Maple Grove Cemetery: Sand Hill Cemetery

I found Sand Hill Cemetery purely by accident one day on the way to my sister's house. See? Being impatient can pay off! I turned off the highway onto a dirt road to avoid the traffic buildup thru Almont (Michigan) and since I was using my Waze app - it took me down a road I'd never been on before - and there it was!

Anyhoooo - There are 518 memorials listed on FindAGrave and I love that someone took the time to color the stones with chalk so you can read them better in the photos. And luckily, they went thru in 2005, since a lot of the stones are either moss-covered, settled or are gone completely now.

It was called Almont Township Cemetery at one time.

One thing that stood out to me was the sheer number of unusual names. Normally I'll see one or two names that you just don't see anymore - but here? Tons. I'll point them out as we go.

And if you happen to see a few pics that the grass is actually green? The first time I visited, it was early April. The second time, when I got a couple more shots, was late April.

Harriet, wife of J.S. Vannater 1826-1945

Hannah, wife of Ira Wilber 1805-1838

Orra 1774-1848 & Vanranslear 1811-1837 Beach

This is a father & son stone.

I do believe Vanranslear's is the oldest burial here - 1837.

And it's still an active cemetery, since I saw a stone with 2017 on it.

Bethiah, wife of Jehial Bassett 1805-1864

Nicholas May 1840-1869

(link shows the obelisk still upright)

died from an accidental discharge of a gun.

he was married to a Sarah DeWitt, hence his name being on their stone.

Sophia DeWitt 1813-1836

Calvin DeWitt 1835-1844

How sad that her son was only about a year old when she passed and was only 9 when he himself died.

Polly, wife of James DeWitt 1800-1858

(never saw where he was buried - this base was blank on 2 sides)

George Washington Allen 1813-1893

Julia A Beach, his wife 1816-1899

Allen Blanchard, son of below 1833-1843

Henry Blanchard 1805 - 1847

Electy Fox 1820-1876

Probably #1 on the most unusual name list!

Harley Fox 1859-1863

age 4 years 10 months

another surprisingly modern name!

The husband / dad was also named Harley, 1818-1900, but I didn't see a stone for him here.

Celestie Marshall 1835-1860

The Terry plot

Aaron 1854-1910 & Sarah 1863-1941 Balch

Miles 1815-1876 & Prudence 1821-1899 Beach

Mary, wife of Caleb Gilbert 1785-1846

Infant son Matteson 1851

age 24 days

Ruth, wife of Nathaniel Smith 1789-1852

Edwin Smith 1834-1901

Private, Civil War Veteran

5th Michigan Infantry, Co F

There were a lot of Smith stones around this larger one.

Emogene must not have been buried here?

Minnie 1866-1926 & August 1865-1940 Schoenberg

John Townsend 1793-1874

Ann, wife of John Townsend 1802-1891

Arthur Townsend, likely the son of John & Ann 1846-1881 & Amanda, his wife 1845-1933

Caroline, daughter of John & Ann 1839-1858

Homer Parker 1813-1893

Abigail, wife of Homer 1827-1885

William, son of Homer & Abigail 1853-1870

I love that this verse is still legible.

Can we our buried friends forget,

Or can the grave eternal sever?

They linger in our memories yet,

but in our hearts they live forever.

Urial T Miller 1849-1852

Martha, wife of Henry Arnold 1844-1877

Walton 1871-1929 & Amasa King 1822-1872

on the back side are Earl 1875-1881 & Elsie 1818-1853 King

the link shows it with the top of the stone still intact.

Adaline, wife of W.H. King 1815-1849

Sarah Ann, also the wife of W.H. King 1822-1903

Velorus, son of W.H & A King 1837-1939

This one is pretty interesting (thanks, FindAGrave!)

Nickles (Nicholas) 1797-1877

Amy 1809-1851 is his second wife (#1 & #3 are not in this cemetery)

Mary 1811-1851 was Amy's sister and married to Nicholas' brother and died on the same day as Amy.

Amy's & Mary's maiden name was Gilbert - lots a family nearby.

Louiva 1840-1852

Saletty 1842-1847

children of S & E. Ferguson

Balch Memorial

Charley, son of Simeon & Margaret 1864-1872

Temperance, 3rd wife of Simeon 1845-1928

Margaret 1834-1888

Simeon 1813-1899

Hattie, daughter of Simeon & Margaret 1851-1883

Christeena, 1st wife of Simeon 1816-1855

Evert 1799-1897 & Eliza 1808-1886 Lawrence

Can you believe he was 98 years old???

