Myrtle Grove Cemetery
Surrounded by Life
Tucked away, cut-off from the road that once brought
the living to say their final goodbyes to the dead,
sits the aptly named Myrtle Grove Cemetery.
Sometimes when you wander through the woods,
if you know what to look for,
you can see the evidence of those who
came before you.
There may be no obvious foundations or structures
no debris or pottery...
But written in the land are the plants
---not native to the area--
that let you know something was here.
It's a good place to start.
Myrtle, also known as Periwinkle or Vinca,
is a carryover from Europe.
Immigrants from Europe brought it from the Old World
to their new homes--
A floral bridge connecting both worlds.
And when you see it,
you know someone was here before you.
Someone lived nearby.
This cemetery is easy to miss unless you know it is there.
The entrance is equally easy to miss,
The entrance is equally easy to miss,
like the door of the Secret Garden.
But a walk down a narrow path off Allen Dr...
...Takes you down the path that many mourners before you tread.
On the now grassy path
onto the dirt road that once connected this cemetery to Route 31
Past its namesake myrtle...
To a cemetery where many of
Lysander's families settled
to farm the land.
But why chose here?
It was easy land to dig!
The soil is quite sandy.
A mixed blessing as it does make it harder
for headstones to stay upright.
At first glance it looks as if there is not much here...
...but then you begin to realize that time has taken its toll.
This place is not empty, but somewhat forgotten.
Once Myrtle Grove,
also known as Lysander Burial Ground or Sears Cemetery,
was right off the main road
with a laneway precession from the road to the cemetery.
The bright white line is where the laneway once stood.
Interestingly,
this cemetery was so
such a part of life,
neither the 1852, 1859 or 1874 maps
delineate it...but it was there,
surrounded by farms and homes...
a place of burial
of beloved children...
...well loved, but lost too soon in the Aller family 😔
"Our Only Son"
Ellery Post, age 5
Young brothers Edward and George Childs...
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/30729140/edward-w-childs
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/30729141/george-d-childs
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/30729141/george-d-childs
Next to siblings Phebe,...
Caroline,...
...and Jefferson.
While only two of Phylander and Mary Childs'
children would outlive them,
one of those two went on to become
Attorney General of Minnesota,
Henry Warren Childs
and is buried in Minnesota
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/134741971/henry-warren-childs
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/134741971/henry-warren-childs
Also buried here
is
Nathan Teall!
(Brother of Oliver Teall
of Canal, Salt, and Banking fame.)
...who became the first postmaster of West Cicero
(pic by Bill Pfingsten)
Some intrigue on figuring out how this
house is connected to Nathan Teall:
It is also the resting place of a successful
canal boat builder, Charles Woods,
who later dabbled in farming.
He and his wife Mary Jane are
not far from where they are buried.
There are at least 2 veterans of the Mexican- American War:
Thomas Robinson whose age at death is unknown
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/37889432/thomas-b-robinson
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/37889432/thomas-b-robinson
Ezra Miles who lived to 106
And many veterans from other conflicts:
In fact there are so many veterans,
buried in this small cemetery that
there is even a small plaque and flagpole
to honor their service
the farmland became prime land...
...for post-WW2 housing development.
But what to do with the old cemetery?
It could be plowed over...
But that would be disrespectful.
It could be moved...
But that would be expensive.
Or...
The development could go around it!
The Aller Family lovingly tends their family's graves here
The development could go around it!
So everyone's backyards would back up to the border of the cemetery.
And the neighborhood would collectively
keep safe the history in its center.
An elegantly simple idea...
but one that did cut off the laneway from Rt 31.
and the original entrance off Rt 31 would become a driveway
But the cemetery itself would be saved from development.
This is still an active cemetery.
There are new headstones here in the family plots.
Old...
Not far from the new
with flowers and decorations that make them smile from the beyond.
As you circle around back you come across
another family with recent burials,
the Harris Family.
Lovingly decorated,
it's a reminder that cemeteries are just as much for the living
as they are for the dead:
A place to stop by,
A place to show you care,
A place to remind the world that their lives mattered.
That while they are gone, they are not forgotten.
This final gathering of family members
is not unlike those of years before,
such as the Haynes, Potter, and Russell Families.
(a list of just some of the families who are buried here:
https://sites.rootsweb.com/~nyononda/CEMETERY/MYRTLEGR.HTM )
https://sites.rootsweb.com/~nyononda/CEMETERY/MYRTLEGR.HTM )
Once they lived in a home together,
Now the are surrounded
by homes.
And there is comfort an knowing
that while they were surrounded by family in life,
that in death they are still surrounded by life...
Children at play,
grownups walking their dog
houses being tended,
houses being tended,
barbeques in the backyard
The fabric of LIVING!
they are literally surrounded on all sides
Life and home and family 💗...
All keeping watch over this patch of land.
And you when you leave,
they have left a reminder behind:
It's okay.
They're okay.
You'll be okay
They're okay.
You'll be okay
because like you,
they've GONE home, too <3
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