SALISBURY CEMETERY
Howard Township
Cass County Michigan

Photos courtesy of Audrey B. Florentine
Park Ridge, Illinois
audjoe1@comcast.net

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Location: Lies near the Southwest corner of the Northwest 1/4 Sec. 1. Take hwy 681 from Dowagiac South to the end of the road, turn West onto road 330 to first turn turn south, thence about 1 1/2 miles, thence East to the first farm. Please seek permission from land owner if this cemetery is located on private property.

Note: Since most Cass County histories give no account of those buried within this cemetery, the following excerpts from an article appearing in the Cassopolis Vigilant, under date of May 31, 1934, is here stated. Also some research notes have been added by me, Deanna West, as I find out more and more about the families connected to this cemetery.

  "In this cemetery lie the remains of members of a number of pioneer families of Howard and Jefferson townships. This cemetery is in Section 1, Howard township, on what is know as the Emmett Dunning farm: (ED NOTE: later known as L Bybee farm and owned in the 1940's by L W Babbit, Niles, Michigan. Just when this acre of land began to be used as a cemetery the Vigilant has been unable to learn, but that it was as early as 1847 is evidenced by the fact that on one tombstone, the dated of death of Warren Goodrich, son of Enos Goodrich, is recorded as having been 1847, which was only 14 years after Robert Salisbury settled on this quarter-section of land, he having come here with his family from New York in 1833. As early as 1865 this acre of land for cemetery purposes was excepted from a deed of the farm and this exception has since continued, so that is is apparent that it was not a private cemetery.

Webmaster note: By accompanying burial tombstone records, it will be seen that burials were made prior to 1847, as Nelson or Nelson Salisbury died in 1841, Warren Goodrich in 1842 and Anna Goodrich in 1844.

There are also two Civil War Veterans buried there, one being Leonard Goodrich, who was a fifer and at times a drummer. We do not know to what regiment he belonged (notes the Cassopolis Vigilant) as there was no markings on the gravestone to indicate, ....... Webmaster note: I found the unit Mr. Goodrich enlisted in: Enlisted as a Private on 10 September 1861- age - 52: Enlisted in Co Band, 9th Inf Reg Mich on 15 Oct 1861. POW on 13 July 1862 at Murfreesboro, TN (Paroled) Mr. Goodrich, along with his wife Angelina, resided on a farm later owned by Frank Rosby, west of the county Infirmary at that time. This was a very Patriotic family evidenced by the fact that Noah Goodrich served in the 6th Mich Vol Inf; James Goodrich in the 12 Mich. Vol Inf; G. T. Goodrich in the 2nd Mich. Vol Cavalry; George Goodrich in the 1st Mich Light Artillery, and Levi C Goodrich in the 25th Mich. Vol Infantry.

Another soldier buried in this cemetery is Calvin Haskins, who served in the 6th Michigan Heavy Artillery,

Please keep in mind that the sites on Cass County were constructed by volunteers and are being maintained by volunteers. If you have additional information or photos of the stones in any of the Cass County Cemeteries, please contact me at   cassmichigangen@yahoo.com
Deanna West - your new Cass County Michigan Coordinator.

Any time you view an older cemetery, in no matter what county through out the USA, the listing should be considered as a partial listing as many times records are either destroyed through mishap or not all burials were recorded.
This cemetery transcription was graciously donated by Jon M. Smalley. Thank you Jon for your donation and hard work.

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