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STERLING HEIGHTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
Edgerton Cemetery

 

 

Overview of Edgerton Cemetery

Interesting Facts

Pictures from the Cemetery

Burials at Edgerton

Civil War Veterans

 

 

 

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Overview of Edgerton Cemetery

  

Edgerton Cemetery was established in the 1830s as a family burial ground on approximately 1.84 acres of land. The cemetery is located on a knoll on the southwest corner of Schoenherr and Utica roads, on the site of what was originally the Edgerton family farm. The earliest burial for which there is a tombstone was that of Nancy Curtis, who died on May 16, 1839 at the age of 39.

For decades, the cemetery was maintained by relatives and descendants. As these individuals either died or moved away, the cemetery went into decline.

The City of Sterling Heights assumed responsibility for the care and maintenance of the cemetery in 1989. Previously, various community groups including the Cultural Commission, Historical Commission, and Boy Scouts sponsored intermittent clean-ups of the cemetery. A local business donated fencing in 1976 as a bicentennial project.

Unfortunately, cemetery records were destroyed in a fire in the 1948. The earliest burials in the cemetery are in the 1830s with the last burial occurring in 1964. There are approximately 150 burials, with about 100 of them dating to the nineteenth century.

Edgerton Cemetery is an important local historic site as it is the resting place for area pioneer families, many of them members of the Sterling Township's German farming community.

 

 

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Interesting Facts about Edgerton Cemetery

   3 Civil War Veterans are buried here:
Milton Drake - May 9, 1832 - April 22, 1864
George Drake - June 21, 1841 - August 20, 1864
Charles Scribner - 1830- February 28, 1865

The first burial was in 1839. Nancy Curtis, March 29, 1800-May 16, 1839.

The last burial was in 1964. Alice L. Rice, September 29,1866-October 5, 1964.

The average life expectancy was: male, 42 years and female, 43.5 years

Other interesting burials:

Eleazer Edgerton 1806-1891. Justice of the Peace 1836-1856. Sterling Treasurer 1838 & 1856.
Nancy Edgerton 1812-1893. Wife of Eleazer Edgerton. Mother of nine children.
Lewis Drake 1801-1888. Pioneer farmer. Active in the Macomb County Agricultural Society.
Joseph Priehs 1841-1915. Pioneer of Sterling Township. Lived on the same farm for 30 years.

 

 

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Pictures from Edgerton Cemetery

   Click on the thumbnail to see a larger picture. Use the back button on your browser to return here.
The Drake marker.
The Edgerton marker.
The new sign at the Cemetery, donated by Wally & Ruth Doebler.
Some of the old tombstones at Edgerton.
The Rice marker.

 

 

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Burials at Edgerton Cemetery

