USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > Dayton > History of the city of Dayton and Montgomery County, Ohio, Volume I > Part 64
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The location was thought to be so remote from the town that it would never be encroached upon. In less than thirty years it was found to be unsuitable for the purpose and at length, cemeteries having been established elsewhere, inter- ments were forbidden in it by city ordinance.
Later the reversionary interest of the Cooper heirs having been purchased, the ground was laid out in building lots and sold, bringing a handsome sum to the churches and the city. The remains of the dead were carefully disinterred and reburied in Woodland cemetery.
In 1840, a movement was made to establish a rural cemetery, where every possible safeguard should be thrown about the resting place of the dead. Mr. John W. Van Cleve made the suggestion and was most active in promoting the object. To him more than to any other the city is indebted for the beautiful cemetery and for the property which has attended the enterprise from the be- ginning. He and Samuel Forrer, both capable engineers, lent their skill to the laying out of the grounds. At his death in 1858 the trustees expressed their sense of obligation to him in a memorial recorded in the minutes of the association.
Articles of association were drawn up by Mr. Van Cleve and fifty-two sub- scribers obtained. Each subscriber agreed to pay into the treasury one hundred dollars to be repaid to him without interest either in burial lots or in money, when the affairs of the association justified. In a short time the claims of the sub- scribers were liquidated, the majority of them taking lots in payment.
A meeting of the subscribers was called at the office of the Firemen's Insur- ance Company on Thursday evening, February 17, 1841. James Steele was ap- pointed chairman and David C. Baker, secretary. At this meeting the Woodland Cemetery Association was organized by the election of the following officers : Trustees, Job Haines, James Perrine, Edward W. Davies, J. D. Phillips, John W. Van Cleve; Secretary, Robert C. Schenk ; Treasurer, David Z. Pierce. At a meeting of the trustees, John W. Van Cleve was elected president of the asso- ciation.
On the 29th of April, 1841, a deed was received from Augustus George for forty acres of ground at forty dollars per acre. This tract of land was covered with a dense growth of forest trees, many of them of the largest size. By the judicious removal and sale of the surplus timber, a handsome sum of money was realized.
In 1842 a charter was obtained from the legislature. By the provisions of the articles of association and the charter, Woodland Cemetery Association is a close corporation. The title of all property, real and personal, is vested in the trus- tees, who are elected triennially by the original subscribers or their succession. The charter provides that "each subscriber may transfer his right and share by assignment or devise thereof ; and in case no such assignment or devise shall have
LAKE IN WOODLAND CEMETERY
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been made at the death of such subscriber, the said right shall vest in the oldest heir at law." The only privilege, however, enjoyed by a member of the asso- ciation, not common to all lot-owners, is the right to vote for or serve as trus- tees. All the proceeds from the sale of lots or other sources are sacredly set apart and devoted to the care and improvement of the grounds. The trustees have served from the beginning without compensation.
On the 7th of June, 1843, the cemetery was opened and the lots offered at public sale. On the 21st of the same month the grounds were dedicated, the address being delivered by Rev. James C. Barnes.
It is an interesting fact that Woodland cemetery is in order of time the third rural cemetery of any magnitude established in the United States.
The first interment was made July 1I, 1843 when Allen Cullum was buried near the center of the cemetery.
The grounds selected were the high bluffs, divided by deep, winding valleys, situated southeast of the city. They were covered with large timber and dense thickets and only a practical eye could discern their possibilities for an ideal "city of the dead."
Desiring to avail themselves of the best advice, the trustees consulted with Mr. A. Stunch, the superintendent of Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati. By his system of landscape gardening the cemetery has been made unusually beau- tiful, eliminating many features associated with the ordinary burying grounds.
The prevalence of fine trees very appropriately gave the name of Woodland to the cemetery. Before the opening of the grounds in 1843, such trees as were thought unsuitable had been removed. Up to 1870, nothing further had been done, and owing to the growth and decay of trees, it was thought best that year to remove a large number. The removal of these trees subjected the trustees to much criticism, but the placing of a large number of choice evergreens and de- ciduous trees, greatly beautified the grounds.
For natural beauty and adaptation to the purpose, the grounds of Woodland cemetery can hardly be surpassed. Every effort has been made to improve them in the best and most tasteful manner. The roads are kept in perfect order, and, by a system of underground drainage, the water is carried off rapidly, and gutters are dispensed with.
