St. Louis, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Ellen Taggart McMahon
1810-1856
Photographed by Jason Voigt, May 24, 2026
1. Ellen Taggart McMahon Marker
Ellen Taggart McMahon, buried in Rock Springs cemetery, was the 43-year-old widow of Arthur McMahon when she emigrated from Ballybreagh Townland of County Armagh, Ireland to St. Louis in the fall of 1853 with her children John, James, Sarah, Rose Ellen, Mary and Henry Arthur, and with a relative Margaret and her two children.
After crossing the Irish Sea to Liverpool, they journeyed in steerage on the Rufus K. Page, a three-masted sailing ship, to New Orleans after enduring a hurricane and a 57-day ocean journey. They survived a yellow fever epidemic in New Orleans before traveling on a paddleboat for 12 days up the Mississippi River, reaching St. Louis in November 1853.
This monument is erected in June 2026 in gratitude for Ellen's courage, her resilience, and her determination to provide a future with freedom and opportunity for her children and hundreds of descendants, some of whom are buried in this lot.
Erected 2026.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Immigration • Women.
Location. 38° 41.998′ N, 90° 13.916′ W. Marker is in St. Louis, Missouri. It can be reached from West Florissant Avenue. Marker is located at Calvary Cemetery. Touch for map
this page online
Regionally, this marker is 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, the Louisiana Purchase, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Dred Scott Monument (a few steps from this marker); Auguste Chouteau (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); William Clark Monument (approx. 0.2 miles away); Rev. Constantine P. Smith (approx. 0.2 miles away); Rev. Ambrose J. Heim (approx. 0.2 miles away); Father Thomas Ambrose Butler (approx. 0.2 miles away); Rev. James J. Toomey (approx. 0.2 miles away); Rev. John C. Granville (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Louis.
Other markers no longer nearby. Dred Scott (was a few steps from this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Harriet Scott (was a few steps from this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Additional commentary.
1. Error?
At the time I took a photo of the marker/stone, it was May 24, 2026 - just a week before June 2026. I am not sure if the date is a typo, like if they actually meant 2025 or another year. It also might just mean that June 2026 will be when this marker will be dedicated. - jv
Photographed by Jason Voigt, May 24, 2026
2. Ellen Taggart McMahon Marker
Rear side of the marker, which lists her family members (some buried at Calvary Cemetery)
2. About Rock Springs Cemetery
Rock Springs Cemetery (mentioned on the marker) was a Catholic cemetery that existed for a short time in the mid-19th century in St. Louis. From the cemetery's page on Find-a-Grave.com: "The Rock Springs Cemetery was located between Sarah Street, Duncan, Boyle and Clayton avenues in the city of St. Louis. The cemetery was established in 1849 by the Roman Catholic Church. It was the chosen spot for the Catholic dead, and many of the more prominent members of the church were to be buried there. However, the cemetery was mainly filled by victims of the cholera plagues of 1849, 1854 and 1866. After 1866, few bodies were interred there, and families began moving their loved ones to the newer Calvary cemetery in St. Louis County. In 1899, the Catholic Church officially abandoned the cemetery and the balance of the remains were moved to Calvary Cemetery and a vault beneath the now closed St. Bridget of Erin Catholic Church in St. Louis City. The land is now an urban industrial and commercial area. However, remains continue to be found and moved: As recent as 2014, remains were found when excavating during construction. When found, these remains are moved to Calvary Cemetery in an area that holds other unidentified remains
Photographed by Jason Voigt, May 24, 2026
3. Ellen Taggart McMahon Marker
Marker is on the grounds of Calvary Catholic Cemetery, close to the Dred Scott Monument
— Submitted May 24, 2026, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 24, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 24, 2026, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 11 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 24, 2026, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.