John 1760-1852 & Anna 1775-1863 VanWagoner

William Lawrence 1835-1883

Chancey 1839-1841 & Sarah 1832-1841

children of E.W & E Lawrnce (note the mispelling of the last name)

The kids passed within a month of each other.

Benjamin Myers 1829-1861

William 1805-1882 & Serepta 1804-1887 Myers

I wonder how her parents came up with that?

Desiah Northway 1794-1849

Randolph 1821-1898 & Nancy 1821-1885 Bancroft

he was a dentist in Romeo, MI

(right side)

George 1830-1894 & Geraldine 1833-1909 Bates

(left side)

Ida Swain (supposedly a daughter of George & Geraldine) 1856-1887

speaking of weird names, her mother-in-law was Sirloma!

Mable 1877-1894

Odd that there's an Ada listed as a sibling on Mabel's memorial, but looks to be a different person. Ida isn't cross-referenced on any of the other offspring's memorials.

(right side)

Mary 1860-1864 & Heman 1854-1856

(left side)

Claudie 1875-1875 & Delbert 1871-1909

all children of George & Geraldine Bates

Phebe Bates 1822-1844

This is likely Lucretia Bates 1801-1872

wife of Clark Bates

Daniel Burton, Private 1842-1862

10th Michigan Infantry, Co C

US Civil War

Sylvester Spaulding 1816-1874

The Spauldings seem a bit weird.

Elizabeth 1819-1895

wife of Sylvester

Our Mother Spaulding

aged 80 years.

Who is Libbie??? Is that Elizabeth's nickname? Or Mother's?

Judson

adopted son

Died in the USA

June 22, 1865

Aged

17 years

I'm thinking that's US Army since the Civil War had just ended.

Our daughter Atta

Died Aug 8, 1851

Also Little

Lizzie

Nov 8, 1854

On Lizzie's link, it shows that she has her own individual stone, but only named "infant".

Jabez Loomis 1824-1867

Harriet Loomis 1819-1895

I didn't notice at the time that the Loomis's had a plot, but it seems they had extraordinarily bad luck when it came to their children.

Melicent 1844 - 1852 (age 8)

Charles 1848 - 1852 (age 4)

Staunton 1852 - 1852 (age 10 days)

John 1852 - 1852 (age less than 1 year)

Franklin 1852 - 1954 (age 1)

Emma 1855 - 1855 (age 8 months)

Elvin 1857 - 1858 (age 11 months)

LeRoy 1893-1959 & Elizabeth 1909-1975 Bechtol

I wonder why their stone faces that way?

Even 44 years ago when Elizabeth was buried - that tree had to have been huge!

The Wilber Plot

Nancy Wilber 1801-1864

if the stone wasn't laying out on the ground, you could see that it says grandmother across the top.

Jerry Wilber (name is worn off the top) 1858-1859

Linus Curtiss 1860-1937

Rena Wilber, wife of Linus Curtiss 1867-1930

Levi Wilber 1830-1906

says father across the top

Sarah Wilber 1833-1909

says mother across the top

Cora Wilber (name is across the top) 1856-1895

daughter of Levi & Sarah

Merritt 1855-1868 & Emma 1851-1853 Payne

children of William & Laura

Elmer Dahn 1914-1925

"in memory of" usually means they're not actually buried here.

He was only 11, so I wonder what happened? A Google search turned up nothing.

I thought it was adorable that tiny daffodils sprouted near this baby's stone.

Nelson Fox 1838-1899

Maria, wife of Nelson Fox 1842-1928

Clarence, son of N & H.M. Fox 1863-1886

Her name was Maria Henrietta, so they reversed it?

Hortie, son of W.F & M.L King 1876-1877

age 11 months

I can't make out anything except a lamb on this one.

Charley Ayers 1851-1901

"A dear faithful devout heart rests here in this grave, I feel it with deep pain what I have lost."

front & back

"the gentleman is my shepherd"

(thanks, Google translate!)

Frank 1862-1931 & Estella 1869-1928 Terry

Julia 1911-2006 & Alpheus 1907-1987 Dodds

Marvin Dodds, 1927-1999

Private, US Army / Korea

yes - you read that correctly.

Fangboner.

Commence giggles!

