Located on Eli Michael D.L.C. (BLM shows Michael D.L.C. in 14S, 3W, Sections 14, 15, 22, 23, & 26)

The following information is transcribed from the WPA Linn County Cemetery Survey, researched & prepared by Leslie L. Haskin on Dec. 27, 1938

This cemetery is almost exclusively a family cemetery.  It was platted by Eli (or Ely) Michael probably about 1850.  It is situated on the old Eli W. Michael Donation land claim about six miles south of Brownsville.  (South and west of south.)  The cemetery is situated near the south east corner of that claim and upon the summit of a high ridge overlooking a large expanse of open value….

The worker was accompanied on this trip to the cemetery by Mr. George H. fruit, grandson of Eli Michael and great-grandson of Jared Michael.  All family history was furnished by this willing informant.  The only grave not of Michael relationship is that of William C. brown who was a son of the family pastor and who was buried here at the Rev. Brown’s special request.

The earliest burial here was evidently that of Elijah Michael, son of Eli Michael, who died in 1859.  The oldest recorded birth date is that of Eli Michael, 1817, but it is evident that Jared Michael, father of the last, must be older.

Historical & Biographical Notes.

Jane Hodges.  1827-1905.  Her people settled near Wells Station in Benton. County.  Her father was Jessee Hodges.  They came in 1846 in the same emigrant train with the Michaels.  During the trip, Eli Michael, a widower with two or three children, became acquainted with Jane Hodges, spinster.  They were married shortly after arriving in Oregon.

Drury V. (Michael).  1866-1894.  Son of the above (youngest son).  Was killed by being thrown from his horse.

Eli W. Michael.  1817-1894.  Was married twice.  Was a member of the South Methodist Church.  Came to Oregon in 1846 and took up a donation land claim on which this cemetery stands.  Was a pioneer Granger and Chaplin of the local grange for over fifteen years.  He was a son of Jared Michael whose grave is marked in this cemetery by an unengraved concrete block.

The three unlettered wooden stakes in the extreme southwest corner of this plot mark the graves of the wife of Dave Michael and her two children, names unknown.  Dave Michael was a brother of Eli Michael and a son of Jared Michael.

Monroe H. (Michael).  1852-1866.  This fourteen year old boy started whistling for the pasture to get the cows.  He never returned.  His body was found a short distance from home.  Death, supposedly, from heart failure.

Bennett Michael.  Wooden stake marking grave.  His wife now [in 1938] lives at Albany Oregon, or with a Son-in-law near Mount View, Benton County.

William C. (Brown).  1866-1866.  The only person buried in this cemetery who is not a Michael connection.  He was the infant son of Rev. Brown, a Methodist (Perhaps South Methodist) preacher.  His father admired the site of this family cemetery and requested the privilege of burying his son here.

Concrete markers, unlettered.  There are two of these markers standing side by side.  The one to the south marks the grave of Jared Michael, father of Eli W. Michael.  Jared Michael took up a donation land claim to the north and west of that taken by his son.  Both reached Oregon in the same train in 1846.

Concrete marker.  The most northerly of these markers indicates the grave of the wife of Jared Michael, name not known.

Samuel T. Nye. 1856-1880.  Nye was a son-in-law of Eli Michael and Jane Hodges Michael.

Unmarked grave in extreme northeast corner of plot.  This is the grave of “Aunt Kit” Michael, daughter of Eli W. and Jane Hodges Michael.

Online Transcriptions:

    Surveyed by John Miles and available at Jan Phillips' website.

Link to a Topozone Map (use your BACK key to return here...)

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References used to prepare these cemetery pages are provided.
Lisa L. Jones prepared and is solely responsible for the content of these pages. 
Copyright 2001.