  
Surname Given Names Dates Age
Beck Anna Marie 7/15/1799 - 8/1/1876 77y,17d
Beck Bernhart L. 10/29/1807 - 4/2/1883 75y,4m,29d
Behm William 3/11/1833 - 2/28/1888 54y,11m,11d
Behm Caroline 2/18/1834 - 8/16/1910 75y,11m,12d
Bitner Sarah 6/15/1831 - 3/13/1860 28y,8m,28d
Bulow Katina 12/30/1870 - 3/9/1892 21y,3m,10d
Bulow Martha 5/30/1888 - 12/25/1888 6m,25d
Buelow Friedrich 4/20/1872 - 1/6/1909 36y,8m,14d
Buelow Maria Sofia 12/25/1840 - 6/4/1885 44y,5m,10d
Buelow Henriette 10/12/1882 - 6/7/1903 21y,1m,22d
Buelow Karl 10/8/1876 - 9/17/1910 33y,11m,9d
Buelow Fred 1848 - 1927 79y
Buelow Sophie 1847 - 5/20/1920 73y
Buelow Auguste Laniom 1/7/1877 - 3/3/1882 5y,1m,27d
Cook Alona M. 1/21/1869 - 3/21/1942 73y,2m
Cook Fred S. 8/27/1866 - 5/7/1939 72y,8m,20d
Cook Bert L. 6/26/1895 - 1/14/1933 37y,6m,12d
Cook Enoch 1829 - 1914 85y
Cook Candace 1832 - 1915 83y
Cook Addie 1858 - 10/15/1890 33y 
Cowles Horace 12/5/1836 - 3/24/1923 86y,3m,9d
Cowles Lucy M. 1/12/1842 - 12/31/1928 86y,11m,19d
Cowles Chester B. 2/3/1810 - 9/19/1854 44y,7m,16d
Cowles Elizabeth A. 1810 - betw.1870&1880  
Cowles Emily L. 11/16/1842 - 11/17/1856 14y,1d
Cowles Sylvester 1833 - 10/22/1854 22y,1m,16d
Cowles William 1831 - after 1860  
Curtis Thankful Birdzell 9/11/1782 - 3/22/1849 66y,6m,11d
Curtis Anneliza 1845 - 1850 5y
Curtis Cordilio 2/3/1799 - 10/31/1873 74y,8m,28d
Curtis Nancy 3/29/1800 - 5/16/1839 39y,2m,13d
Curtis Mary 9/14/1814 - 5/18/1852 37y,8m,4d
Curtis Nancy M. 1/16/1837 - 8/27/1865 28y,7m,11d
Curtis Marriette 6/22/1830 - 7/3/1844 14y,11d
Curtis Sarette 12/18/1831 - 5/15/1841 9y,4m,27d
Difford Giles 9/20/1815 - 12/23/1878 63y,3m,3d
Difford Jane 6/21/1813 - 2/8/1886 72y,7m,18d
Drake Lewis 1/3/1801 - 10/28/1888 87y,9m,20d
Drake Mary 1805 - 8/6/1845 41y
Drake Charity 1817 - 4/22/1886 69y
Drake Francis 3/24/1844 - 8/13/1844 4m,18d
Drake Lewis 5/18/1830 - 10/28/1850 20y
Drake Bronson 11/10/1826 - 1/14/1862 35y,9m,26d
Drake Milon M. 5/9/1832 - 4/22/1864 31y,11m,17d
Drake George B. 6/21/1841 - 8/20/1864 23y,1m,29d
Drake Helen E. 9/11/1847 - 11/26/1878 31y,2m,15d
Drake Jettora B. 7/16/1854 - 5/31/1887 32y,10m,14d
Drake Meriden T. 1876 - 1906 30y
Drake Louisa A. 7/4/1851 - 8/18/1928 77y,1m,14d
Drake Winfield S. 6/3/1849 - 1/11/1942 92y,7m,8d
Dubois William D. 10/25/1858 - 11/1/1925 67y,7d
Dubois Minnie B. 10/22/1873 - 3/10/1914 40y,4m,18d
Dubois Charles C. 6/24/1826 - 8/12/1896 70y,1m,19d
Dubois Mary H. 6/8/1832 - 6/15/1891 59y,7d
Dubois Elmer J. 1856 - 6/25/1891 35y 
Dubois Frank H. 1/1/1871 - 3/22/1882 11y,3m,22d
Edgerton Eleazer 1/16/1806 - 7/16/1891 85y,6m
Edgerton Nancy 10/3/1812 - 9/17/1893 82y,11m,16d 
Edgerton Jay R. 1841 - 4/11/1867 26y
Edgerton Lovina 8/18/1837 - 12/21/1863 26y,4m,3d
Edgerton Julia A. 1836 - 4/7/1861 25y
Edgerton Francis E. 3/12/1845 - 4/21/1864 19y,1m,9d
Edgerton James 4/14/1851 - 1/22/1866 14y,9m,8d
Edgerton Lorenzo 3/17/1847 - 3/6/1871 23y,11m,20d
Edgerton Charles   9/25/1855 - 1872 21y
Faulmann Willhelm 6/2/1884 - 10/14/1908 24y,4m,12d
Faulmann Charlotte 10/20/1840 - 1/8/1890 49y,2m,12d
Faulmann Karl 9/13/1872 - 2/9/1892 19y,4m,25d
Foster Sarah 1855 - 1861 4y,10m,3d
Gamper Jacob 1786 - 1/24/1871 85y
Gaude Ottilia 10/6/1882 - 7/21/1887 4y,10m,15d
Hacker Edward 6/5/1827 - 6/16/1899 72y,11d
Hacker Leah 2/26/1828 - 9/13/1884 56y,7m,1d
Hacker Leah L. 12/8/1864 Infant
