Cemetery Archives - Page 8 of 8

The Sculptures In The Cemetery

Posted on April 16, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery .

I visit a lot of cemeteries while out doing research looking for forgotten places. Many times all that remains of an old lumbering town is the cemetery. When I drove through the Tyrone Memorial Gardens near Fenton I was struck by the beauty of the sculptures placed around the tombstones. Most cemeteries have the standard statues and are similar since they probably purchased them from a monument supplier. I was mesmerized by the beauty and color of the statues that adorn the grounds.

I found out that they are no ordinary statues because they were created by artist and sculptor Robert St. Croix, He was raised in Michigan and graduated from Plymouth High School and Wayne State University. His mother is laid to rest in the cemetery and he was commissioned to create nine sculptures. The most notable is the sculpture of an angel holding up a golden urn towards the sky. It was created in the likeness of the artist’s mother.

Tyrone Memorial Gardens is also home to the Tyrone Sunken Gardens which you can read about in my post HERE

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The Strange Story of Wellington Burt’s Fortune

Posted on November 18, 2018 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery, people .

In the back of Saginaw’s Forest Lawn Cemetary is a massive stone mausoleum where lumber baron and railroad tycoon Wellington R. Burt is entombed. At the time of his death in 1919, he was the 8th wealthiest person in America and the second richest person in Michigan with Henry Ford holding that title. He is the only one who knew why he had one of America’s strangest last wills. It had a “spite clause” where he stated his money was to be given out 21 years after the death of his last surviving grandchild who was alive at the time of his death. No one knows why he had such a strange request in his will. He left money for some of his servants who had worked for him at his Mansion in downtown Saginaw. He must have really hated his family. Burt’s last grandchild, Marion Lansill died in November of 1989. 21 years later his trust, valued approximately 100 million dollars, was split between 12 descendants in 2010.

There is a lot more to this story and you can read about it, along with several other interesting stories from around the Mitten State, in my book available on Amazon by clicking HERE

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Secret At The Cliff Cemetery

Posted on October 18, 2018 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery, upper peninsula .

North of the little town of Mohawk in the Keweenaw on US-41 is a sign for the Cliff Cemetery. Driving past the sign you don’t see a cemetery, but it is there hidden in the woods. After hiking about 50 yards into the forest you see tombstones among the trees. The ground is covered by green leafy plants which I think is wintergreen. Paths through the thick growth wind through the old cemetery to the various graves sites.

In the back of the cemetery is an old stone foundation left over from the chapel that once stood in the old cemetery. The cemetery is from the town of Cliff which sprang up when copper was mined from the nearby cliff. After the mine closed the town’s population dwindled away to nothing but the deceased citizens. I am not sure if it’s accurate, but I was told the church that stood in the cemetery was moved to the town of Pheonix and is the church HERE. How the wintergreen took over the old cemetery remains a secret that it’s residents are not willing to tell.

P.S. The Cemetery off US-41 is the Catholic cemetery. There is another cemetery on Cliff Drive. I was not able to explore that one since water covered the entrance and it was too deep for my jeep to cross it.

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Michigan’s Lost Colony of Ora Labora

Posted on October 11, 2018 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery, Forgotten Places, Ghost towns .

This old cemetery is the final resting place for some of the people of the Ora Labora colony. It is located northeast of Bayport at the end of Sand Road is known as the Old Bayport Cemetery, It sits on a hill with large trees standing between the tombstones and monuments. I imagine when the cemetery was created over 150 years ago the trees were just little saplings.

The colony was formed in 1862 when Rev, Emil Baur purchased 740 acres on Wild Fowl Bay. For $25 members could join the colony named Ora Labora after the Latin phrase “ora et labora” which means pray and work. The colony started out with about 140 members and grew to about 280. Although the members were honest hard working people most were unskilled at farming, lumbering and construction. For instance, after purchasing cows and cattle they roamed away since they did not know they needed fences. After building a 300-foot long dock into Saginaw Bay one summer the ice in the winter destroyed the dock.

Some of the members became ill and a little girl was the first one to die in 1862 which incidentally was when the cemetery was established. During the Civil War, many of the male members joined the Michigan Militia to fight in the war. After the war, most of them did not return to the colony. After incurring massive debt for supplies they purchased and they were down to about 12 members left the colony disbanded in 1867 and the remaining property was divided up amongst remaining people.

The great fire of 1871 obliterated what was left of the colony and all the remains are the stone markers on the hill and the end of Sand Road.

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The Note In The Cemetery

Posted on August 2, 2018 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery .

