By Staff
BUCHANAN – Friends of Oak Ridge Cemetery is seeking help from the community concerning those buried in Potter's Field, also known as the public grounds section of Oak Ridge Cemetery.
Potter's Field is in the northwest part of the cemetery, primarily in the western parts of Sections 4 and 22, east of the service road. Currently, most of the gravesites are marked by numbers and Friends wants to connect names with those numbers.
"We have a list of names to identify most of the graves," said Robert Brown, research director of Friends, "but we want to make sure that we have the names of as many of those buried there as is possible.
"When our research is complete, Friends plans to beautify the area and erect a plaque listing the names and corresponding numbers. Toward that end, Friends is particularly interested in preferred spellings of names to appear on the plaque. We also would like to get other information to supplement the sexton's books."
Brown said that currently Friends has at least a date, death or burial for all names, a birth date for most and parents' names for more than half of those on the list.
Of those known to be buried in Potter's Field, about 64 percent, or 94 of 147 individuals, were infants 2 years or less.
The numbers in the cemetery and sexton's books start with No. 17, said Brown. Numbers 1 through 16 would date before 1920. "There are five individuals who died in 1912 through 1917 that we think are part of this group. We also are hoping to determine who the others might be and where those 16 might be buried."
The five who may be part of that group are Louis Dean, who died in 1912 at age 82; Harry Hayes, who died in 1916 at age 11; Earl Kuntz, who died in 1916 at age 19; George Priest, who died in 1916 at age 27, and John Smith, who died in 1917 in Berrien Springs at age 70.
Friends is particularly interested in information about these individuals and any others anyone knows who should be added to the list below. Contacts are Lyle Sumerix (269) 695-9733, Friends president, or Robert Brown at RobtDBrown@aol.com.
Corrected and additional information should be given to Friends no later than April 21 to be included on the plaque.
A copy of the summary of information currently known is available for review at the Buchanan District Library. Those interested in the information also may contact a member of Friends with questions about a specific name.
Names as they appear in the sexton's books include:
Patrick Jonathan Anderson, David Ayers, Dennis Eugene Baker, Frank Belaska, Bell (baby girl), Rebecca Lynn Benson, Arthur Bey, Clarissa Bey, Maggie Bey, Annette Sue Blake, Terry Lee Bradshaw, Donald J. Brady, John Burton, Butler (baby boy), Rance Calvin, Carter (infant), Harvey B. Carey, Ceck (twin infants), Churchill (infant), Herbert Albert Clark, George Clinton, Cole (baby boy), Crawford (baby boy), and Crump (baby boy).
William Darryko, Norma Jean Davis, Charles Oliver Day, Dorothy Lee Day, Robert Curtis Deals, Jon Lynn DeWitt, Manny (or Menny) Foster Dixon, Lois Ann Dunn, Mary Elizabeth Dunn, Teddy Lee Faughn, William Fay, George Foster, Frazier (baby girl), Mary C. Freeman, Charles Nelson Gangloff, Green (baby boy), and Geneva Della Groves
Grady Hamlin, Ann Harding, Leatha Harris, George D. Hayes, Sammy (Samuel) Hayes, Henderson (baby boy), Lee Eugene Heyn, Paulette Edith Heyn, Joseph Loren Hittle, Joseph Homer, Thomas Jefferson Horner, Hunter (baby girl), Elizabeth Lula Hyepock, Frank Joe Hyepock, Janka (baby girl), Nickerson Johnson, Robert Johnson, Willie Johnson, Jones (baby boy), Jones (baby boy), Linda LaVerne Jones, Otis Lee Jones, and Jones (twin baby boys).
Earnest (Ernest) Kaiser, Josephine Knox, Frederick Koenigshof, Kuntz (baby boy), Pauline Grace Kwast, Lambert (baby boy), William Gordon Langston, Jr., Mary Ellen B. Lathrop, Barbara Jean Leazenby, Leazenby (twin infant boys), Lee (infant), Charles Edward Lee, George William Lee, Lewis (infant), Clarence Lewis, and Lowery (baby boy).
George Samuel Madden, Betty Jane Maggert, Susie Maker, Marsh (baby), Keith Lyle Marrow, Leona McGough, McGuirt (baby girl), Michelle McGuirt, James Allison Metcalf, Karen Miller, Sharon Miller, Paul Moore, Betty May Moore, Harrison Murray, and Jeffery Allen Otto.
William Parker, Jerry Lee (Leon) Payne, Pearson (baby girl), Helen Louise Pearson, Pearson (infant triplets), Ella Marie Phifer, Pitcher (baby boy), Pitts (baby boy), Ralph Dean Pletcher, Pollard (baby girl), William Proctor, Robert Pullum, Jr., Irvin Monroe Ritter, Robinson (baby girl), Lua May (Luri Mai) Robinson, and Russell (baby boy)
Frances Schefchek, Joseph Skoda, Joseph Silke, Emma B. Singbeil, Amos Smith, Lucil Staggers, Ronnie Strahan, Bonnie Mae Sutfin, Donald Ray Sutfin, Donna Fay Sutfin, Rose Anne Sylvester, Byran William Syrette, Alice Taylor, Jerry Thomas, Topash (baby girl), and Edward Herman Trapp.
Cindy Lee Van Kirk, Isaac Wade, Patsy Lee Wallace, Tiffianey L. Warren, Leon Ray Waugh, Lloyd White, Sarah White, Harley Whitman, Eliza Raymond Wilfong, Greg Williams, James Williams, Jathrow Williams, Jr., Cora Wilson, Witherspoon (baby boy) and Zebell (baby girl).