Pg 51
Picture: The Doughboy memorial at Rose Hill cemetery, dedicated to World War I veterans, is the center of each Memorial Day service and a familiar sight to all Mechanicsville residents.
Picture: The Rose Hill mausoleum, built in 1912, is nearly empty and destined for destruction.

THE CEMETERY

    The first cemetery in this community was about one and a half miles from the present town of Mechanicsville in Pioneer Grove. In the very early days a stranger, a tramp really, came to the Grove, sickened and died. The question arose as to where he should be buried. Mr. Walbridge, a farmer living where the Robert Holladays now live, gave an acre of his land for cemetery purposes and the tramp was the first one interred there. Today the cemetery is still there, fenced in, but otherwise uncared for. Many of the bodies have been re-interred in Rose Hill cemetery, which was established in Mechanicsville some years later. The records at the courthouse in Tipton show that on January 5, 1865 for the sum of one dollar, Daniel H. Comstock deeded to the Trustees of Pioneer Township, two and one half acres of land lying along “the north line” of land owned by Mary Morse. This land had been purchased by Mr. Comstock in 1852 from George Weaver. Today it is spoken of as “the old cemetery” and lies directly north of the central driveway in Rose Hill.

    On October 13, 1880, a group of ten men met and formed what is known as Rose Hill cemetery association. Articles of incorporation were recorded at Tipton on October 15, 1880. Capitol stock was set at $1,000 with shares at $100 each. Officers were elected as follows: O. B. Judd, president; J. S. Gortner, secretary; J. W. Helmer, treasurer. Williamson Helmer and George W. Fall were elected directors. October 16, 1880 Miss Mary Jane Morris deeded four acres of land to the Association for $400.

    Later that month the ground was surveyed and laid out in lots 10x20 feet. Streets six feet wide ran north and south and alleys four feet wide went east and west. There was an elliptical drive or eclipse circle ten feet wide with a west entrance. “First class lots” were priced at $10 and five hundred bills were printed advertising a public sale on the grounds November 6 at 2 p.m. In May 1881 B. F. Davisson and J. S. Gortner were authorized to build a five foot board fence “capped and striped” around the cemetery. In the spring of 1889 a tier of lots was vacated all around the ground for a road and the eclipse was vacated.

    In the beginning $200 was borrowed from O. J. Judd and $250 from Miss Morris. Each year a little was paid on the principal and by 1891 the Association was out of debt. That year a sidewalk was built from First street north on Washington street and the directors were paid $18 each for services rendered; also the secretary was allowed 10% of all money collected on lots.

    In 1894 the price of lots was raised to $15. The next year a well was dug, and George Fall and John C. Fry were commissioned to build a tool house and furnish tools necessary to care for the grounds.

    In 1902 land was purchased on the south side from Kohlhase and a fence erected between the old and new cemetery, “a suitable arch to be made to span the entrance.”

    There was no further addition of land until 1924 when a fifty foot strip on the south side was bought from Sam Young for $500 and a certain bit of Kohlhase for $100. Six years later a need for more ground was apparent, so land on the east side was purchased from Della Graham for $50. This was surveyed, platted and graveled for a road. On November 20, 1943 one and one-fourth acres on the southeast side was bought from Walter Spry for $500.

    In 1912 a mausoleum was erected on the grounds, requiring seven months to complete the work.

    In 1930 the American Legion Auxiliary purchased a lot in the Graham addition, and erected thereon a memorial monument to the boys of World War I. It is a bronze statue on a granite pedestal of an American dough boy, gun in hand, about to throw a hand grenade. Each year on Memorial Day exercises are held at the base of this statue.

    For many years the cemetery was looked after by a group of ladies known as the Ladies Cemetery Association. However in 1953 the town took over the supervision and the following trustees were named: Phil Sorenson, chairman; Emma Miller, who had charge of the records and books; Joe Kohl, John Walshire and Arthur Vanderbilt.

    The fence along the public roadside has been removed and trees planted there. The tool house has been moved over from the entrance and is now east of the Graham addition.

    In 1958 a plot of ground located south of South cemetery drive was purchased from Sam Young for $1,000. All stones on this portion of the cemetery are to be placed at ground level.

    Due to the deterioration of the mausoleum, several bodies have been removed from it and buried east of the mausoleum.

    A sexton is in charge of the cemetery during the summer months and the grounds are well taken care of.