Tombstone Tuesday--Buried Tombstones

 With the big news yesterday about the confirming that King Richard III's remains had been found under the pavement of a parking lot, it reminded me of some our our local burials that are also hidden.
 I profiled the County Farm/Poor Farm cemetery some time ago.  That cemetery is located behind the present day Newaygo County Medical Care Facility.  On a rolling field, tucked beside a neighboring dairy farm, the graves are still intact.  But apparently when the facility was built, it was felt that the seniors and infirm who would be living there may find the sight of so many grave stones some what depressing .

 So each stone was carefully laid down and covered over.  The grassy meadow shown here above and below in the next two pictures is the final resting place of those buried here.  Luckily, a volunteer here at the Terry Wantz Historical Research Center has researched the names of those who died at the county farm and has put together a notebook of all the names of those we believe buried here.

 Since she is using the township records to assist her, her book is probably the most complete list available for this cemetery.  (Thanks Jeanne!)

One other local cemetery which suffered the same fate, to some extent is the Pioneer Cemetery.  Ironically located just down the road from the old county farm, it was partially abandoned when the city of Fremont created a new, larger cemetery,  Maple Grove.  Some of the bodies were transfered, but many were not. 

 So while there are a few recovered stones that have been placed flat, but above ground, there are other graves that are still occupied, with no stones at all. 
So at least these humble people were in good company with their un-marked and un-named graves.