The Cemetery & Research Association of LaPorte County met in December 2013 at the home of President Deanna West. A Christmas potluck lunch and gift exchange was held prior to the business meeting.
With the motto of “We remember, search and document so they are not forgotten,” members research the numerous LaPorte County cemeteries, many dating to the beginning of the county, and attempt to document all county cemeteries, including abandoned and no longer marked, and burials therein. This information, including family histories, when known, is then placed on the association website: http://www.dunelady.com/laporte/cemeteries.
Among the newest publications of the association is “Abandoned & Destroyed Cemeteries of La Porte Co., IN, Vol. #1” by Gloria D. Arndt and Patricia Gruse Harris. It shows the locations of Union Church, Dysard, Beatty Farm, Bowell, Jessup, Learn, Willvale & Shaw cemeteries by maps, photos and documents, along with known and possible burials within each. Cost of the book is $21 plus $4.50 postage. Another newer publication is “Rolling Prairie Cemetery Old Section” by Gloria D. Arndt and Donna Nelson, which is indexed by surname, location of tombstone/grave and also contains history of the cemetery, obituaries and other documents pertaining to the interred and evidence of older burials. Cost $24 plus $5 postage. Also new is “Union Mills Cemetery, La Porte Co., IN” by Deanna West, comprised of older and newer readings, donated family files and current cemetery additions laid out in lot and block order, older obituaries and histories of many of the families that developed the area. Cost is $45 plus $5 postage.
A printable order blank for these publications and information on other publications for sale, as well as more LaPorte County information, is available at http://www.dunelady.com/laporte/. Orders can also be sent with checks payable to Donna Nelson, treasurer, Cemetery & Research Assn. of LaPorte Co., IN, c/o Donna Nelson, 516 E. Kenneth Ave., LaPorte, IN 46350.
The association is working on researching cemeteries for Vol. 2 of “Abandoned & Destroyed Cemeteries” and is seeking information on Cowan and Redding cemeteries in Cass Twp., Snavely in Clinton Twp., Harvey in Kankakee Twp., Norris in New Durham Twp., Allen Toney in Pleasant Twp., Baker’s Point in Springfield Twp., and Clarke, possibly moved to Miriam Benedict cemetery. Anyone with information is asked to contact Patricia Harris at 219-872-3273.
The next meeting of the Cemetery & Research Association of LaPorte County is at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, at 8074 W. 200N.