Waterloo in Monroe County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Potter's Field

September 29, 2019

1. Potter's Field Marker

Inscription.

Potter's Field. . , A Potter's field is a term used for a place for the burial of unknown or indigent people. The expression potter's field derives from the Bible, referring to a field used for the extraction of potter's clay; such land, useless for agriculture, could be used as a burial site. Here lies "potter's field", where many men, women and children were buried in unmarked graves, dating back to 1897. To help preserve its history and for respect of those buried here, Michael Rebholz placed a wooden cross to honour the deceased and built a split rail fence around the perimeter of this cemetery., There are 66 people known to be buried here: , Sarah Allison . James Armstrong . Henry Baumer . Conrad Beierlein . Louis Birkel . Washington Boyle . Charles G. Brown .Henry Carlton . Jean de Ribes Champetier . Ollie Cheek . Charles E. Cole . Stephen Dell . Nicholas DeMuth . Ben Dennis . Robert Fogg . William Foster . Charles Friess .Robert Gireu . Ray E. Grider . James Hawley . Conrad Hemmelheber . Herman Hennis . Clara Herrell . Leo Hofstetter . Edward Holzherlein . Wm. "Patches" Jacobs . Joseph Jocs . John Kelly . William Klostermann . Ludwig Knapp . Henry Kueckelhahn . Louis Lange . Charles Mast . Patrick McCauley . William McFarren . Herman Oswald . Samuel Parker . Carl Wilhelm Rehling . Dorothea Ritzel . Fred Schatte . Charles Schmidt . William Schwab . Thomas Shea . Josef Simons . George Steinert . Otto Stosberg . John Waddle . William Wallace . Joseph Wilcox . Charles Winkel . 16 unknown , His project would not have been possible without the generous support given from the following organisations and individuals: , Monroe County Genealogical Society , Monroe County Historical Society , History Museum of Monroe County , City of Waterloo , Ralph Axe and Jeff Axe (Creators of the Cross) , Thank you for helping promote and preserve the rich history of our great city!, Special thanks to Pat Vaseka and Janet Flynn for researching and finding those buried here at Potter's Field.

A Potter's field is a term used for a place for the burial of unknown or indigent people. The expression potter's field derives from the Bible, referring to a field used for the extraction of potter's clay; such land, useless for agriculture, could be used as a burial site. Here lies "potter's field", where many men, women and children were buried in unmarked graves, dating back to 1897. To help preserve its history and for respect of those buried here, Michael Rebholz placed a wooden cross to honour the deceased and built a split rail fence around the perimeter of this cemetery.

There are 66 people known to be buried here:
Sarah Allison • James Armstrong • Henry Baumer • Conrad Beierlein • Louis Birkel • Washington Boyle • Charles G. Brown •Henry Carlton • Jean de Ribes Champetier • Ollie Cheek • Charles E. Cole • Stephen Dell • Nicholas DeMuth • Ben Dennis • Robert Fogg • William Foster • Charles Friess •Robert Gireu • Ray E. Grider • James Hawley • Conrad Hemmelheber • Herman Hennis • Clara Herrell • Leo Hofstetter • Edward Holzherlein • Wm. "Patches" Jacobs • Joseph Jocs • John Kelly • William Klostermann • Ludwig

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Knapp • Henry Kueckelhahn • Louis Lange • Charles Mast • Patrick McCauley • William McFarren • Herman Oswald • Samuel Parker • Carl Wilhelm Rehling • Dorothea Ritzel • Fred Schatte • Charles Schmidt • William Schwab • Thomas Shea • Josef Simons • George Steinert • Otto Stosberg • John Waddle • William Wallace • Joseph Wilcox • Charles Winkel • *16 unknown

His project would not have been possible without the generous support given from the following organisations and individuals:
Monroe County Genealogical Society
Monroe County Historical Society
History Museum of Monroe County
City of Waterloo
Ralph Axe & Jeff Axe (Creators of the Cross)
Thank you for helping promote & preserve the rich history of our great city!

Special thanks to Pat Vaseka and Janet Flynn for researching and finding those buried here at Potter's Field.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Religion & Religious Structures. A significant historical year for this entry is 2016.

Location. 38° 19.433′ N, 90° 8.916′ W. Marker is in Waterloo, Illinois, in Monroe County. It can be reached from S

Photographed by Thomas Smith, January 28, 2020

2. Potter's Field Marker

Market Street. Marker is behind Greystone Crematory. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Waterloo IL 62298, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater St. Louis.

It is also in the American Midwest,

in the Lewis & Clark Corridor,

in the Corn Belt,

and in the Great River Road Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: James McRoberts (within shouting distance of this marker); Revolutionary War Soldiers Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Dedicated to the Pioneers (within shouting distance of this marker); The Bellefontaine Bridge (about 800 feet away, measured in a direct line); Corn Stalk Cutter (approx. 0.2 miles away); Sears Roebuck Handiman Jr. Walk-Behind Tractor (approx. 0.2 miles away); Twin City Thresher (approx. 0.2 miles away); Case #5 Horse Drawn Sickle Mower (approx.

Photographed by Jason Voigt, August 2, 2025

3. Potter's Field Marker

0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Waterloo.

More about this marker. About 2 minutes south of the Bellefontaine House Waterloo, across the field and over the bridge, right next to bean fields.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 4, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 30, 2019. This page has been viewed 603 times since then and 33 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on September 30, 2019. 2. submitted on January 29, 2020, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. 3. submitted on August 4, 2025, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.