The Smith Chapel Cemetery in Foristell, Missouri is listed on the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. It is one of over 800 sites across this country that document stories like theirs. The program is a catalyst for innovation, partnerships, and scholarship connecting the legacy of the Underground Railroad across boundaries and generations. The program consists of sites, programs, and facilities with a verifiable connection to the Underground Railroad. There are currently Network to Freedom locations in 40 states, plus Washington D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada.
Established in 1871, Smith Chapel Cemetery is an African American burying ground established by nine formerly enslaved individuals in St. Charles County Missouri. At least three men were freedom seekers, and members of the Smith Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church associated with this graveyard. The cemetery is final resting place for Smith Ball (1833-1912), Benjamin Oglesby (1825-1901), and Martin Boyd (1826-1912) who each took steps toward freedom and joined the United States Colored Troops, despite the risks involved for themselves and their families. Living in a border state, these families were caught between the conflict of both Union Troops and Confederate guerilla soldiers. Under Martial law, many Missourians strongly opposed the formation of Colored Troops, only allowing those enslaved to serve as substitutes in their place and to fill County quotas. These freedom seekers, like many others, escaped slavery by the underground railroad, enlisting without permission. Slave Patrols, who kept constant watch of the roads for those attempting freedom, would either return those seeking their freedom to their former enslaver or enforce methods of punishment, which could include death. After the war, these men returned to their families to join others in creating this community.
For 2025, the Smith Chapel Cemetery was awarded a grant by the Network to Freedom to hire a professional cemetery preservationist, Jerry Prouhet, to restore the headstones in the cemetery. It also gave funds for four informational signs to be placed in the cemetery, one at the front that identifies the property, one at the site of the Douglass Schoolhouse (now recreated in Oglesby Park) and one at the Cemetery that will list all of the names of the people buried in the cemetery. The grant also includes for the students at the St. Charles Community College, taking American History 101 Service Learning to actively get involved with the research for the signs, restoring the cemetery, recording Oral Histories, working with their Professor Grace Wade Moser and historian Dorris Keeven-Franke.
In February of 2025, Audrey Pinson and other students from the University of Missouri Columbia – School of Journalism, contacted those working on this project and began work on a documentary about the Smith Chapel Cemetery. The public is invited to the Premiere showing of this documentary on August 23, 2025 at 6:00pm where the film makers, members of the project, descendants of those buried at the cemetery, and students will be available to talk about this wonderful project. Everyone is invited, open to the public, please bring a lawnchair!
ST. CHARLES COUNTY HISTORY 
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