BARBERTON, Ohio (AP) - A tiny northeastern Ohio cemetery containing the unearthed headstones of 19th century Mormon settlers may grow if officials find more of the grave markers on the site of a recently closed school.
The Akron Beacon Journal (http://bit.ly/MfqX9W) reports that New Portage Cemetery in Barberton was fenced in about 13 years ago by local Mormon researchers, who had placed headstones there that had been found near a local elementary school. It continues to fascinate local historians who believe the eventual demolition of the now-closed school could yield even more grave stones.
A cemetery for Mormon settlers was believed to be located on the site of Portage Elementary School or in its parking lot.
Recently, four more headstones were delivered to local history buff Lisa Merrick by a resident who had them on his property for about a half century. The headstones came from a load of dirt the resident had gotten in the early 1960s, and they may eventually be placed in the cemetery.
The school district said it will determine what to do next if it turns out the school was built on top of the cemetery. The school was built in 1930 and closed this spring.
Mormon historian Karl Anderson of Lyndhurst said the New Portage Mormon community existed from about 1831 until about 1838, when most of the church members left Ohio for Missouri and points farther west. At the time it was 1 of the largest Mormon communities in the country, with 100 to 200 people living there.
"The school is right in the heart of where New Portage was," Anderson said.
So far there are 24 headstones from 1836 to 1893. Researchers believe that perhaps 100 people were buried in the cemetery, so there are dozens of missing headstones.
Historians believe the New Portage Mormon location played an important role in what is called Zion's Camp, a period of Mormon history when many gathered at New Portage to head west to Missouri to protect other Mormons who were being harassed.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, known as the Mormon church, was founded in April 1830 by Joseph Smith in upstate New York. There are 14.4 million members worldwide, including more than 6 million in the United States.
Information from: Akron Beacon Journal, http://www.ohio.com
Comments