A History of
The LeRoy Cemetery
LeRoy — LeRoy Township
Mower County, Minnesota
A cemetery association was formed in LeRoy as early as 1857 when, on December 26, a number of citizens assembled at the home of Daniel Caswell. These men were: N.P. Todd, A.J. Palmer, O.D. Walker, William Raymond, Daniel Caswell, Lewis Matthews, William A. Gilson, Isaac Smith, John M. Wykoff, A.D. Parks, W.B. Spencer, James H. Story, J.C. Jones, and A. Fisk. The corporate name of the association was Union Grove Cemetery of LeRoy. The trustees were: G.W. Bishop, Isaac Smith, N.P. Todd, Lewis Matthews, W.B. Spencer, and J.C. Jones. The grounds selected by the above association were situated on the southeast of section 28, and a few bodies were buried there. These grounds proved to be unfit for cemetery purposes, as the lime rock came so near the surface that graves could not be dug to the proper depth.
On March 18, 1861, another cemetery association was formed, also known as the Union Cemetery Association. At their first meeting J.D. Cowles was chosen chairman and P.C. Sheffield secretary. The following were present: William Gilson, T.J. Bishop, F. Bevier, Chas. Smith, Daniel Caswell, Lester Congdon, A.J. Palmer, V.B. Lincoln, J.D. Cowles, D.C. Sheffield, John S. Priest, J.M. Wykoff, and Mr. Hedafint.
At this meeting the present location was selected. The first person buried in the ground was Legrand Johnson.
Previous efforts at perfecting a cemetery association not proving successful, the LeRoy Cemetery Association was formed April 8, 1863. The nine trustees elected at that time were: J.M. Wykoff, Z.B. Daily, Daniel Caswell, Chas. Smith, William Graham, J.D. Cowles, S.P. Bacon, Rev. T.P. Ropes, and William A. Gilson. The association has been continued to the present time, the officers now being: President, H.G. McKee; secretary, J.M. Wykoff; treasurer, W.H. Brown; C.I. Roy, Caleb Lewis, V.A. Nason, S.D. Martz, Ralph Hall, and E.J. Diddams.
The cemetery is a beautiful one, consisting of seven and a half acres in Section 28.
The Catholic Cemetery adjoins it on the east, and there is but a short distance to the Norwegian Cemetery.
Source: The History of Mower County 1911; Transcribed by Kathy Pike
Webization by Kermit Kittleson, Nov. 2006