Hacker Alvin E. 1/9/1823 - 8/19/1856 34y,7m,11d
Hacker Alfred J. 10/1855 - 8/26/1856 11m
Hacker John E. 12/6/1859 - 10/5/1861 1y,10m,12d
Harvey Justin 1812 - 10/12/1855 43y
Herling John   11/9/1816 - 4/18/1881 64y,5m,9d
Herling Christina 1820 - 11/18/1892 72y
Hetsler Frederick 1805 - 12/2/1855 50y
Hetsler Mary M. 1825 - 1904 79y
Koefter Wilhelm 8/7/1832 - 7/4/1890 57y,10m,27d
Koefter Maria G. 12/16/1833 - 12/25/1922 89y,9d
Lucht Fredrick 1816 - 7/2/1891 75y   
Mass Friedrich 11/16/1832 - 1/23/1903 70y,2m,7d
Mass Wilhamine 1/9/1832 - 1/10/1898 66y,1d
Ober Eliakin 6/13/1786 - 10/19/1859 73y,4m,6d
Ober Desire 10/8/1782 - 5/10/1851 68y,7m,2d
Ober Hilen 1/1/1806 - 11/26/1876 70y,10m,26d
Ober Sarah M. 1811 - 5/22/1880 69y
Perry Ira S. 1/1794 - 9/2/1878 84y,8m
Perry Mercy E. 7/25/1791 - 3/10/1864 72y,7m,16d
Pinnow Johann 1/7/1842 - 5/11/1890 58y,4m,4d
Pinnow Fritz 1876 - 5/1/1887 11y  
Potter Benona 9/1805 - 11/12/1855 50y,2m
Priehs John C. 2/13/1830 - 5/22/1900 70y,3m,9d
Priehs Dorathea 12/25/1831 - 10/17/1899 67y,10m,8d
Priehs Herman 11/6/1876 - 2/2/1895 18y,9m,26d
Priehs Irvin 3/30/1895 - 7/30/1895 3m,21d
Priehs Hilda Ida 10/5/1908 - 12/5/1910 2y,2m
Priehs Joseph 3/26/1841 - 6/3/1915 74y,3m,8d
Priehs Sophia 12/24/1846 - 7/2/1929 82y,6m,9d
Quandt Joachim 12/8/1803 - 8/19/1893 89y,8m,11d
Reeve Henry 1828 - 1/20/1884 56y
Reeve Sarah 1823 - 3/2/1890 67y
Rice Gilbert 1819 - 4/20/1889 70y
Rice Viola 7/24/1853 - 6/12/1855 1y,10m,19d
Rice Harriet 10/5/1820 - 11/22/1855 35y,1m,17d
Rice John 4/2/1799 - 1866 67y
Rice Mary 11/6/1809 - 1/20/1841 31y,2m,14d
Rice June 6/30/1857 - 5/7/1893 35y,10m,7d
Rice Richard 11/1/1852 - 10/4/1943 91y,11m,24d
Rice Lucielle 1/8/1896 - 10/19/1899 3y,9m,11d
Rice H. Donald 9/8/1898 - 1/20/1900 1y,4m,12d
Rice John 5/8/1863 - 5/5/1924 60y,11m,28d
Rice Alice L. 9/29/1866 - 10/5/1964 98y,6d
Rice John T. 5/16/1829 - 11/1858 29y,6m
Rice Elizabeth J. 1/7/1837 - 12/5/1863 25y,10m,29d
Rice Charles W. 6/13/1831 - 7/1882 51y,8m
Rice Mary A. 1/16/1839 - 10/26/1857 18y,9m,10d
Rice C. Adele 11/15/1855 - 11/6/1876 20y,11m,23d
Rice Philena M. 9/15/1826 - 6/2/1895 68y,8m,17d
Rice Eliz. Merta 4/14/1858 - 11/26/1871 13y,7m,12d
Rice Catharine 1819 - 10/5/1860 41y,2m,13d
Scribner John C. 1/28/1827 - 1/25/1862 34y,11m,28d
Scribner Charles W. 1830 - 2/28/1865 36y  
Scribner Aaron 1799 - 1854 54y 
Scribner Rhoda 1796 - 2/28/1858 62y
Scribner Samuel B. 1842 - 1851 9y
Stead Alfred   1/1/1842 - 3/26/1914 72y,3m,26d
Stead Sarah A. 2/14/1844 - 3/13/1924 81y,27d
Stead Charles W. 7/6/1877 - 7/28/1878 1y,1m,22d 
Stead Charles 8/25/1840 - 8/11/1870 29y,11m,17d
Steaver Richard 2/19/1823 - 8/26/1861 38y,6m,7d
Sturges Corene 1/1819 - 6/6/1861 42y,6m
Sturges Susan 8/19/1844 - 12/4/1863 19y,3m,16d
Sylvester Richard 8/13/1808 - 7/4/1891 82y,11m,9d
Trost August  2/14/1866 - 10/25/1898 32y,8m,11d
Trost Julia  10/13/1893 - 7/30/1894 9m,17d
Ube Charles 12/12/1852 - 1/17/1898 45y,1m,5d
Ube Friedrich 5/14/1829 - 1/24/1888 58y,8m,10d
Ube Wilhelmine 10/8/1830 - 9/22/1917 86y,11m 
Upton Elizabeth 5/1803 - 12/18/1866 63y,7m
Upton Elmer G. 1864 - 1/16/1890 26y
Upton Gussie M. 8/20/1870 - 1/16/1890 19y,4m,27d
Upton Sarah 6/1838 - 11/1/1858 20y,5m
Upton John 1803 - 1854 52y
VanAntwerp Caroline Augusta 5/3/1845 - 8/21/1846 1y,2m,18d
VanAntwerp Francis 7/1816 - 8/9/1843 27y,1m