Water works have been constructed, and water is conveyed by pipes to every part of the grounds. The buildings of all kinds are substantial and tasteful, and the office, chapel, and lodge of contrasted gray limestone and red sandstone, at the entrances, are strikingly beautiful structures. No doubt, each year will add to the beauty and attractiveness of this quiet resting-place of the dead.
It has been the aim of the trustees to increase the size of the cemetery grounds by the purchase of adjacent land when opportunity offered. In 1908, forty-one acres were purchased. The present area of the grounds is one hundred and forty- six acres; thirty-one thousand six hundred interments have been made. The present area of the cemetery, it is estimated, will be sufficient for the needs of the next fifty or sixty years, at least.
Among the number of improvements made in the last few years are the follow- ing. In 1905, the chapel was entirely refitted, a handsome window installed, floor laid and new seats put in by Henry C. Lowe in memory of his daughter at a
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cost of ten thousand dollars. In 1906, a telephone system was installed giving communication between a number of localities in the grounds with central office that adds greatly to prompt service. In 1908, a fountain of marble, designed by Mr. Karl Bitter, president of the Sculptors' Association of New York, was erected near the office building. It is handsome and artistic and proves very useful to the public. In 1909, the superintendent of the cemetery built a tunnel under Stewart street, connecting the new forty-acre tract with the old ground. It is of substantial construction and is completed excepting the approaches and the orna- mental work.
The presidents of the association since 1841, are as follows: John W. Van Cleve, February 18, 1841 ; Robert W. Steele, September 14, 1858; John G. Lowe, December 8, 1891 ; John H. Winters, November 8, 1892.
The present officers of the association, are: President, J. H. Winters; Vice- President, S. W. Davies; Secretary, Ira Crawford; Treasurer, F. D. Grimes ; Superintendent, J. C. Cline.
CALVARY CEMETERY. The first burying ground of the Catholics of Dayton, bore the name of St. Henry's cemetery. In September, 1844, one-half of out-lot No. 27, was purchased by Archbishop Purcell of Thomas Morrison, for three hundred and five dollars. March 2, 1853, the south of the same lot was purchased of E. W. Davies, for eight hundred dollars. These two pieces of ground constituted St. Henry's cemetery. This was the only burying place for Catholics for many years, and by 1872, had became so crowded as to lead to the establishment of Calvary cemetery.
On the 9th of July, 1872, Calvary Cemetery Association was organized by the election of the following board of trustees : Revs. J. F. Hahne, William M. Carey, F. J. Goetz and Henry Stuckenborg, for the term of three years; William Helfrich, N. Ohmer, John Stephans and Henry Hilgefort for two years; and Robert Chambers, Severin Wiegert, Theodore Barlow and Henry Schlaman, for one year; Secretary. Jacob Stephans.
Ninety acres of ground were purchased and twenty-seven and one-half acres were added later, making one hundred and seventeen and one-half acres, located two and one-half miles south of the city, on a commanding bluff. No finer view of hill, valley and river, can be found anywhere, than may be obtained from Calvary cemetery. Because of this wide outlook, it was a point selected by the mound builders, and one of their prominent earth works is included in the ceme- tery grounds. In the improvements of the grounds, the latest and most modern system of landscape gardening has been adopted. Much aid was received through the kindness of J. C. Cline, superintendent of Woodland cemetery.
On April 10, 1901, by decree of the court, fifteen thousand four hundred and twelve dollars and forty eight cents, the amount received from R. P. Burk- hardt, treasurer of St. Henry's cemetery, for the sale of said cemetery, was de- voted to the erecting of a mortuary chapel, on the lot donated by the directors of Calvary cemetery for the four thousand and thirteen unclaimed remains buried therein from St. Henry's cemetery. A committee consisting of Rev. W. D. Hickey and B. Luebberman, Joseph J. Schaefer, Timothy McEntee and John F. Jeckering, were then appointed to erect the mortuary chapel. It was built from New Bedford stone, at a cost of twenty-two thousand and five hundred dol-
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lars complete, and dedicated November 1, 1902, by the Rev. Carl J. Hahne, presi- dent of the board of directors of Calvary cemetery, and will stand as a fitting mem- orial to the directors of St. Henry's cemetery and to the committee who had charge of its building. On May 30, 1906, a handsome memorial monument erected at a cost of four thousand one hundred and twenty-five dollars on the clergy lot, was dedicated by his grace, Most Rev. Henry Moeller, archbishop of Cincinnati, Ohio, as a fitting tribute to the clergy who will be buried there.
