The Bovee family once owned the land on which this cemetery is located. The Bovee family came to Wayne County, Illinois from Chautauqua County, New York in 1820 and settled on Big Mound Prairie. John Bovee, the father, was a miller by occupation. About 1831 the Methodist society on Big Mound Prairie began meeting at Bovee's house [SE1/4 of NE1/4 in Sec 9]. The meetings were later moved to the Bovee Schoolhouse [SW1/4 of NW1/4 in Sec 32, Lamard Twp.] and became the headquarters for Methodism for many miles around. The cemetery was near the schoolhouse. Members of the Bovee family later moved to Nebraska.

Terry Harper provided the information above and has a file of information on the Bovee family of Wayne County, Illinois if anyone is interested.

 Thank you Terry!
Terry Harper

Bovee and Victory are across the road from each other.  Bovee is the older of the two cemeteries.  Many obits mixed these two cemeteries so you may see obituaries stating Bovee when a person was actually buried in Victory.
 
 

Bovee Cemetery named for John Bovee whose 2nd wife was Jane Catherine (Gaston) Murray.  Burials include her parents: James Gaston b 14 July 1761 Lancaster Co., PA) d 24 7 March 1840 (Wayne Co., IL) Served in Rev. War from Lancaster Co., South Carolina. Captured by the British and the Battle of Hanging Rock; paroled; reentered service.  Catherine (Creighton) Gaston b 1745 (Northern Ireland ) d 5 Jan 1848 (Wayne Co., IL) Has DAR marker.  Submitted by Shelba Davis