The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-11-12
Strange Things That Haze Happened Lakewood Cemetery

sovereigns, and the greater part Of
these are now on exhibition at the
Minneapolis public library. The order
of Knighthood of st. Stanislaus was
conferred upon him in 1851 and in 1855
he received gold snuffbox, diamond
studded, and valued at 1880 francs,
from Napoleon III. He also received
large number Of medals from the Amer
lean and other Institutes, medal and
diploma from the European Shipwreck
society of all nations in France in 1912,
and a second in England, designated
Benefactor,' by the Imperial Royal
European society. In addition to these
honors from foreign countries, congress
in 1888 passed joint resolution thank
ing him for his "life-long services to
humanity and to his country" and
authorizing the president to present
him with gold medal.
The first burial in Lakewood was
that Of Miss Maggie H. Mcneil, daugh-
ter Of Gregor Mcneil. She died Jan.
"a, 1872, and her remains were first
inferred in the old Friends burying
ground on Lyndale avenue and later re-
moved to Lakewood. Since her grave
was smoothed over so long ago over
$4,000 persons have been laid to rest
in Lakewood. There is an average Of
two interments day in summer, and
as many as eleven funeral professions
have passed thru the gates in one day,
while in the spring between thirty and
forty bodies have been buried from the
vault in one day. At the present rate
at which lots are being taken, Super
intendent Hobert estimates that within
tbsrfu oil ha nd H-r-jkhi, hn
present cemetery enclosure will be oc-
cupied. There are now 1877 acres fenced
in, and the association has acquired
forty acres outside the enclosure. Be-
cause Of its rare natural beauty and
also because Of the artistic manner in
which it has been laid out and i'm
proved, Lakewood cemetery Is one Of
the leading burial places of the country.
It's smooth, green slopes of velvet grass
form, a particularly beautiful setting
for handsome monuments, Of which
there are many. The imposing G. A. R.
monument erected by the cemetery asso-
citation on lot donated to the Grand
Army posts Of Minneapolis, and the tall
granite shaft erected by the Head
Millers' association to the memory Of
the eighteen men who lost their lives
in the great mill explosion of May 2,
1878, are two of the most interesting,
altho nearly every monument IN the
cemetery possesses some feature Of in
terest to the observer.
On one Of the grassy slopes, close
down by the driveway, stands a small
stone model Of bridge pier. Not more
than, two feet high and carved out Of
soft stone, it marks the grave Of the
wife nf bridpe en- oinper WIN wished
to place upon his family lot a monument
that would be fitting Indication Of
his life work. It was his intention
to replace the small model with a
larger monument of hard stone some
day, but it has never been done.
The cemetery authorities are obliged
to consider many strange whims on the
part Of sorrowing friends and relatives.
One of the strangest was that Of man
who lost his wife and two daughters in
the famous "Ashtabula" railroad
wreck. It was his desire to place upon
the lot glass showcase in which to
exhibit a large number of relics Of
his dead wife and daughters. Intimate
friends were to be furnished with keys
to the showcase in order that they
might come and view these relics as
often as they desired. It took consider
able persuasion on the part of Superin-
husband and father relinquish his idea,
The only three Of the original trustees
of the Lakewood Cemetery association
who are still serving-ex-Senator W. D.
Washburn, R. J. Mendenhall and George
A Bracket elected together
| in 1871.