The large improvements already completed have made the cemetery one of the handsomest and most beautiful Catholic cemeteries to be found anywhere. It is kept on the lawn plan.
The total number of interments is fifteen thousand eight hundred and forty- seven, of which six thousand and sixty-three, were removed from St. Henry's cemetery. Following are the officers from 1872 to 1909:
Presidents-Rev. John F. Hahne, July 9, 1872; Rev. Carl J. Hahne, August I, 1882; Rev. Patrick Cusack, August 1, 1885; Rev. Carl J. Hahne, August 3, 1891.
Secretaries-Jacob Stephan, July 9, 1872; John P. Weckesser, Jr., August 4, 1879; John H. Finke, October 3, 1881.
Treasurers-John Stephans, July 9, 1872; Henry Hilgefort, July 14, 1873 ; William Helfrich, July 13, 1874 ; Dennis Dwyer, July 17, 1876; Anthony Froend- hoff, September 1, 1879; Sebastian Demphle, August 7, 1882.
Superintendents of Grounds-William Irvin, July 9, 1872; Anthony Scheid, October 3, 1883; William Irvin, August 1, 1887; Charles Kobus, May 1, 1907.
The last named officer in each case is the present incumbent. The directors of Calvary cemetery consist of the pastors of the eleven Catholic churches of the city, together with two laymen from each congregation.
JEWISH CEMETERIES. The congregation B'nai Yeshurun on Jefferson street acquired in 1848 for cemetery purposes a small plot of ground on South Brown street, near where the National Cash Register Company now is. About 1890 this cemetery was nearly filled, and was being surrounded by dwellings. The congre- gation then purchased seven acres on the hill south of the city. Under the di- rection of Mr. Adam Lessner, the grounds were beautifully laid out. The ceme- tery is called the Riverview cemetery.
The Wayne avenue congregation (House of Abraham) purchased a small strip adjoining the Riverview cemetery, about 1903.
The cemetery of the Wyoming street congregation (House of Jacob), is about four miles north of the city on the Troy Pike.
SOLDIERS' MONUMENT.
When the Civil War was over, it was but natural that a grateful nation should erect monuments to perpetuate the memory of the brave soldiers who laid down their lives in its defense. The citizens of Montgomery county, who had had such a large part in the burdens and sacrifices of the war, and now rejoiced in the victory of the Union armies, were early moved to erect a suitable monument in memory of the fallen heroes of the county and of those who would "yet die from wounds received or from disease contracted whilst in the service of the United
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States." Toward the latter part of 1864 it was suggested by General Robert C. Schenck that it would be appropriate to erect a monument to the memory of the soldiers of Montgomery county, who had fallen in battle or died of disease con- tracted in the war. To carry out this suggestion a committee was appointed to take charge of the movement. This committee held a meeting November 19, 1864, in Huston hall. The meeting was addressed by Dr. Thomas E. Thomas and Colonel Charles Anderson. A series of resolutions was adopted and an organization was effected, but nothing of a practical nature resulted from this movement or from a number of like movements following later.
It was finally determined to hold a meeting of the old soldiers of the county for the purpose of giving definite shape to their desires and such a meeting was held August 29, 1879. At this meeting there were present seventy veteran soldiers, and it was decided to organize a permanent soldiers' association. A committee of five was appointed, whose duty it was to select fifteen others out of the seventy present, who, together with the five, should constitute the charter members. The second meeting was held at the same place, the City hall, September 5, 1879, and the organization was effected with the following as charter members: Charles Anderton, Ashley Brown, B. B. Crossley, J. St. John Clarkson, A C. Fenner, J. C. Staley, G. W. Hatfield, C. F. Kimmel, Ad. Knecht, George LaRue, C. H. Miller, P. O'Connell, Robert Patterson, J. C. Reber, Jacob Renner, W. Radcliff, H. B. Sortman, S. B. Smith, E. M. Wood and Peter Weidner. The following officers were chosen at this meeting: President, E. M. Wood; Vice-President, H. B. Sortman ; Treasurer, A. C. Fenner ; Secretary, J. C. Reber. They were to serve until the regular meeting in November.