While I was on the west side of the state I made a trip to the supposedly haunted Mouth Cemetary near Montague. I can’t say it was haunted but I can say it was a beautiful old historic cemetery hidden in the woods. The earliest marked grave dates back to 1851 and the lighthouse keeper William Robinson is laid to rest here. He was the keeper at the nearby White River Lighthouse and his spirit supposedly haunts the lighthouse. you can read about that HERE. In the center of the cemetery stands a rustic wooden cross and at the base of it, I saw a note someone had written.

in case you can’t see the photo clearly it read:

7-9-18 Today is our first visit to this beautiful cemetery! We came across this amazing cross on the tree stump and couldn’t help to wonder did something happen here? So we wanted to leave something special. I was saving it for my brother who passed in 2003 in GR MI so I left it here under this note. Love Sheri and Joshua 2018

I did not look to see what they left I figure their brother knows and that’s all the matters

P.S. I figured I would be the only one at the cemetery but I met a really nice couple while I was there, I guess I am not the only one that goes to the old cemeteries. I would say there were ghosts but I don’t think ghosts can drive an SUV.

P.P.S If Sheri or Joshua is reading this, now you know that someone noticed the note you left.

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Some Gave All

Posted on May 27, 2018 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery .

There are times when words elude me and it’s difficult to express my thanks and appreciation for the people who so valiantly served in protecting our freedom. I guess in this instance I will let my photo speak for itself.

The Great Lakes National Cemetery is a few miles north of Holly and borders Fagan Lake on a portion of land granted from the Federal Government to Terrance Fagan in 1836. In the 20th century, the property was purchased by Bryson Dexter Horton, a Spanish-American War veteran-turned-industrialist who invented the “Square D” switch which dramatically improved electrical safety. Mr. Horton constructed a small house on the property in 1927, and reportedly entertained prominent people such as Henry and Edsel Ford, who both hunted and fished on the property. In 2005, the Great Lakes National Cemetery was established and the first burial took place on October 17 of that year. it’s a few minutes off I75, and if you are near it, I recommend stopping for a visit, it’s an awe-inspiring site to see.

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Some Interesting Facts about The Owosso Casket Company

Posted on January 8, 2017 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery, Historic Places .

I was told this old building was part of the Owosso Casket Company, and while I was lost in Owosso, I took a pic of it figuring it was something important without knowing anything about the company history. As I normally do, I did a little research on google, and found out that at one time the Owosso Casket Co. was the largest casket manufacturer in the United States. The company supplied the coffins for two president’s funerals, William McKinley after he was assassinated in Sept. 1901, and former President Benjamin Harrison, who died March 13. 1901. The Company was started in 1882 and closed in the 1940’s and was producing up to 150 caskets per day during its peak.

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In Search Of The Witchy Wolf

Posted on October 29, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery, Haunted Places .

A friend of mine told me a story of an old native american legend about a half dog half wolf ( I always thought a dog was a wolf, but I digress) that roams the Omer Plains along the Rifle River, protecting the spirits of the native american warriors that have died and are buried in the Omer Plains. Maybe I am a little naive but I think many legends and stories start with a little bit of truth to them, and so I figured I would do a little research, Of course I went to where everyone goes looking for information, no not the library, or the encyclopedia, but Google.

Searching for the old native american cemetery, I found the Plains Cemetery on google maps on Jose Road near Grove Road. On my recent trip up north, why not stop by and see what’t there. Heading north out of Standish I found Jose road, and traveled towards Omer, the biggest little city in Michigan, I stopped where Google said there was a cemetery. Maybe there was one there, but I did not see anything that looked like one, nor did I see the Witchy Wolf. A deer ran across the road which scared the bejesus out of me, good thing I was wearing my brown pants. I was there during the daytime. so maybe the Witchy Wolf only comes out at night.

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The Ultimate Sacrifice for Freedom

Posted on May 30, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery .

As a young boy, I always remembered my grandmother show me a photo of her 5 brothers. I could always recognize 4 of my dad’s uncles, but the 5th uncle was Louis. My grandma would point to him in the photo, and always say ” that’s my brother Louis who died in the war when the bomber mission he was on crashed” She was always proud of her brother, and I often wonder what he would have done if he had survived the war. My uncles have gone on to have wonderful families and do many great things, but Louis never made it back home from the war. As I travel around Michigan I see many memorials to men and women that have made the ultimate sacrifice so I could pursue my happiness. My deepest sympathies to the families that have lost a loved one and Thank You to the brave Men and Women who have served, and continue to serve in the military defending our Country.

P. S. If you want to read about my Uncle Louis, and why my grandmother was so proud of him, you can read a post I did HERE

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