This is an overview of the Patoka Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Patoka, Gibson County, Indiana. There are several members of the Field, Knaub and Steelman families buried in this cemetery. Of special interest to us is Sarah Jane Knaub Field with her son Wilbur. Sara Jane (Sally) was the first wife of George E. Field. Sally died in childbirth and Wilbur died less than two years later. George then married Lavica Hinkle the they are the great grandparents of Eugene Field.

Sarah Jane/wife of/George E. Field/Born/Mar 22, 1853/Died/Oct 9, 1876/Aged/23yrs (the rest is illegible)

Sarah Jane was the daughter of Norman Keith Knaub and Caroline McCartney from Ohio. Sarah died in childbirth.

Wilbur W./son of/GEO. & S. J./Field/Died/July 1, 1878/ Aged 1yr 8ms 23ds

Wilbur was the son of George E. Field and his first wife Sarah Jane Knaub. Lavica Hinkle was his second wife.

Rachel A. Field/Dau of/N & C/Knaub/Died/Aug 18, 1872/Aged/22yrs 6mos 18ds

Rachel Amelia, another Knaub sister, was the first wife of Henry Clinton Field. He is buried in the Highland Lawn Cemetery in Terre Haute, Indiana, with his second wife, Minerva E. Peterson.

Eva May/Dau of/J. W. Steelman/Born/June 17 1876/Died/June 21 1878

Eva May was the daughter of John Wesley Steelman, Jr. and Caroline Adelia Knaub (sister of Sarah Jane Knaub Field)

Phebe A./Wife of/Reuben Sibert/and dau of/J.W. Steelman/born/Oct 25, 18 (47 difficult to read) /died/july 14, 1872

Phebe was the sister of Mary J. Steelman.

This section of the cemetery was formerly known as the Old Patoka Cemetery. These tombstones are located at the far west edge of the cemetery. Many have fallen and are broken. In 1998 heavy winds brought down tree limbs on this section of the cemetery. Some of the stones were still standing underneath the fallen limbs. Since then the limbs have been cleared and the cemetery is in very good condition.

The photographs on this page were generously provide by Mr. Randy Fuhrman of Princeton, Indiana. We are very indebted to him for providing us with these excellent photographs.

Keen Field and Anna Lewis moved into Gibson County, Indiana, sometime in 1799. (then Knox County) They had three children, Abraham, Elizabeth and Benjamin R. Seven more children were born in Gibson County, Cynthia, Joseph Riley, Stephen Lewis, Thomas Withers, Reuben R., Ezekiel and Keen Wither, Jr. The families of Keen and Anna were from Virginia. Detailed information about Keen and Anna can be found elsewhere on this website.

This cemetery was visited by Lucie and Gene Field in July of 1998.

A Double Wedding