GPS Location
N39º 33.983' x WO91º 30.134'
Grave Faces West – Acc. 27'

The Vardeman Family Cemetery is located in Ralls County, Missouri. Most online directions are vague, e.g. "Township 55S, Range 5 East, Section 7." However, it is better described as being located approximately 6 1/2 miles west of New London on the Vardeman property.

NOTE: The Vardeman burial plot is on private property. It is owned Mrs. Becky Leake. You will want to get permission from her to go to the grave.

Directions: From New London, head six miles toward Center on Hwy. 19. Turn right on Homestead Rd. Go ½ mile and you will see, straight ahead, the Leake home. After permission, head another 2 ½ miles out this road (it will zig-zag along the way) and then turn left on a private gated road. It usually stays locked. Go through the gate, then 6/10ths of a mile to a barn, and park.
Where the old barn sits is the old homeplace of Jeremiah Vardeman. The house stood until the 1970s. Now the barn is there. The stone house to the right was used as a cooking area, but in the early days of Ralls County, the upstairs part was used as the earliest jail in the county, according to the land owner, Becky Leake. The cemetery is through two fence-rows in the field to the right and of the stone building. Cross through the entrance (barb-wire fence) into the pasture. (There were cattle, and a pretty big bull in the field when we visited. Don't bother them, and they probably will not bother you.) Heading into the field, you will see down to your left is a pond. Travel down toward the pond and travel around to the right of it. Continue heading toward the NW corner of the pasture. Behind the corner and to the left is the Vardeman Cemetery. (Another fence to cross! Sorry!!) When we were there in June, 2009, we had to shoo cattle out of the graveyard in order to get to it. We instantly felt Donaldson's sentiments as mentioned in the article above.