Westfield Washington Historical Society & Museum

05/27/2026

Based on the discussions at last night’s meeting we hope you will not abandon respect for cemeteries in Westfield for the financial gain of a developer. In this list you will see that Pleasant View cemetery on 202nd street is the final resting place of 2 civil war veterans.

Considering the desecration of other bodies in the building of the Midland Trail downtown and loss of markers in the Martha Doan Park, missing 8 names from the monument in said park, and the discovery of headstones in the old water treatment lagoons now a part of Simon Moon park, along with the state DNR and Hamilton County Cemetery Commission, the City of Westfield should have a protection policy for all of our cemeteries.

Respectfully, we want to remember during black history month our known black Civil War veterans buried in Hamilton County cemeteries. Because they may not be identified by color, we want to include all Civil War veterans buried here who shared in the service of our country and shared similar ideals that led them to serve. It may take time to read the list and offer up a thought for each of them That is intentional.

This great Civil War was fought to resolve the conflict over slavery and to preserve the Union. Before, during and for a while after the time of this war, Westfield played an important part in the Underground Railroad assisting those seeking freedom.

When this list was made, 1,136 graves of Civil War soldiers had been identified in cemeteries in Hamilton County. There existed a possibility of some graves not found, some could have been in family burial grounds on farms as existed in the early history of the county. At the time of the presentation of the monument by then Governor Conrad Barker his remarks included these words: "We meet together today for the double purpose of dedicating as sacred to the memory of heroic patriots, living and dead, the beautiful monument before us, erected by the patriotic liberality of Hamilton County, and to celebrate the anniversary of the dedication of our fathers of the Temple of American Liberty and Independence. The beautiful monument in whose presence we stand, attests the fact that the county authorities and people of Hamilton County know how to appreciate the struggle through which the nation has recently passed, and how to estimate the gallant services of their own citizens who took so distinguished a part in the grand struggle."

We'd love to hear if you know of any of your ancestors in any of these graves. This is our salute. (Hamilton County sources are listed below.)

Aroma: four Civil War veterans
Bethlehem E.U.B. Church Cemetery: four Civil War veterans
Grubbs or Colip Cemetery: two Civil War veterans
Carey Cemetery: sixteen Civil War veterans
Newland Cemetery: four Civil War veterans
Strawtown Cemetery: eight Civil War veterans
Arcadia Cemetery: fifty-five Civil War veterans
Emanuel Lutheran Cemetery: two Civil War veterans
Cicero Cemetery: sixty-three Civil War Veterans
Scherer (Crown Hill) Cemetery: fifteen Civil War Veterans
McCarty Cemetery: one Civil War soldier
Roberts Chapel Cemetery: graves of FIVE NEGRO Union soldiers
Taylor Cemetery: three Civil War veterans
Pettijohn Cemetery: one Civil War veteran
West Grove Cemetery: four Civil War veterans
Hinkle Creek Cemetery: sixteen Civil War veterans
East Union Cemetery: thirty Civil War veterans
Ridge Cemetery: five Civil War veterans
Phillips Cemetery: two Civil War veterans
Spicewood Cemetery: eight Civil War veterans
Teter Cemetery: two Civil War soldiers
Boxley Cemetery: twenty-nine Civil War soldiers
Spencer Cemetery: fifty-six Civil War veterans
Crown View Cemetery: forty-five Civil War veterans
Union Grove Cemetery: one Civil War veteran
Lamong/Hammock Cemetery: one Civil War veteran
Thomas B. Moore Cemetery: three Civil War soldiers
Pleasant View Cemetery: two Civil War soldiers
Chester Cemetery: nine Civil War soldiers
Greenwood Cemetery: one Civil War soldier
Eagletown Cemetery: eleven Civil War soldiers
Sugar Grove Cemetery: four Civil War veterans
Little Eagle Creek Cemetery: thirty-six Civil War veterans
Anti-Slavery Cemetery: eleven Civil War veterans
Westfield Martha Doan Park: thirteen Civil War veterans
Summit Lawn Cemetery: fifty-seven Civil War veterans
Tharp Cemetery: two Civil War soldiers
Gray Cemetery: four Civil War soldiers
Weaver Cemetery: six Civil War soldiers
Riverside Cemetery: seventy-five Civil War soldiers
(site of the first and last Civil War burial in Hamilton Co.)
Crownland Cemetery: two hundred ninety-two Civil War soldiers
(the Civil War monument here was dedicated in 1868)
Hurlock Cemetery: seventeen Civil War soldiers
Zimmer Cemetery: six Civil War soldiers
Prairie Baptist Cemetery: seven Civil War soldiers
Hair Cemetery: ten Civil War soldiers
Stony Creek Cemetery: seven Civil War soldiers
Bethel Cemetery: eleven Civil War soldiers
Lennen Cemetery: two Civil War soldiers
Mushroom Cemetery: two Civil War soldiers
Fort Cemetery: fifteen Civil War soldiers
Arnett Cemetery: five Civil War veterans
Kinnaman Cemetery: fifteen Civil War veterans
Helms Family Cemetery: two Civil War veterans
McKay Cemetery: one Civil War veteran
Brooks Cemetery: two Civil War soldiers
Bethlehem Cemetery: seven Civil War soldiers
Mt. Zion Cemetery: eleven Civil War soldiers
Lowery Cemetery: ten Civil War soldiers
Beaver (Flanaga/Highland) Cemetery: thirty-one Civil War soldiers
Spannath Cemetery: six Civil War soldiers
Heady Cemetery: three Civil War soldiers
Eller Cemetery: one Civil War soldier
West Cemetery: two Civil War soldiers
White Chapel Cemetery: six Civil War soldiers
Farley Cemetery: fifteen Civil War soldiers
Carmel Cemetery: thirty-two Civil War veterans
Poplar Grove Cemetery: one Civil War soldier

