Blue Lake/White Oak Cemetery

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Also known as White Oak Cemetery

Blue Lake Road – Pine Island Road

Blue Lake Township 
Sec. 13, Sec. 29, T12N, R16W

History

The first supervisor of the township was Austin P. Ware, born in 1818 in New York State, and a settler since 1864, settling on Sections 20 and 29.  Other supervisors were Jas. P Utter, N.R. Dryer, Franklin Scott, and Francis Hiscutt.  P.J. Martin was clerk.

The first preacher was a Baptist, Rev. George Irving.  The first white child to be born in the township was probably Hattie, daughter of Alfred Tyndal, born in 1864, although some claim that Edward, son of Jas. Doherty was born a year or two before.  Messrs. Hays, Doherty and Brown worked for the Daltons and were some of the earliest settlers.  A Mr. Andrews came in about 1862 and settled on the Signant place where he remained until about 1867.  Other early arrivals were Lars Jensen and the Andersens, who were Danish, B.B. Aldrich, his brother-in-law, A.P. Ware, C.H. Chatfield, Dr. Kinsley, J.M. Crawford, A. Tyndal, M.D. Drake and Mr. Warren.

There were a number of mills in the township as there were many pine trees.  The “Brown” mill was the first, in 1856, and was in the southeast corner of Section 6.  Widow Jensen had one at the head of silver Creek, F.H. Sturtevant of Whitehall had a steam mill in the southeast of Section 25 and Dr. Kingsley had another in Section 29.

The township was organized in 1865, out of Dalton.  The first teacher was Ophelia Parks, sister of Mrs. F.D. Glazier (of Whitehall who died in 1878) and she started teaching in May 1866 at Block School House.  The first Sunday school was organized in April 1866 in the house of Henry F. Parks.

The last burial in Blue Lake Cemetery was in 1926 and the oldest marked grave is dated

February 11, 1871.  The cemetery has some Civil War Veterans buried there.

For many years the Blue Lake Fireman’s Auxiliary has kept the cemetery cleaned.  In 1977 the CETA program spent $1500 cleaning brush, installing fence posts and a gate.  The Blue Lake Township board has asked the State of Michigan for 12½ acres of adjoining state property to enlarge the cemetery and to return it to use again.

(Research by Frank Gyori, June Veldman, and Evelyn Buckingham)

For headstone photos go to www.findagrave.com.

Last burial 1964.