Bronchitis & heart failure, Born: c 1865, South Australia, Married to: Annie May GROVES, Children: Annie, Gertrude, Ethel, Myrtle, Bertha and Charles, He first came to Kanowna in WA with another family from Egerton VIC before returning to Victoria. When he returned to WA he lived at Mt Palmer with his daughter and son in law and granddaughter Grace, He lived 35yrs in VIC and 25yrs in WA, Present at burial Rev G A Jenkins, J Donald, Maitland H White, his son in law, Reg 23/1935 Yilgarn, Methodist, Buried Mt Palmer Cemetery.
KEELEY unnamed male – first born of twins, 8 hrs, Father: Albert Edward KEELEY (Miner), Mother: Clara Agnes MITCHELL, no headstone, Reg 16/1942 Yilgarn, Buried Mt Palmer Cemetery.
KEELEY unnamed male – second born of twins, Stillborn, Father: Albert Edward KEELEY (Miner), Mother: Clara Agnes nee MITCHELL no headstone, Reg 19/1942 Yilgarn, Buried Mt Palmer Cemetery.
WHITE Jo – d 1937-1938, age unknown, buried alongside J E Jones, no headstone, Cause: Unknown, from Bunbury, he was holidaying with his relations, Maitland Henry WHITE and Annie nee JONES who had a shop at Mt Palmer, Reg not found, Buried Mt Palmer Cemetery.
Moya Sharp
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A wonderful piece of writing from Mike Duggan
So glad Mr Jones’ grave was found and 3 more found in the search.
Fantastic Story!
Thanks for the information. Ken was my grandfather and John my great grandfather