https://www.hamiltoncounty.in.gov/DocumentCenter/View/922/Burgess-Civil-War-Veteran-Burial-Guide-PDF

Locate the cemeteries on this list: https://www.hamiltoncounty.in.gov/DocumentCenter/View/921/Hamilton-County-Cemetery-List-and-Legend-PDF

05/22/2026

MEMORIAL DAY - FEDERAL HOLIDAY - LAST MONDAY IN MAY

We are looking forward to the upcoming long weekend. We have many opportunities to commemorate. Some of us will join with large crowds. Some of us will celebrate with a lot of noise. Others of us will quietly visit a gravesite, a cemetery, a solemn ceremony. However you spend your Memorial Day, this is why we set this day apart.

A little history: Memorial Day was first observed on May 30, 1868, a little more than 3 years after the war ended. It was originally known as Decoration Day, established to honor Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the Civil War.

General John A. Logan, who was the commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic made the proclamation.

After World War I (known as The War to End all Wars as it was being fought) the day was known as Memorial Day. The holiday evolved to honor all U.S. military personnel who died in service, not just those from the Civil War.

Memorial Day was established as a federal holiday in 1971, when Congress standardized its observance to the last Monday in May. This change aimed to create a three-day weekend for federal employees, making it easier for families to gather and remember the sacrifices made by military personnel.

So enjoy your weekend, remember those who died in service and be thankful for the freedoms we have.

05/19/2026

It's a celebration and remembrance of D-Day, June 6, 1944, eighty-two (82) years later. Our thanks and appreciation for all who served and sacrificed and their families.

05/10/2026

RESCHEDULED DUE TO RAIN FORECAST. WATCH FOR NEW DATE!

See you there! We will be in the Cafe (so are the restrooms) with several historic exhibits.

05/09/2026

There’s clearly work going on in the inside of this building. It is still a pink building instead of green.

05/08/2026

FOUNDING MOTHERS OF THE UNITED STATES

Celebrating the 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence - Did you know the first printed version of the Declaration of Independence with all the signatures of the Continental Congress was printed by a Baltimore printing company owned by a woman Mary Katherine Goddard? She was a postmistress and published newspapers in Providence, Philadelphia and Baltimore. By printing her name on the Declaration her life was at as much risk as any of the signers. Hers is the only woman's name on this document. She was clearly a very active patriot in her work. Having printed the Declaration some considered her the first employee of America - a woman.

Also of note is that upon Mary Katharine Goddard's death in 1816, she not only freed her enslaved servant Belinda Starling, but also left her entire estate to Starling.

05/07/2026

May 6 we enjoyed the interactions with the Carey Ridge 3rd graders. They came to visit 5 locations in downtown Westfield - our Museum, the 1835 Barker Cabin, the City Hall Assembly Room, the Anti-Slavery Cemetery, and the Basile Westfield Playhouse. We talked about many things including the Underground Railroad and how to live in a cabin as a family of 11. The students had a lot of great questions and some great guesses of maybe needing 10,000 people to run the City government. Hope we all learned something. Pictured are two groups meeting/passing on their way through Asa Bales Park to the Anti-Slavery cemetery where Asa Bales is buried after dying in a cholera epidemic in 1845 and the other pictures one of five groups entering the cabin seeing tools used back in the time.

05/06/2026

I saw this hanging on the wall at the Westfield Washington Historical Society & Museum when I was there last, and took this photo of Steve from when he was in High School.

What a handsome young man, and so full of promise. It's easy to see why Linda Lou knew he was the one and never looked back. She knows a good thing when she sees it. What a great couple they made, a power couple.

What a priveledge to all be together tomorrow to celebrate his life and legacy.

We are all so looking forward to welcoming you all with open arms.

Kelly