PORTER TOWNSHIP CEMETERY, PORTER TOWNSHIP, MIDLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN Copyright (c) 2000 by Margaret Wegner (SpeKer@aol.com). File located at http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/midland/porter/cemetery/p63601.txt ************************************************************************ USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any 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. The submittor has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. ************************************************************************ PORTER TOWNSHIP CEMETERY Located in section 4 of Porter Township Entrance on Pine River Road. At the NW corner of Pine River Road and Nine Mile Road. Township owned. The sexton records were last checked in March of 1981. The following is excerpted from the sextons book: "In the spring of 1860 during the log drive, Jack Scott was drowned while breaking a log jam in the river about two miles upstream. His body was later washed up near the bridge over the Pine River at 9 Mile Rd. He was taken to the nearby sandhill and buried between two logs. His grave is under the road near the backside of the cemetery. Sometime later in 1860 an Indian was buried near the top of the hill ... this grave is marked. The next burials were a man and his two children who died of typhus fever sometime during the 1860's .... the exact location of graves is unknown. Many of the children of lumberman and early settlers are buried in unmarked graves along the top of the hill. George and Effie Hollenbeck, at a much later date, gave two acres for a township cemetery, but before then there may have been over 50 burials in what is now the cemetery. The early grave diggers were James VanEpps and later "Strawhat" Wilson. No records were kept. E. Cornelius took over in 1936. At one time the part of the cemetery on the hill was surveyed into lots, but the plat was lost and the wooden stakes rotted away. Eldon Cornelius was hired in 1965 as sexton. Due to frequent forest fires, wooden markers were destroyed." Read October 23, 2000 by Margaret Wegner. Cemetery was read from West to East. Section one Row one Nixon, Gary A. Jan. 23-24, 1937 (sexton records say age 24 hrs. died 1938) Young, Edward H. 1883 - 1937 Section two Row one Brewer, Olive D. died Feb. 22, 1900 wife of L. K. aged 67y 1m 4d Eastman, Donald J. 1968 - 1994 "Go Skins" Eastman, Dora J. 1932 - married Nov. 6, 1948 Eastman, Don R. 1930 - 1997 Row two Shelley, Mildred M. 1912 - 1988 Shelley, Kenneth H. 1904 - 1978 married Feb. 16, 1929 Robinson monument Robinson, Rosetta died May 3, 1903 age 50y 8m 6d wife of Ryan Eastman, Richard James 1924 - 1985 US Navy World War II Neal, Ralph A. June 17, 1921 - Aug. 12, 1999 US Navy WWII going home Neal, Elsie A. March 16, 1937 - married Dec. 12, 1965 Row three Earley McCaw, Leah Marie May 4, 1981 - Aug. 11, 1999 Earley McCaw, Taylor Marie June 11, 1999 - Aug. 11, 1999 The time we spent together was short but I cherish every moment and memory we shared I hold both of you deep in my heart til the day we are together again. I miss both of you, love Daddy (Corey) Miller, Janetta I. 1923 - 1984 married September 3, 1942 Miller, Melvin J. 1922 - Eastman, Rev. M. Peggy 1927 - 1994 praise the Lord Eastman, Richard J., Sr. 1924 - 1988 I'd rather be flying Row four Lobree, Rachel died June 1, 1891 aged 74y (sexton records June 6, 1891) Carper, Arnold 1912 - 1976 Carper, Osha 1913 - 19 Shipley, William D. 1899 - 1980 Abbey, Donna Faye 1932 - Abbey, Ted 1931 - 1997 Gonzalez, Leonardo 1939-1985 sometimes a soldier of fortune, always a soldier of God Row five Wayne, Walter 1914 (sexton records Oct. 3, age 1m) Wayne, Donal 1926 (sexton records Donald, Jan. 26, age 5m) Wayne, Herman 1913 (sexton records Oct. 16, infant) Wayne, Syble 1917 (sexton records Jan. 8, age 9d) Wayne, Rhea 1912 (sexton records age 3m) Wayne, Nona 1916 - 1917 (sexton records Nov. 21, age 14m) Wayne, Charles E. 1891 - 1984 Wayne, Cloa 1891 - 1984 Wilson, William C. 1905 - 1986 US Army world War II Maul, Joseph F. 1922 - 1996 Berglind, Lawrence 1923 - 1996 brother Bose, Margaret 1921 - sister Row six Stonerock, Robert L. 1950 - Stonerock, Mildred A. 1949 - Stonerock, Frank E. 1951 - Wayne, Archie 