Saari's records show that in April and October of 1923 and February and March of 1924, four adult children of the Anderson family died. It seems that the cow they kept in the back yard carried the disease and transmitted it to the Ander-sons in the milk they drank. According to Township Supervisor John Olson, the original plat set aside for the cemetery dropped precipitously to the water's edge. Understandably then, the land closest to the lake was never used as a burial ground, but instead was cultivated as a flower garden and eventually was sold. The first, original portion is entered through an elaborate Victorian wrought iron gate, complete with a turnstile to discourage roving cows.
Aged trees shade the ornate ironwork that borders the oldest graves.
The newer section was a swamp that had to be filled. In the process, all trees were leveled. A picturesque fence of heaped fieldstones encloses the entire cemetery. The system finally collapsed when an interfaith couple insisted that they be buried next to one another. For example, she follows the maiden names of women to determine extended kinships.