Lest They be Forgot

A friend of ours here in the Local History Room is Terry Wantz. He is a local historian and advocate for remembering those who have gone before us.
Terry has worked hard at making sure the graves of all veterans are remembered each year. This year he went even farther.
Sandy mentioned in a previous post how Terry had nudge the city into recognizing the more expansive limits of the Old Indian Cemetery, off Maple Grove Cemetery. About the same time he also started (dare I say it?) pestering them to do something about Pioneer Cemetery. This was the original city cemetery for Fremont and when Maple Grove was opened, many bodies were moved from here. Many remain though.This past Memorial Day, he got the city to mow Pioneer Cemetery. Then, out of his own pocket, Terry made small bunches of flowers and placed one on each gave in Pioneer cemetery.
And I have to tell you, each week since, the cemetery has been mown.
Way to go, Terry. We salute you.

Indian Cemetery

I have to give the city of Fremont a pat on the back. After meeting with Terry Wantz they are putting up new fences where the actual burial spots are. They seem to be interested in getting this done properly.

I still haven't found out where some stones went that were there. But with the fencing going up I will be happy for this one victory but I will still be quietly asking question looking for answers as to what has happened to them. I know there were more I have photos of them.

The Indian Cemetery

We have a cemetery in Fremont that Terry Wantz a friend has brought to my attention. It is adjacent to the west end of Maple Grove Cemetery the city cemetery. It is an interesting place that sometimes gets forgotten and the borders seem to be getting smaller.

The city is aware of it and does a nice job maintaining it and keeping it neat but as with many cemeteries the city is growing and pinching the boarders.

The following story comes from the files of A.L. Spooner which belong to the Fremont Area District Library.

When the land around Fremont was opened up to settlement, a number of Native Americans took up farms from the government along what is now called Stewart Street and Warner Ave. One of whom was Henry Pego and another named Wab-e-cake.

One spring Wab-be-cake's wife made maple sugar, which she took to the home of Wilkes Stuart in exchange for two dozen eggs. She carried them home, boiled them and ate the whole two dozen eggs. Within three hours she had passed on in a great deal of agony.

At that time there were no cemetery for the Native Americans in Fremont and many towns people were still suspicious of them. They after all dressed different, their customs were different and they just did not understand their ways. They certainly were not going to allow them to be buried in the white cemetery. Henry Pego set aside a piece of land to be used for Native American burials and Wab-be-cakes wife was The first person to be buried there. Later other Native Peoples were interred there and the plot became filled.

When Henry Pego sold his farm he reserved the cemetery in the deed but later owners failed to do so. With no care the plot became overgrown and a eye sore. In 1932 the City of Fremont decided to clear the place but the owner at that time objected saying it was part of his farm.

Gladys Brown grand daughter of Eitene Lamarandier (Aiken) made Harry L. Spooner aware of this problem, and they with other citizens obtained quick claim deeds to the city from the heir of Henry Pego and Fremont became the owner.

As stated the plot is filled, there are Thirty seven known burials as well as many unknown. Terry Wantz has studied this to great lengths and believes there are over 600 burials. Most people are unaware of how far out the burials go and how many are partially under the drive. As time goes on and the city expands how many more burial grounds will be forgotten and encroached upon?

Known burials in the Indian Cemetery
Fremont, Michigan
by Terry E. Wantz

1. Wife of Wab-e-cake, first burial in cemetery
2. Elizabeth Lawrence, daughter of L. M. Lawrence (1887)
3. Josephine Lawrence, daughter of L. M. Lawrence (1889)
4. Mary Lawrence, wife of James Lawrence, daughter of David Kaudauquotte (1890)
5. James Lawrence
6. David Kaudauquotte
7. Andrew Kaudauquotte, son of David (1890)
8. Martha Kaudauquotte, daughter of David (1876)
9. Marion Kaudauquotte, daughter of David (1876)
10. John Kaudauquotte, son of David (1877)
11. Elizabeth Pego, wife of Henry Pego (1880)
12. Ran Pego, father of Henry Pego (1879)
13. Augustus Pego, son of Henry Pego
14. Dominck Pego, son of Henry Pego (1878)
15. Charles Carey
16. Julia Carey, daughter of Charles Carey (1878)
17. William Carey, son of Charles Carey (1881)
18. Andrew Carey, son of Charles Carey (1884)
19. Paul Carey, son of Charles Carey
20. Blind Squaw Aiken
21. Alex Aiken, brother to Tom Aiken
22. Fred Aiken, brother to Tom Aiken
23. Rose Aiken, sister to Tom Aiken
24. Mitchell Aiken
25. Louise Aiken
26. Shunne Aiken
27. Nora Aiken
28. Mrs. Steve Aiken
29. Mitchell Badeau
30. Benedict Jackson, son of Moses and Aileen Jackson (1890)
31. Andrew Jackson
32. Senone Jackson
33. ? Jackson, sister to Senone
34. William Stone
35. Mrs. William Stone
36. Cora Puckanabano
37. ? Schimmerhorn

