The cemetery is on a slight rise in a wooded area a short distance to the southwest of Jefferson Presbyterian Church. From Madison, take Hwy 421 to S. R. 62 towards Canaan. Turn left on Flat Bottom Road. Left on Thornton Road and a Short right on Jefferson Road. There are signs to Jefferson Church.
 

"In memory of Henry Conaway, who died September 28th 1838; aged 38 years and 12 days. Also his son and daughter Hugh and Cynthia Ann."	"John Weatherford, died March 12, 1857; aged ?3 years, 3 months, 25 days"
"Sarah, wife of John Weatherford, born Feb 21, 1809, died May 26, 1891"	Headstone of Samuel Riker, who died June 24th 1843. This marker has a tree grown around it. My daughter, Miranda, stands next to it.

The Riker Cemetery is on land that was once owned by Samuel Riker, Sr., who died in 1835.

Mr. Riker also donated the land to build the original Jefferson Presbyterian Church, near this cemetery.

The map above shows the location of the Riker Cemetery. It has been variously referred to as "The Riker Cemetery", "The Riker Family Cemetery", "The Riker Private Cemetery", and "The Old Cemetery". The reference numbers above are: 1. Jefferson Presbyterian Church, 2. Riker Cemetery, 8. Section Number and 9 Section Number.

This location should not be confused with Riker's Ridge,which was started by another Riker.

I am sad to report on the present condition of Riker Cemetery:

"There are little 'cow patties' and hoofprints among the headstones, and several large trees have fallen over. I am sitting here with pictures of four headstones that have dates on them in the 1830's. (See photos above.) I also have video of the entire cemetery and the mess the cattle and weather have made of it.

This year when we visited we found four more stones (E-Mail me for pictures of stones not pictured above) and new evidence of the presence of cattle. The woven fence appears to have been cut and a "HOT" electric fence has been run down the middle of the cemetery.

" On a recent visit to this cemetery, I found myself sitting in the kitchen of two of the members of the Jefferson Presbyterian Cemetery Board. After they saw the video we took in the early afternoon (on July 10, 1999) they said they had no idea how bad it was because they had not been to the cemetery in years. (They are 76 & 96 years old). They said they would try to get the Jefferson County Trustees to help clean it up. If the county won't help, we will have to organize a work day to clean the trees out and put up a new fence ."

The following is an abstract of the remaining stones, observed by me during a visit in the summer of 1998:

BENEFIEL     ___y Benefiel (could be
             Amy Benefiel nee: Riker
             or Amy Benefiel who did
             not marry. Further
             research is necessary)     b. ????         d. 07-24-1845

CONAWAY      Henry (aged 38 years, 12
             days                        b. ????        d. 09-28-1838

CONAWAY      Hugh (son of Henry)         b. ????        d. ????

CONAWAY      Cynthia Ann (daughter of
             Henry)                      b. ????        d. ????

RIKER *      Barbara nee Fullenwider
             (wife of Samuel Riker,
             Sr.)                        b. ????        d. 06-16-1829

RIKER *      Samuel, Sr. (father of
             Samuel below, husband of
             Barbara Fullenwide and
             son of Gerardus Riker,
             who fought in the Revolu-
             tionary war; brother to
             John Riker of Riker's
             Ridge in Jefferson Co.)     b. ????        d. 1835

RIKER        Samuel (a tree has grown
             around Samuel's stone;
             see photo below)            b. ????        d. 06-24-1843

WEATHERFORD  John, husband of Sarah
             (age __3 years, 3 mos.,
             25 days)                    b. ????        d. 03-12-1857

WEATHERFORD  P. A. (Co. H., 10th
             Indiana Cavalry; Civil
             War marker of white
             marble)                     b. ????        d. ????

WEATHERFORD  Sarah, wife of John         b. 02-21-1809  d. 05-26-1891

___________  Blank stone in good
             condition (footstone?)

 Newly found stones.

                    Patsey BEEBE               b. ????   d. ????

                    PA_M_MOP  of Jacob RYKER   b. ????   d. ????

                    __R___                     b. ????   d. ????

                    Base of a Headstone        b. ????   d. ????