City Clerk's Cemetery Inventory and Clean-Up Project

City Clerk’s Cemetery Inventory and Clean-Up Project

The City Clerk’s Office has launched a vital initiative to preserve and maintain the historical integrity of all City of Battle Creek owned cemeteries. The Cemetery Inventory and Clean-Up Project ensures burial records accurately reflect actual interments and that our cemeteries remain respectful, safe, and well-maintained.

In 1983, the City of Battle Creek inherited Young’s, Dubois, and Beckley Cemeteries from Battle Creek Township. Unfortunately, the records we received were incomplete and outdated - many burials were never documented, and information was recorded and stored in old handwritten books. This project is our effort to correct decades of gaps and inaccuracies, ensuring that our cemeteries are properly recorded and maintained.

Project Goals

• Conduct on-site visits to all three city cemeteries.
• Compare existing burial records with actual interments.
• Identify and mark headstones that are buried or require attention.
• Assess and remove vegetation - such as bushes, trees, and shrubs that encroach on burial sites or disturb headstones.
• This effort is being carried out in partnership with the Department of Public Works (DPW), which is providing essential support for the clean-up and restoration process.

Progress So Far

The Clerk's Office team has completed Young’s Cemetery, and the findings highlight the importance of this project:

• 227 interments were discovered that were not listed in any city burial records.
• At least 20 headstones were unearthed after being buried under sod.
• An additional 75-100 headstones have been flagged for repair or attention.

We have now started work at Beckley Cemetery, where:

• At least 25 interments have been identified that were not recorded in our records.
• 10 headstones have been unearthed from beneath the sod.
• Another 20 headstones have been flagged for attention.
• DPW crews have begun cutting, trimming, and removing vegetation that is encroaching on gravesites.

After the week of November 24, 2025, on-site work will pause until spring due to seasonal conditions.

Technology Upgrade

We are also working with our IT Department to implement the Cemetery Management solution with ArcGIS. This modern system will:

• Inventory publicly owned cemeteries and gravesites.
• Monitor cemetery operations.
• Share gravesite and burial information with the public through an interactive search map.

This upgrade will replace our current process, which relies on a basic Excel spreadsheet and old index cards. We are excited to provide families with an easy way to locate loved ones and to maintain a clean, accurate database for future generations.

Historical Context

Our cemeteries are more than resting places - they are living records of Battle Creek’s heritage.

Young’s Cemetery

Established on May 23, 1854 as Goguac Cemetery, when Joseph Young sold land for $10 to the Goguac Cemetery Company, though the earliest burial dates back to 1836.

Originally laid out in 10×20-foot lots with 5-foot alleys; lots sold for $3 each.

Ownership transferred to the Township Board of Health in 1927 for $1, and today it is maintained by the City Clerk’s Office.

Dubois Cemetery

Named for early settler Peter Dubois, who arrived in 1836 from New York.

Local lore says the cemetery began when a Revolutionary War veteran died and was buried on Dubois’ property.

Purchased by the Milton Township Board of Health in 1939; annexed into the city in 1983.

Holds about 500 graves, including veterans from the Revolutionary War and War of 1812, and notable families like the Willards and Minges.

Beckley Cemetery

Dates back to 1833, originally known as the J.W. Stewart Graveyard, founded by Joseph W. Stewart, who offered free burial plots.

Became a public burial ground in 1859 under Michigan law; later associated with Ira Beckley, giving the site its current name.

Fewer than 500 burials remain today, and the cemetery is listed on the Michigan Register of Historic Places.

Why It Matters

Accurate records and well-maintained cemeteries honor the memory of those who came before us and provide families with peace of mind. This project ensures that our cemeteries remain dignified spaces for remembrance and history.