Grant County Indiana LEE/ST. JOSEPH CEMETERY The Lee Cemetery is located in Section #7 of Van Buren Township. The farm land surrounding it is as good as may be found in the state having formerly been loose swampy ground near the source of the Little Black Creek. Mrs. William Sanderman remembers that it was necessary to cut a swath through the rank grass and brush once, in order to allow a funeral party to reach the Lee Cemetery. The earliest date found on a stone is January 23, 1851. Mrs. Sanderman says that many graves are unmarked and are frequently entered when a new grave becomes necessary. During the time of the oil speculation in this township many new comers buried their dead and removed from the county before they had marked the grave site. The Lee school house is just across the road and having long since been abandoned, 'sits like a ragged beggar sunning.' A group of German people came into this north-west part of Van Buren township and ere long the community became known as "The Dutch Settlement". Sometime in the early nineties a church group was organized into what was called St. Joseph Reformed Church. Deed Book 49 page 221 deed #36 says: "Oscar Landess and Sarah Jane Landess his wife of Grant County release and quit claim to William Korporal, Henry Sanderman, Augustus Bolloefer and Frederick Sanderman trustees of St. Joseph Reformed Church of Van Buren Township and their successors in office for the sum of one dollar a tract of land containing one acre more or less." This deed was executed April 8, 1891. This church was erected and used until March 21, 1916 when it was razed by a cyclone which struck Grant County. The building was never again erected. I was told that the church property and the cemetery were separate but I find in the Misc. Record Book #46 page 572 this record: " An application made by the trustees of Lee Cemetery Association to transfer and convey to Van Buren Township the cemetery property of the association." The description of the property being exactly the same as that of the church property as recorded in Deed Book #49 page 212. This petition asks to give the township "said cemetery lands and all the appurtenances thereto belonging for a public cemetery and burial place of the dead." It is dated April 17, 1918 and is signed by, Lacy G. Butler William Sanderman Joseph E. Armstrong Board of trustees of the Lee Cemetery Association. The deed is then made by these trustees of the Lee Cemetery Association to the grantee--The trustee of Van Buren Township, April 27, 1918. The above was written by the DAR in the 1940's. * Denotes a stone not found at this time. Lee/St. Joseph Cemetery Bolhoefer, Lucy G. dau of A. & L. Bolhoefer Sept. 5, 1869 - Sept. 19, 1869 Boggs, G.A. died Feb. 21, 1880 aged 29y.3m.12d. Butler, Alpheus died Aug. 25, 1889 aged 82y.11m.14d. Delilah wife of Alpheus Butler died Aug. 14, 1887 aged 66y.5m.16d. Eda dau of A.D. Butler died July 29, 1881 aged 25y.9m.25d. Elmira wife of John Butler died Jan. 28, 1876 aged 30y.10m.13d. Compton, Elizabeth A. wife of J. Compton died Oct. 3, 1883 aged 66y.1m.17d. Joshua Sept. 28, 1800 - Jan. 9, 1893 William A. son of J. & E.A. Compton died Sept. 3, 1894 aged 6y.3m.22d. Endsley, Rachel died Sept. 19, 1871 aged 71y.1m.18d. Green, Margaret dau of L. & M. Green died Oct. 7, 1852 aged 7y.20d. Mary wife of Lot Green died Jan. 24, 1890 aged 72y. Palmer son of Lot & Mary Green died Jan. 28, 1890 aged 30y. Sarah dau of L. & Mary Green died Jan. 21, 1871 aged 21y.25d. Son of Lewis & Margaret Green born Nov. 15, 1863 (no other date) Havens, Nancy J. wife of Simon P. Havens Feb. 23, 1838 - Oct. 4, 1894 Hewitt, Von L. son of J.M. & F.L. Hewitt died Nov. 7, 1895 aged 7m.23d. Johnson, Anna A. dau of J. & E. Johnson aged 1m.5d. Ella dau of J. & E. Johnson died Nov. 8, 1886 aged 21y.8m.1d. Hannah S. dau of J. & M. Johnson aged 22y. 5m.27d.???? Jennie dau of J. & E. Johnson died Nov. 8, 1886 aged 16y.9m. 1d. Mary wife of J. Johnson aged 22y.5m.27d.??? Korporal, Ada dau of H.A. & Z. Korporal Apr. 21, 1900 - Aug. 6, 1900 Christina wife of Simon Korporal died Nov. 14, 1881 aged 78y.4m. Eliza wife of William Korporal died Aug. 3, 1902 aged 65y.2m.8d. Elizabeth wife of William Korporal died Apr. 21, 1903 aged 38y.9m.23d. Infant son of W.S. & M.E. Korporal died Nov. 10, 1887 Simon died Nov. 10, 1871 aged 77y.5m.16d. William died Aug. 10, 1893 aged 64y.8m.8d. Lee, Elisabeth wife of J.B. Lee died Jan. 16, 1872 aged 35y.5m.26d. James R. died Feb. 27, 1913 aged 81y.2m.13d. Jane dau of Stephen & M. Lee died Oct. 14, 1856 aged 18y.5m.4d. Mary wife of Stephen Lee died June 1, 1870 aged 69y.5m.7d. Nancy wife of John Lee died Feb. 3, 1871 aged 73y.5m.26d. Stephen son of John & Nancy Lee died Nov. 1, 1858 aged (stone broken) Stephen J. son of S. & M. Lee died Feb. 21, 1871 aged 38y.20d. Stephen Sr. died May 1, 1878 aged 73y.7m.6d. Martin, Ida E. July 12, 1862 - Apr. 20, 1891 Pulley, Adam J. died June 1, 1905 aged 70y.4m.1d. Edward son of A. & R. Pulley died Oct. 14, 1873 aged 10m.22d. Freddie H. son of B. & O. Pulley died ---11, 1891 aged 2y.27d. Henson died Jan. 23, 1851 aged 52y. Mathew son of A. & R. Pulley died Sept. 1, 1863 aged 7y.3m.2d. Rachel wife of Adam J. Pulley no dates Retta J. dau of B. & O. Pulley died Oct. 1, 1882 aged 2y.4m.18d. Susannah wife of Henson Pulley died Aug. 21, 1864 aged 62y. Smithers, America E. wife of Samuel J. Smithers June 2, 1854 - Feb. 21, 1906 Irl son of S.J. & A.E. Smithers Aug. 31, 1896 - Oct. 2, 1910 Trout, George W. died Dec. 2, 1896 aged 62y.4m.1d. Nancy B. wife of G.W. Trout died Aug. 6, 1900 aged 46y.2d. Zent, Martha wife of Phillip Zent died Jan. 5, 1879 aged 36y.6m.19d. Phillip died Jan. 12, 1892 aged 67y.11m.26d. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Sheila D. Watson (© 1998 Sheila D. Watson)