1875 - 1951 father Wayne, Henrietta 1872 - 1929 mother Wayne, Johnnie 1901 - 1905 son Wilson, Hattie Belle died Aug. 31, 1882 age 7y8m1d dau.of W.E. & A.M. stone marker - no name Robinson, David Co. B 151st NY Inf Hungerford, Maxine Griest 1919 - 1969 wife Beebe, Amber Crystal Aug. 23, 1993 our precious angel Eastman, Elmer J. 1902 - 1972 Eastman, Elizabeth E. 1900 - 1982 Polhumes, Amelia d.Dec.17,1900 age 38y8m22d wife of D (sexton records Dec. 15) Row seven Strouse, Louis John 1957 Strouse, Louis 2/10/1910 – 6/17/1962 Mich Tec 5 Ordinance Dept WWII Strouse, Frances 1919 - 1981 Strouse, Vicky 1943 - 1955 Eastman, Emma E. 1936 - married Aug. 14, 1954 wife of Chas. Huggins Eastman, Glen E. 1930 - 1992 Puffer, Wm. R. 1837 - 1916 Puffer, Abigail M. 1835 - 1911 White, George B. died Jan. 22, 1891 aged 7y 8m McNeil, Wm. D.Nov.18,1889 aged 44 yrs (sexton records McNeil, Mrs. and child also here; no dates) Holenbeck, Claude G. died Feb. 12, 1899 age 9y 6m 1d Holenbeck, Miner Clare died Jan. 26, 1899 age 1y 10m 9d Holenbeck, George 1856 - 1944 Holenbeck, Effie 1858 - 1941 Stevens, George 1913 - 1945 Row eight Scott, Isaac D. April 1945 (sexton records June not April) Miles, Maxine 1930 - 1994 mother Cornelius, Eldon S. 1907 - 1984 Cornelius, Edna M. 1916 - married March 30, 1930 Harley, Jessie M. 1897 - 1991 Cornelius, Debra D. March 30, 1954 (baby) Cornelius, DeNeise D. 1934 - 1965 mother (sexton records March 5) Wheeler, George R. Sept.. 9, 1923 - May 17, 1956 USNR WW II Wheeler, Raymond G. Sept 7, 1923 - March 17, 1956 husband Wheeler, Betty Jane Nov. 30, 1927 - Feb. 22, 1966 wife Franklin, Catrina K. Feb.19,1990-Jan.6,1992 our precious angel daughter Kidder Row ten grave - marker with no name Pickens, Bill A. 4/5/1929 – 8/12/2000 Pickens, Vada M. 1936 - Lane, Joseph T. 1916 - 1978 together forever Lane, Ethel V. 1923 - Wayne, Patricia L. 1943 - married Oct. 23, 1984 Wayne, Enos A. 1917 - 1990 Tyler, John F. 1887 - 1963 Vogle, Byren R. 1908 - 1909 Tyler, Enoch R. 1836 - 1909 St. John, Clarence Feb. 25, 1926 - Sept. 1, 1983 father St. John, Jason C. 1975 - 2000 small metal marker grave - no marker Conrad, Peter L. 1953 - 1985 "Pete" Dad Conrad, Carl 1918 - 1990 beloved husband Dad Conrad, Mary E. 1921 - 1997 beloved wife Mom Holubik, Susan G. 1/24/1955 – 3/14/2000 beloved wife Row ten Talley, Carl R. Jan. 18, 1921 - Feb. 1, 1995 McCallister, Gilbert F. 1914 - 1989 Pfc US Army World War II McCallister, Laura 1891 - 1979 mother marker - can't read DAN - no other name or dates Forbes, Mildred J. 1920 - Forbes, Mathias R. "Sy" 6/27/1918 – 10/30/1999 St. John, Frank E. 1911 - 1994 St. John, Ethel M. 1922 - married Aug. 31, 1939 marker - can't read Wale, Ernest 1913 - 1987 Wale, Maxine 1918 - 1999 married Jan. 9, 1939 Toner, Dennis E. July 31,1935- Feb.19,1997 US Marine Corps Korea Section three Row one Haight, Rebecca 4/25/1842 – 4/4/1895 Wife of W.S. sexton records Rebecca Height born Aug. 25, 1842) Row two Vanepps, James died Aug. 9, 1882 aged 74y Vanepps, Sally Ann died June 16, 1889 age 82y Row three Miller, Hazel Leola April 8, 1932 - May 11, 1932 Row four Stover, Christina A. 1948 - married May 17, 1975 Stover, Robert R. 1947 - 1996 Row five McCallum, J. D. 1919 - McCallum, Betty K. 1922 - 1997 Row six Kirby, William J. Jan.15,1923 -Aug.3, 1988 Cpl. U.S. Army World War II Kirby, Ruth April 19, 1923 - together forever Kirby, Paul David 1946 - 1988 beloved son and brother The following are listed as buried in sexton records, either could not find stones or could not read stones: Brewer, (3 children - no dates or given names) Brewer, L. K. (no dates) Height, W. S. (no dates) Hill, twin babies (date unknown; buried in dynamite box) Holenbeck, Alliearnes died Feb. 20, 1899 age 15y 5m 18d Holenbeck, Carl died 1958 Jarsett, Dan Nov., 1955 Lobree, Mr. (no dates or given name) Manard, James died about 1920 McAllister, Lester March 22, 1966 age 47y Mountain (3 children of George - between 1907 - 1910) Orsok, Mike 1936 (news obit; June 6, age 70y a resident 20y born Czechoslovakia) Polhumes, baby (no dates) Robinson (mother and child; no dates) Scott, Jack 1860 Wayne, Anson (baby; no dates) ( ? ) father of Hattie Bell Wilson (no name or dates) 12 unknown children graves 12 unknown adults or children graves