Soon after the organization of the association, or the Old Guard, as it was called, a board of trustees was appointed, whose duty it should be to solicit funds for the erection of the monument. As time rolled on, however, nothing was accomplished by the board of trustees, and the association resolved to try to raise a fund by giving entertainments for its benefit. Accordingly an entertainment was given at the fair grounds, July 4, 1880, at which about two hundred dollars was realized, and as this was such a success it was determined to give another entertainment, which came off in the fall of the same year when the "Drummer Boy" was presented at Music hall. At this time a little over two hundred dollars was raised. The two sums aggregating about four hundred dollars were placed in bank as the nucleus of a monument fund. Subsequently two other attempts were made to raise money in the same way, but they were both failures, and instead of increasing the sum already on hand actually reduced it. Perceiv- ing that this plan of raising money enough to erect a suitable monument must necessarily fail, other and widely diverse plans were discussed, and at length it was resolved to try the legislature and secure, if possible, a law that would permit the amount to be raised by tax, provided the people would, at an election at which the questions were submitted to them, approve of the law. The chair- man of the trustees at that time was General T. J. Wood, and he, assisted by D. B. Corwin, one of Dayton's attorneys, drafted a bill which was forwarded to Senator John F. Sinks. The bill was returned to General Wood with the sugges- tion that if it were made general in its nature, instead of applying only to Mont- gomery county, there was no doubt that it would pass. The suggested amend-
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ment was thereupon made, and the bill returned to Senator Sinks. In due course of time the bill became a law, being passed by the house of representatives April 8, 1881, and having been previously passed by the senate. It is entitled "An act to authorize the commissioners of any county to build a monument or other memorial to perpetuate the memory of the soldiers who served in the Union army during the late rebellion.
"Section I. Be it enacted, That the commissioners of any county in this state be, and they are hereby authorized to submit to a vote of the people of said county at any general election for state and county officers, whether or not a tax of not more than one mill on each dollar shall be levied on all property upon the tax duplicate of said county, to raise a fund wherewith to erect a monu- ment or other suitable memorial structure to perpetuate the memory of soldiers from said county who served in the Union army during the late rebellion.
"Sec. 2. In case a majority of the voters of any county voting upon the ques -. tion shall vote in favor of imposing the proposed tax for said purpose, said tax shall be made payable in two installments of one fourth of a mill each, and shall be imposed and collected during the two years next succeeding the taking of said vote, and the moneys arising from said tax shall be expended by said commissioners in the erection of a monument or other suitable memorial struc- ture as said commissioners shall deem best and most appropriate, at such place in said county as may be designated by said commissioners, and said money shall be applied to no other purpose whatever."
This law having been passed, the chairman of the trustees followed it up by securing its endorsement by both political parties at the next general election, which was held October II, 1881. The result of this vote was the sanction by the people of the project, by the following vote: Total vote in the county in favor of the tax, seven thousand four hundred and eighty-nine; total vote against the tax, six thousand seven hundred and fifty-five, being a majority in its favor of seven hundred and thirty-four. The vote in Dayton was four thousand six hundred and forty-one in favor of the tax, and two thousand one hundred and sixteen against it, or a majority in its favor in the city of two thousand five hundred and twenty-five.
The county commissioners, at the time when plans for the monument were under consideration, were Isaac Bassett, George W. Purcell and Henry C. Mar- shall. The first installment of the money was paid in December, 1882, and amounted to five thousand five hundred and eighty dollars and twelve cents. From this time on, bids came in with the plans, models, and so forth. Many long and tedious meetings were held by the commissioners, and the trustees of the Old Guard, General Wood, G. G. Prugh, A. C. Fenner, J. C. Kline, and Henry Kissinger. Months were consumed in settling preliminary questions. On June 28, 1883, the commissioners, assisted by the Old Guard, awarded the con- tract to Carpenter and Son for twenty-two thousand five hundred dollars, the mon- ument to stand at the intersection of Main and Water streets. The contract stipulated that the monument should be completed by July 1, 1884, the statue to be of Columbia, and the design presented was very striking and beautiful. After several weeks had passed, however, the Old Guard became dissatisfied with the design, thinking that as the monument was to perpetuate the memory of
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the common soldier, the statue should be one of a common soldier. A change, therefore, was secured and made September 22, 1883. The change necessitated a delay in the progress of the work, and the time for its completion was extended to July 31, 1884, at the time when the soldiers and sailors had decided to hold their reunion.
