This small graveyard located in Chardon Township is perhaps the best argument in favor of cremation over burial. 

 

 

King Cemetery was established in 1815 with the death of one of Chardon's first (white) inhabitants, Zadok G. King.    It is unknown how many persons are buried here.  But, over the years, as is usually the case with these small township cemeteries, King Cemetery fell victim to "progress." 

In 1945, the tombstones were moved to Larned Cemetery.  However, the bodies and caskets were left behind.  They remained as unmarked graves for over 50 years.  It is unclear whether this abandonment was the result of typical bureaucratic oversight or an intentional fiscal decision on the part of the township (same thing?). 

In 1998, the township's trustees decided to relocate the remaining 14 tombstones back to King Cemetery.  Unfortunately, by that time, the burial records were lost.  No one could figure out the original location of the graves.  Not to be deterred, the township replanted the tombstones in a neat line in front of the cemetery knoll.  They also  erected a nice-looking memorial plaque to commemorate the cemetery's "re-dedication." 

The bodies are somewhere up there behind the tombstones.

 
 
Members of the King Family. 

Left:  George King (who died in 1862 at the age of 66) and his wife Nancy, who died in 1853 at the same age, 66.

 Middle:  Roderick King, who died in 1857 at the age of 18. 

Right:    Fanny King, wife of Zadok Jr., who died in 1843 at the age of 48.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
To the right of Fanny, infant son Zadok (who was 3 mos. old when he died in 1840) and her husband Zadok Jr., who survived Fanny for another 35 years before he died in 1879 at the age of 88.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Left:  The tombstone for John and Fanny Collins.  John passed in 1826.  His age and the date of death and age of Fanny are not discernable from their headstone.

 

Right:  The marker for Frederick Newell and his wife, Beulah.  A rarity for the time, they both lived to a good, old age.  Fred passed in 1887 at the age of 83.  Beulah followed him a few years later, in 1896 at the age of 89. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Lucinda Russell (Right), who was only 29 years old at the time of her death in 1849, and her 3 young children--Lester, Julia and Lydia.

The marker at the far left is illegible.