A Dozen Daffodils for the Dearly Departed

Joy Muehlenbeck, Jackie Ladwein, and Charlie Hancock

The day after Thanksgiving, a group of volunteers braved sub-freezing temperature to plant daffodil bulbs at the graves of folk with no one to care for them in the area. Original plans to plant a dozen bulbs at a dozen graves was expanded, when HUNT TREE donated 18 dozen more bulbs, bring the total plots involved to 30. Joy Muehlenbeck, Jackie Ladwein, Doreen and Nathan Tubergen, Charlie Hancock and Chris Yoder planted daffodils at grave plots in Saugatuck's Riverside cemetery, Douglas, and the Taylor cemetery south of town.

People were selected who either have no living descendants, or whose family has moved away. Some were prominent like: Saugatuck founder William Gay Butler (1799-1857); William (1883-1941) and Alys (1904-1941) Springer- 1930s owners of "Kemah"; and Minnie Breuckman (1869-1934), who donated her home to the Saugatuck Woman's Club.

Lesser known folks honored included: Hotel porter Elmer Haselgren ("Whistling Bill") (1869-1939); Isabella Hull (1829-1902)- A first cousin of Vice President Adlai Stevenson who died at the poor farm; Bird Center resort owners Thomas Benton (1860-1929) and Marie (1861-1949) Dates; and Jessie Viets (1885-1978)- Sea Captain's daughter and "Sweet maiden lady" who "didn't have much, but what she did she gave to others". Last but not least was the unmarked grave of Benjamin John Waugon (c1898-1933)- a "grandson of Chief Pokagon, whose father Leopold deeded to the US Government over 1 million acres of land on which Chicago now stands." For the full list, see below:

Riverside Cemetery:

1. Elmer Haselgren (Whistling Bill) (1869-1939)- The porter at the hotel (now Coral Gables), a friendly musical character nick-named "Whistling Bill". After his death, friends took up a collection to pay for his stone. Never married.

2. Isabella Hull (1829-1902)- A first cousin of Vice President Adlai Stevenson. As a young waitress at the hotel in Bloomington, IL she often saw Lincoln and Douglas when they came to town. After the death of her husband William, she became indigent and had to go to the poor farm.

3. William (1883-1941) and Alys Springer (1904-1941)- ( owners of the Kemah in the 1930s. He was a member of the Chicago Board of Trade. His young widow died a few months after him in 1941, leaving two children. The son died in WWII.

4. George T. Arnold (1846 -1921) and 5. Susan Breuckman Arnold (1854-1932)- Prominent businessman in both Saugatuck and Mackinac Island. He formed the Arnold Ferry Company which is still in operation today serving Mackinac Island. No children.

6. Minnie Breuckman (1869-1934)- Sister of Mrs. Arnold. Never married. Helped form the SHS Alumni Association, and left the family home to the Woman's Club, with a bequest to help build the meeting hall behind it.

7. R. C. Brittain (1842-1905)- Prominent Saugatuck shipping magnate and boat builder.

8. R G Huntinghouse (1861-1954) - Chicago Dance master extraordinaire. First President of the Chicago National Association of Dance Masters, 1913-1914, an organization which is still in existence. Taught dance at the pavilion in the summers for many years.

9. Everett Banks (1874-1900) - A young Chicago man who came to work here and drowned in the Kalamazoo River near the ferry. He left a wife and two children in Chicago. Twenty-one years after his death, his mother was laid to rest beside him.

10. Thomas Benton (1860-1929) and Marie (1861-1949) Dates - One time principal of the Douglas School and later operator of Bird Center resort. Their daughter Ruth died in childhood.

11. James Avery (1832-1911)- Civil War veteran and blacksmith. Worked as a wagon maker with S. C. Reed. Never married.

12. Jessie Viets (1885-1978)- Sea Captain's daughter. "Sweet maiden lady" who "didn't have much, but what she did she gave to others".

13. Benjamin John Waugon (? - 1933) - Unmarked grave. Reputed "grandson of Chief Pokagon, whose father Leopold deeded to the US Government over 1 million acres of land on which Chicago now stands." He attended Saugatuck Schools and the Haskell Indian School in Kansas. Never married.

14. Joe Snay (1893-1937)- Veteran of WWI. Son of Capt Joseph Snay. He taught May Francis Heath to drive a car. Single.

15. William Gay Butler (1799-1857)- Founder of Saugatuck. Died in an accident while rolling logs. No living descendants.

Douglas Cemetery

1. Jacob Fox (1807-1871)- Born in Pa. After his death the family moved to Parker, Florida.

2. Horace G. Welch (1856-1932)- Prominent Fruit grower. Drain commissioner and as school inspector. Never married.

3. John Kirby (1829-1882)- A harness maker, born in NY. Father-in-law of Sarah Gill Kirby, who built the Kirby House.

4. William Hill ( -1868)- Civil War veteran. Buried in Potters Field.

5. Katherine Elizabeth Upton- No stone. ( -1952) - maiden lady.

6. Isabell Murt ( -1873)- Infant daughter of Patrick Murt, Civil War veteran.

7. Minnie Belle Spencer Gerber (1862-1942) - Wife of Daniel Gerber. Daughter of the Douglas pioneer M. B. Spencer, whose home was on the site of Tara.

8. Theresa Putnam Manvel (1848-1870)- Daughter of Dyer Putnam and Elizabeth Conger.

Taylor Cemetery:

1. Orrin (1845-1890) and Susan (1851-1894) Lawrence- Civil War veteran and ships mate, mysteriously vanished from the steam barge H. A. Root about 12 miles from Michigan City. Some speculate a member of the crew threw him over.

2. Leonidas H. Dunn (1847-1864)- Civil war casualty whose body is reportedly at the Camp Nelson National Cemetery, Nicholasville, KY.

3. Rev. John M. (1792-1872) and Eliza (1795-1869) Wever, early Methodist minister. Parents of NY Congressman John Madison Wever.

4. Stella Toby- age 25, first wife of Rev S.D. Tobey who is buried in Oakland, Iowa.

5. Levi Tuttle (1829-1921) and wives Mary ( - 1882) and Amanda Tidd (1846-1919). Civil War veteran, he was part of the detachment which captured Jefferson Davis. "Levi Tuttle died in Saugatuck but was not buried here. He has a tombstone in the Taylor Cemetery, Ganges, where his wife is buried, but his part of the stone does not have a date. Still there was none of the family left to see to the engraving..." -- Kit Lane, April 2008 

6. Dorcas Ballard Storms (1783-1871)- wife of Peter Storms.

7. Hannah Fritts (1823-1892) - who was she?

8. Dr. Frank Chenoweth (1837-1877)- Ganges area doctor, is buried in Seneca Kansas "gave his life for others". Was in poor heath when he sold his practice in 1875 to Dr. Eugene Brunson and moved to Kansas where he worked with the Indians. His widow returned to Ganges.

-In addition, at Taylor, 30 tulips (aka "mole food") were planted around the Civil War Memorial, and another 30 around three Hyet infants and Tula Lawrence, 2 yr old daughter of #1 above).

--submitted by Chris Yoder

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