The following information is transcribed from the WPA Linn County Cemetery Survey, researched & prepared by Leslie L. Haskin on 10/14/1938:

This cemetery is situated on State Highway 228 (north side of highway), and upon the crest of a knoll about one half mile west of Crawfordsville….

This cemetery was originally started as a family cemetery by the R. C. Finley family.  Although very old for this region it has been little used and contains but few graves.

The first burial here (of record) was that of Amanda J. Finley on September 30, 1857.

This cemetery has recently been purchased by the Odd-Fellows Lodge of Crawfordsville and improvements are being made.  More burials will doubtless take place here in the future.

The original R. c. Finley home was situated a short distance to the north and east of this cemetery, possibly an eighth of a mile distant and “up the draw where there was a good spring.”

Another pioneer feature of interest near here is the site of a very early saw-mill which was situated south and west of the old cemetery on the banks of the Calapooia.  The site of this old mill is now within the grounds of the Calapooia Roundup Grounds, where celebrations are now held each July 4^th.

Historical & Biographical Notes.

Richard Chism Finley. A pioneer Miller.  Emigrant of 1846.  Built the Finley Mill, one fourth mile west of the cemetery about 1848 or possibly 1849.  The inscription on the mill is believed to be incorrect.  The first building of the mill was swept away by the floods of 1861-62.  The present building was probably erected about 1856.  (It was erected before the first building was destroyed).  R. C. Finley also built the old “Boston” Flour mill near Shedd, Oregon.  Finley was a gold miner in 1848 or 1849.  “Leaving for the mines on the day that his first mill was finished.”  He was a cripple, having been injured in the Wisconsin Lead mines before coming to Oregon.

Eleanor Y. (Finley).  Was the second wife of the above R. C. Finley.  Had no children.

Polly Ann (Kirk) Finley.  She was the first wife of the above R. C. Finley.  Married at the age of 13 years.  She was the daughter of Alexander Kirk, pioneer of 1846 and was married to Finley either previous to, or immediately after arriving in Oregon.

Amanda J. and Cyrus Vawter Finley—were children of Polly Ann and Richard Chism Finley.  It was probably for the first of these children that this cemetery was established.

Cyrus Vawter.  He was Richard Finley’s miller and partner and married Finley’s oldest daughter.  The very old house that formerly stood directly across the Calapooia from the old mill was first occupied by the young Vawters immediately following their wedding.

Henry O. Hawk.  He was an early emigrant to the Willamette Valley and lived in the region between the old town of Union Point, Linn County, and the “Diamond Hills” in northern Lane County.

Informants giving the above information were—Andrew Kirk, Brownsville. Elizabeth Finley Brandon, Halsey.  John Glass, Crawfordsville.  All are natives of Oregon and this region and of an age to remember accurately facts given.

[End of Haskin’s survey.]

Online Transcriptions:

   Surveyed in 1999 by Jan Phillips and available at her website.

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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.