 

 

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Civil War Veterans Buried in Edgerton Cemetery by Historical Commission Jason Channell

 

Charles W. Scribner, father of two, died in 1864 of disease during the Civil War.

 A sad but consistent theme in human history is that young people die in large numbers in wartime. Edgerton Cemetery, the oldest cemetery in Sterling Heights, is the final resting place for three Union soldiers from the Civil War.

Charles W. Scribner made the trip from Sterling Township to Utica and enlisted in the 22 Michigan Infantry, Company F. The father of two boys was 33 at the time of his enlistment. Corporal Scribner never even made it into battle. From Utica, he was shipped to Grand Rapids, and along with many other soldiers, contracted measles at the Union Army camp. Corporal Scribner recovered enough to travel a bit further south, but soon turned ill again and died at the City General Hospital in Indianapolis in February of 1864. Corporal Scribner was among the 4 officers and 306 enlisted men of the 22 Michigan Infantry who died due from disease during the Civil War.

The Drake brothers, 21-year-old George and 30-year-old Milon, fought with Company B of the 22 Michigan Infantry. The soldiers in Company B came primarily from Macomb County. George held the rank of private, while Milon was a corporal.

Company B engaged in numerous fierce battles, including the infamous siege of Atlanta lead by General William T. Sherman. The 22nd also fought several violent skirmishes against roving guerrilla Confederate forces. Unfortunately for these Michigan soldiers, they were all too often on the losing side of the battlefield.

Private George B. Drake met his fate at Chattanooga in August of 1864. Corporal Milon Drake died at the end of the Civil War, in April of 1865. The Drakes were part of the 3 officers and 86 enlisted men killed in action. Initially buried in the National Cemetery in Chattanooga, TN (where they still have memorial markers for both brothers), the Drake family had the bodies sent to Edgerton where they lay in their final resting place.

In total, the 22 Michigan Infantry lost 399 men to disease and battle deaths.

 

 

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Last updated: December 22, 2008
 
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