Cemeteries of the future

After reading a article yesterday I found on line I began to wonder what will the future cemetery look like? We are running out of land, more and more people are being cremated and not even having stones. How will the genealogist of tomorrow be able to have the opportunity to search through cemeteries like we enjoy today, looking for that elusive ancestor.

One of the web sites we looked at had this cold impersonal tall sky scrapper style building that was a mausoleum.

One of my favorite ways to spend a nice summer day is to wonder through a cemetery wondering about the people buried there who were they? What was their life like?

I know it has become a problem especially in bigger cities but my mind and heart does not always agree. I still visit my Great Great Great Grandparents graves and put flowers on them out of respect.

I guess only time will tell. First they say no homemade headstones, then there is no place to put people when they pass on. My husband does not understand why this saddens me it makes sense to him he wants to cremated. The poor man he just looks at me shakes his head when he is the one that doesn't understand. It is another tradition that we are loosing. But at least he still goes with me and tries to understand I have to give him credit for that.

cemetery rules

I had a sexton from a local cemetery tell me they no longer will be allowing homemade markers placed on grave sites per the township board. I am very disappointed by this since some of the homemade markers are Linda's and my favorites.

They are concerned that they will not weather and wear well over time. Some of them I agree but go by individual bases and have them approved prior to placing it something!

What worried me is that he said other area cemeteries are also talking about doing this. Some stones I have seen are down right tacky, some show a bit of the personality, some help the builder heal by doing a last thing for the deceased. There are so many reasons right down to the high cost of markers. I want a homemade stone just to be different and show a little of who I am. A huge rock (not manufactured) with a plaque would be good.

I hope they reconsider, bend a little. Lighten up! I am attending the next township meeting so please wish me luck. Please let me know if any of you have come across this problem with small rural cemeteries or any for that matter. I want to have my facts straight and all my ducks in a row. My husband says he will go to bail me out. I am not sure why he would think I would need that. I just feel passionate that people should have the right to express themselves even in death.

Memorial Day

I feel I need to add a note as to my surprise at how many people I have talked to that do not know why we celebrate Memorial Day, why we changed the date or that we even did. I asked people from 83 years to 7. Most of the "young people" said it was a day off school and that school was almost over for the summer. I had a few people tell me it was a holiday to honor our military veterans. Heaven forbid when I mentioned it use to be called "Decoration Day".

Yes I know not everyone is interested in history and genealogy as we are but...We have this holiday every year! If a person is going to celebrate it they should at lest know what and why it is.

It started to honor the Union veterans of the Civil War on 30 May 1867. It originally was called Decoration Day as this was a day the family would visit the cemetery decorate the grave and often have a family picnic. The date was changed by the government for a 3 day weekend.

OK I am done with my rant but I was surprised maybe it is because we have had so many military people in our family. Maybe it is because Grandma took decorating the graves so seriously. But I also know that I would like to thank each and every veteran of all the wars that fought to give us the rights we have and for all they went through to give us the freedom we take for granted every day. I still stand up for the first flag in a parade place my hand on my heart and Thank God and our Veterans each and every one of them.

Try voicing what you think in a few other countries on your blog and see what happens...

Memorial Day

It seems on Memorial Day people seem to visit cemeteries they never go to or give a second thought to any other time.
I talked to a person this past week who said she only visits the cemetery once a year on Memorial Day and was complaining because her family members grave site had weeds growing around the stone and all the others around it were so neat. I asked her if she was from out of town thinking I could adopt the site when I did my families. She promptly spoke up and said "oh I just live down the road". I then kindly (I hope) told her that the sexton mows and cares for the cemeteries but often the families are the ones who cares for the stones and the weeds that grow next to them.
I wonder if she even gives it another thought until next year?