The excavations for the monument were commenced on September 19, 1883. They were thirty-six feet square and seven feet deep. The foundation which is of Dayton stone, was completed November 22, 1883. The granite for the monu- ment came from Maine, and the first four carloads reached Dayton April 15, 1884. Other carloads came on from time to time, and the last reached here July 12, 1884. The statue itself was made in Italy, in the studio of Carpender and Sons, at Carrara, under the supervision of Ross Adams. It left Leghorn, Italy, in the ship Alsatia, April 15, 1884, and reached New York June 20, arriv- ing in Dayton here a few days later. It was the best Italian marble. It was shipped two weeks earlier than was originally intended, and curiously enough had it left at the time and the ship intended, it would never have arrived in the United States, as that particular ship was never heard of after leaving port.
Following are the divisions of the monument, with their names and sizes : First esplanade, twenty-five feet square and one foot high; second esplanade, twenty-two feet four inches square, and one foot high ; third esplanade, nineteen feet ten inches square by one foot high; fourth esplanade, seventeen feet six inches square and one foot high; base, fifteen feet square and four feet high; plinth, twelve feet square and two feet three inches high; die, ten feet six inches square and ten feet high; first mold, seven feet six inches square and five feet six inches high ; first column, five feet six inches in diameter and eight feet high ; second mold, five feet in diameter and four feet three inches high ; second column, three feet six inches in diameter and twenty-eight feet high; capitol, five feet in diameter and five feet eight inches high ; statue splin, three feet two inches in diameter and one foot ten inches high ; statue, eleven feet six inches high. Total height of monument, eighty-five feet.
The stones of the die were inscribed as follows :
On the south face: "The Memorial of Montgomery County To Her Soldiers."
On the east face: "The Republic Rests Upon the Intelligence, Virtue and Patriotism of Its Citizens."
On the north face: "The Federal Union Must and Shall Be Preserved."
On the west face: "Liberty and Union Now and Forever, One and Insep- arable."
On the south side is also the date of dedication, as follows: "Dedicated July 31, 1884."
The exercises connected with the dedication were extremely interesting. They commenced on the evening of July 15th, when the Old Guard marched to the monument and deposited a box of records. There were one hundred and twenty-five members of the Old Guard present at their hall that evening. Allen O. Jeffries presented a large and handsome bunting flag, with appropriate remarks, to the E. A. King Post, G. A. R. After several speeches had been made, the committee on preparation of the record box was called upon. This committee was composed of Captain A. C. Fenner, Dr. J. M. Weaver, and E. M.
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Thresher. The latter gentleman as chairman of the committee, reported the contents of the box as follows: A copy of the Bible, city directory for 1883-4, last annual reports of the city clerk, of the work house, of the directors of the board of fire commissioners, of the chief of the fire department, of the board of health, of the city infirmary directors, of the city solicitor, of the police com- missioners, of the Woman's Christian Association, constitution and by-laws of the Old Guard Association ; Dayton Journal of May 30th, containing the names of the deceased soldiers in the various cemeteries, copies of the weekly papers published in Dayton, list of the officers of E. A. King Post, roster of the G. A. R. posts of Ohio, and other things. Upon the completion of the reading of the list, E. M. Thresher delivered an address, and then Mr. Carpenter carried the box to the top of the monument and deposited it in its resting place. Meanwhile the band played "Hail Columbia," and the Old Guard marched back to the hall.
The ceremonies proper of the dedication began July 29th at sunrise, with a salute of thirteen guns. The day was, in reality, assembly and reception day, and was in a great measure devoted to the reception of the comrades and ex- prisoners of war. At midday there was a salute of thirty-eight guns, and in the afternoon there was music, prayer by the Rev. W. A. Hale, an address of welcome by Mayor Bettelton, a response by General Robert P. Kennedy, and a salute of thirteen guns at sundown.
The next day was spent in a manner similar to that of the 29tl1. There ยท were salutes and speeches, the latter by the mayor, by General Robert P. Kennedy, by General W. S. Rosecrans, and by ex-President Hayes.
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