Antha Dodds Terry, 1880-1940

Mother Velma 1889 - 1973

Father Wilbert 1885 - 1967

Son Clarence 1914 - 1918

Daughter Violet 1918 - 1918

In memory of son

Ralph

1919 WWII 1944

Buried in France

Milton Fox 1845-1916

20th Michigan Infantry, Co B

Milton 1845-1916 Fox (his veteran stone above)

Mary his wife 1943-1926

Robert 1878-1963 (their son, his veteran stone below)

Hazel (son's wife) 1888-1942

Robert P Fox, 1878-1963

Michigan

Lt JG

USNRF

World War I

Charles 1861-1906 & Myrta Ella 1869-1948 Harris

Margaret, wife of Hiram Allen 1814-1890

Ford 1891-1959 & Ruth 1896-1979 Bird

Marvin 1931-2017 & Carolyn 1932-2016 Laarman

Joseph Shove Harris 1847-1930

Lucy Fox, wife 1 of 3 1844-1920

Amanda Williams, wife 2 of 3 1844-1910

wife #3 is is buried in Lakeville Cemetery in Oakland County.

Samuel "Embree" Ferguson 1831-1908

Mary Caroline Ferguson - 1st wife of Samuel 1829-1883

Civilla Ferguson - 2nd wife of Samuel 1847-1911

Almira, daughter of Samuel & Caroline 1854-1863

Interesting that the daughter (Almira) is on the side of the stone with the name.

Lina, wife of George Smith 1853-1978

Christopher 1818-1896 & Winnifored 1822-1901 Spangler

Delmer Bates 1861-1903

Eva, wife of Delmer Bates 1864-1945

The main stone for Delmer & Eva.

Delos Gould 1858-1917

Gould

Allen N Smith 1841-1878

Lutie A Smith 1875-1878

Edwin R Gould 1846-1916

Lucy Smith Gould 1838-1917

Looking across the landscape....

Hiram 1836-1902 & Lucy 1836-1915 Terry

Minnie Terry is also listed above with her parents - but this is her own.

1869-1877

Philip Smith 1815-1906

Lura (Ferguson - related to a lot of other people here) Smith

aged 74 years

No years on file for her....

Lee, son of Philip & Lura Smith 1855-1857

Helen, daughter of Clayton & Alma Dodds 1906

age 3 months

Parmelia, wife of Aaron Ferguson, 1808-1965

Aaron Ferguson 1795-1876

The Dodds' main stone is also blank. The family members have their own individual stones.

Alpheus Dodds 1836-1907

appears to be sinking!

Sarah, wife of Alpheus Dodds 1836-1904

according to FindAGrave, her middle name was Parmelia - what are the odds of 2 in the same cemetery with THAT name??

Lena, daughter of Sarah & Alpheus Dodds 1863-1911

Mary, daughter of Sarah & Alpheus Dodds 1875-1884

Bradford Sevrey 1830-1903

the stone has been knocked over & sinking. I held my camera upside down to get this shot.

Anson Humphrey 1826-1852

Willie H Cooper Jr 1928-1982

SFC

US Army/Vietnam

Illegible

Eleazer Curtis 1790-1866

Lovisa, wife of Eleazer Curtis 1791-1850

Caroline 1818-1879 & Carloss 1838-1862, children of Eleazer & Lovisa Curtis

Lorenzo Middleditch 1810-1849

I missed a LOT of this family - their stones are either sunken or gone.

Lorenzo's mother (buried nearby, I guess) is named Huldah and half siblings, Pulaski & Paola, are buried elsewhere in Lapeer county.

Orrilla, wife of A.H. Middleditch 1849-1883

William R Andrus 1842-1873

Lt. Col 3 Michigan Infantry, Co H

US Civil War

Unita S. Andrus 1840-1854

William M Glover 1823-??

10th Michigan Infantry Co F

US Civil War

Karl Witte 1860-1891

Elmer C Jacob 1910-1986 loving son of Otto & Teenie Jacob

Pearl Jacob 1912-2001 daughter of Rod & Tillie Manderville

Speaking of Tillie Manderville....

I grabbed this image off of FindAGrave, since when I was visiting, it was barely legible due to moss.

On my second visit, I was with my sister and we'd stopped to read these stones along the middle / back row of the cemetery. All of a sudden, I caught a strong whiff of perfume, as if someone had walked by. Neither of us were wearing any ourselves..... and there was no wind. The only flowers blooming were some daffodils and they were across the cemetery from us.

I believe Miss Tilly dropped by to say hello.