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Maple Grove
Cemetery
On the 25th
day of December, 1854, the following named persons filed
papers for the incorporation of a company to be called
"The Maple Grove Cemetery Association," to-wit: D. J.
Cory, William Taylor, Hugh Newell, Jesse Wheeler, A. H.
Bigelow, Benj. Huber, J. B. Hull, Parlee Carlin, G. H.
Crook, Henry Porch, Dr. W. H. Baldwin, H. P. Gage, John
Ewing, F. Henderson, M. C. Whitely, Dr. D. Goucher, G.
W. Galloway and J. H. Wilson. The first
election for officers was held at the office of M. C.
Whiteley, on the 22d of June, 1855, at which time
John Ewing, H. P. Gage and Parlee Carlin were
elected Trustees, and William Taylor, Clerk.
About twenty acres of land on the west bank of the
river just outside the west corporation line, was bought
of George Biggs, and laid out into lots. A
main avenue extends through the center of the grounds
from east to west, and on either side of his avenue,
there were two hundred and fifty-two lots laid out,
making in all, five hundred and four lots, through which
passed two other avenues, one on either side of the main
one, and parallel with it. The lots are laid out
in rows, and are eight feet wide and twenty-four feet
long. August 3d, 1860, after many of these lots
had been sold, the association proposed to the town and
township, that if they would avail themselves of the
provisions of a act of the Legislature, providing for
the joint ownership, by Incorporated Villages and
Townships, of cemeteries, and assume the amount still
due upon the purchase of the lands, they would transfer
the grounds to them. This was accordingly done,
and Dixon Stansberry, William Mungen and
William Church, as Trustees, deeded the lands to the
town of Findley and Findley Township, and the name of
"Maple Grove Cemetery" was adopted.
In 1872 the authorities purchased of Jasper Lytle,
for $2,200, a tract of 22 acres adjoining their grounds
on the south. In 1865 a further addition of two
hundred and eighty-six lots, was laid out in the rear of
the first platting of lots.
In 1878, under the direction of L. A. Baldwin, C. B.
Hall and Henry Brown, Cemetery Trustees, a
very fine and imposing Mortuary Chapel was built, at a
cost of two thousand dollars. This chapel is used
for the reception and retention of bodies before burial,
at the request of the friends of the deceased. The
trustees deserve much credit for the erection of so
tasteful a building, in this city of the dead.
The entire occupied part of the grounds, in profusely
planted with evergreen and shade trees, whose beautiful
foliage, and inviting shade, dispel much of the gloom
naturally surrounding such a place. A wide shady
driveway extends the length of the grounds on both
sides. There are many very beautiful and costly
monuments, marking the residing place of friends.
The families of Jesse Wolf, W. C. Cox, Wm.
Taylor and F. Henderson have very pretty
vaults erected for the reception of their dead.
The grounds are situated on the high banks of the
Blanchard, and are thoroughly underdrained. A
public highway passes along the river bank, in front of
and between the cemetery grounds and the river. A
beautiful iron fence is built along the entire front.
The whole is in charge of three trustees, elected by the
village, but who are under the control and direction of
the council of the village. The village council
and the trustees of the town meet in joint session in
May of each year, and determine on the amount of money
to be raised, and the rate of taxation.
Maple Grove Cemetery is fast becoming one of the most
beautiful burial places in the country. The
present Board of Trustees is L. A. Baldwin, J. R. Clark
and J. L. Kenower. |
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