This picture was taken by me in February 1990. The sign has since deteriorated and the cemetery is again in dire need of care. Although the oldest marker is that of Alley Cross, who died in 1845, there is no documented proof that it is the first burial place in Columbus Township. There are markers dating back to 1844 in Kittridge Cemetery, a mere 2 miles north east, off Gratiot, and then there is the now abandoned William's Cemetery in the north east corner of the township (Section 1), which may predate it.
What follows are the events that led to the rededication
of the cemetery in 1976 as told to me by Don Johnson, a volunteer, who
took care of the cemetery for several years.
In 1975, Peter Tyler, who was then Township Treasurer, expressed his desire to preserve the old cemetery. He organized a group of volunteers who cleared the brush, removed the fallen trees, and retrieved the tombstones that had been thrown down a deep ravine by vandals. The volunteers put up a split-rail fence across the cemetery front and erected a sign to identify the spot as Columbus Township's first burial place. Then, on July 18, 1976, a rededication ceremony was held at the cemetery. The small band of volunteers was beaming with pride as some 60 persons witnessed uniformed members of the American Legion and the Ladies Auxiliary march into the cemetery. The VFW members placed a wreath, installed American flags, and fired a four-gun salute. The bugler sounded taps and a dedication proclamation was read to the township board members. In 1977, at a regular meeting of the board at the township hall, the cemetery was officially named the 'Arlington Road Cemetery'.
Last year, when township officials informed me that they have no obligation or interest in maintaining the cemetery, some of the residents on Arlington Road took it upon themselves and mowed the area in front of the fence. If you are a resident of Arlington Road and would like to help with the cleanup next spring, please contact me by email (address below).
As recorded by Ursula B. Adamson in October 1990
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| ------------Charles | --- | --- | in wooded area, front, far left | ||
| ------------Cynthia | --- | --- | marker found in ravine | ||
| ------------Isabella | 1843 | 1890 | |||
| AYERS, John | 28 Sep 1808 | 14 Jan 1883 | husband of Sally | ||
| AYERS, Sally | 08 Feb 1813 | 22 Mar 1899 | wife of John | ||
| BREESE, Niles | 10 Feb 1867 | 05 Mar 1867 | 00/00/23 | son of E.H. & Margaret | |
| CLARK, Lyman A. | --- | --- | 77/08/16 | ||
| CLARK, Mary | 1812 | 08 Jul 1899 | 87/00/00 | wife of Lyman | stone missing |
| CLARK, Z(S)abra G. | --- | 13 Jan 1870 | 20/00/00 | ||
| CROSS, Alley M. | --- | 19 Apr 1845 | 17/00/00 | dau. of E.S. & Hannah | |
| CROSS, E.S. (Erastus S.) | 1798 | 14 Jul 1872 | 77/00/00 | "A faithful friend, a husband dear, a tender parent lieth here, great is the loss we here sustain but hope in heaven to meet again". | |
| CROSS, Hannah | --- | 02 Nov 1868 | 63/06/13 | wife of E.S. | |
| FOLTS*, Elizabeth | --- | 11 Dec 1859 | 16/02/00 | dau. of M. &. M. Folts | |
| FOLTS, George | --- | 12 Nov 1870 | 29/08/05 | "In memory of my beloved husband George Folts, who departed this life November 12 1870, aged 29 Y, 8 Mos., 5 ds; ...the words of my mouth.... | |
| FOLTS, Mary | 15 Jun 1808 | 25 Oct 1899 | wife of Michael | ||
| FOLTS, Michael | 03 Nov 1814 | 25 Sep 1904 | husband of Mary | ||
| FULLER, Dorcas | 14 Jul 1826 | 22 Dec 1871 | |||
| FULLER, Elijah | 25 Feb 1860 | 25 May 1862 | |||
| FULLER, Norman | 03 Mar 1828 | 15 Mar 1894 | |||
| HUNT, John | --- | 01 Jun 1849 | 60/00/00 | stone broken, on ground | |
| JOHNSON, Carrie | 1844 | 1875 | dau. of H. & E. | ||
| JOHNSON, Charles | 1856 | 1887 | son of H. & E. | ||
| JOHNSON, Eleanor | 1824 | 1893 | wife of Hiram | ||
| JOHNSON, Flora | 1864 | 1882 | dau. of H. & E. | ||
| JOHNSON, Hiram | 1817 | 1871 | husband of Eleanor | ||
| JOHNSON, John H. | 1848 | 1899 | son of H. & E. | ||
| MAGARY, Charles | 24 Jun 1848 | 12 Apr 1872 | |||
| MAGARY, George R. | 10 Jul 1811 | 17 May 1884 | |||
| MAGARY, Jennett (see Stephenson) | |||||
| MUGRIDGE, Bill S. | --- | -- | -- | -- | |
| MUGRIDGE, Elijah | --- | -- | -- | -- | |
| MUGRIDGE, Emaline (nee Gleason) | 11 Jan 1824 | 10 Jul 1906 | wife of S. Mugridge | ||
| ROBERTSON, Zerviah L. | --- | 04 Nov 1869 | 63/00/00 | "Calm on the bosom
of thy God, dear spirit rest thee now".
Erected by her son Franklin. |
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| STEPHENSON**, Jennett (nee Magary) | 27 Jan 1851 | 17 Sep 1874 | |||
| YOUNG, Barbara | --- | 16 Apr 1885 | 77/10/08 | wife of Michael | |
| YOUNG, Mary | --- | 04 Sep 1892 | 60/03/17 | wife of Norman | |
| YOUNG, Michael | --- | 22 Sep 1876 | 72/11/20 | husband of Barbara | I shall be satisfied when I walk... |
| YOUNG, Norman | 15 July 1836 | 22 Sep 1912 | husband of Mary | ||
| * also spelled
Foltz / Voltz
** also spelled Stevenson |
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