From the Albany Democrat-Herald, May 29, 1963:

"Wigle cemetery, 10 miles south of Brownsville, has had work done on it in recent years by interested families. Access to it is over private land, with a short walk necessary from the end of the road. Among the noteworthy names here is the Rev. A. J. Wigle, a highly educated Universalist minister who taught himself to read Greek and Latin, and who was responsible for the first Universalist convention west of the Rockies. He served as the first teacher at Diamond Hill school."

The following information is transcribed from the WPA Linn County Cemetery Survey, researched & prepared by Leslie L. Haskin on 12/27/1938.

This cemetery which is strictly a pioneer family affair is situated on a portion of the John and Catharine Wigle donation land claim in Section 35, Township 14 S. range 3 West of the Willamette Meridian in Linn County, Oregon....

According to Wigle family history and traction, the first person buried here was John W. Wigle who died in 1858 and who was the father of the Linn County Wigle clan. However, the records of the monuments contradict this, showing that an infant son of C. J. & M. M. Wigle was buried here a year earlier.

The earliest birth date is that of John Wigle who was born in 1808.

The land surrounding the cemetery belongs [in 1939] to Mr. Edd Wigle who resides near by, but the title to the cemetery tract is vested in the heirs of the above John Wigle.

The nearest prominent physical feature of the landscape near this cemetery is the "Indian Head Butte" situated about one mile to the north east.

Historical & Biographical Notes:

Infant son of C. J. & M. M. Wigle. Died Nov. 3, 1857. The first recorded burial in this cemetery.

Abraham J. Wigle. 1830-1905. Born in Adams Co., Ill. Crossed the plains to Oregon in 1852. Settled in Linn County about six miles south-west of Brownsville. Became a minister of the Universalist Church in 1869. Ordained 1871. Organized the first Universalists church west of the Rockys. Married in 1848 to Miss Mary M. Dougherty. In 1875 was active in organizing the first Oregon Universalists Convention. The meeting was held at Mr. Wigle's home in Linn County. A rather complete biography of this man was published in "Illustrated Atlas Map of Marion and Linn county," published at San Francisco in 1878.

Mary M. Wife of Abraham J. Wigle. (Wife of the above).

John W. Wigle. Died Feb 4, 1858. The second burial of record here.

Lorenzo G. Wigle. Died may 28, 1866. A son of Abraham J. Wigle mentioned above.

Jode Pearl. 1865-1901. The burial of this man here is due to the fact that his wife (grave not marked) was a daughter of Abraham Wigle.

Eliza F. Wigle, wife of John L. Wigle. This woman was a daughter of Rev. Luther White, a pioneer Presbyterian preacher and surveyor who was a very early settler in this region. She was married at a very early age, perhaps not more than thirteen. According to Wigle family tradition the marriage was an elopement and very much against Rev. White's desire. It is reported that he threatened to kill the bridegroom and others who assisted in the affair. Mr. Edd Wigle, now [1939] living near the cemetery, reports that- "They stole the girl right out of White's house." Eliza bore one child before her death. The family breach was by no means healed by her passing. Luther White desired her body to bury it in the "White" cemetery a few miles distant. The Wigles refused his request. It is not positively known that her body now lies beneath this stone as there is a rumor that Luther White came on the night following the funeral and stole the body away.

P. H. Wigle. 1834-1893. A brother of Abraham Wigle. Emigrant of 1852. Contracted cholera on the trip to Oregon but recovered. An old time school teacher in this county. A full biography of this man is contained in the "Illustrated Atlas Map of Marion & Linn County", Edgar Williams & Co., publishers, San Francisco, 1878.

Next to the grave of Nellie L. Wigle, 1881-1907, is reputed to be the unmarked grave of Jacob Wigle, father of Edd. Wigle.... This man was commonly known as "Big Jake" Wigle to distinguish him from two other Jacobs, known respectively as "Little Jake" and "Uncle Jake". "Big Jake" is reputed to have been an eccentric and crotchety character. At one time, in his old age, he became incensed at this family and coming to this cemetery began to dig a grave for himself. He started it in the right spot but started it cross-ways of the lot. He dug down until he had nearly broken into older graves before his family could persuade him to stop. When he died, a short time later, the grave diggers experienced some difficulty in shoring up the sides of the grave in order to make a proper excavation, due to "Big Jake's" recent work. His death was due to an angry bull whom he had been secretly teasing in spite of family caution. His widow, who is a daughter of James Keeney, is still [in 1939] living at a very great age.

(Many graves are reputed to have been opened and bodies removed from this cemetery. L. H. Field Worker.)

Online Transcriptions:

   Leslie Haskin's WPA survey, with additional notes from a Wigle family descendant, is available 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.