Founder's Park

Name

Age

Birth

Death

64

1784

10 Oct 1848

21

1827

4 Dec 1848

38

6 Dec 1812

18 Apr 1850

61

1789

18 Aug 1850

4

23 Mar 1846

15 Sep 1850

37

1816

16 Jan 1850

77

(1776)

14 May 1853

29

18 Jun 1827

8 Apr 1856

33 (34)

1823 (1822)

1856

6m

1856 (1 Mar)

1856 (31 Aug)

10

10 Dec 1846

9 Sep
1856

66

26 Dec 1790

23 Mar 1857

67

1790

1857

39

18 Jan 1818

16 Aug 1857

21

21 Feb 1837

6 Dec 1858

?

?

20 Aug 1860

5

13 Dec 1856

8 Oct 1861

22

20 Jan 1840

18 Jun 1862

14

1848 9 Aug

1862 24 Dec 1852

63

20 Jun 1800

13 Apr 1863

72

23 Aug 1791

23 Apr 1863

14

9 Jan 1850

15 Jul 1864

44

1821

16 May 1865

38

9 Sep 1827

17 May 1865

2

2 Nov 1863

17 Oct 1865

6 m

26 Jun 1868

2 Jan 1869

The following information came from an undated news clipping (probably from Nov 1966) which contains pertinent cemetery information (this has been typed verbatim - the original contained name spelling and date errors, these are noted with an asterisk):

In the November 23 issue of the News-Graphic, was an editorial regarding an old cemetery on the west side of Cedarburg. To most of the citizens of this area, this little plot of ground, now overgrown with trees and underbrush, has no significant meaning, but to the older members of Trinity Lutheran church here in Cedarburg, it is almost hallowed ground.

In the 1830's Lutherans in Prussia, because of their opposition to the state church, met with bitter scorn, persecution and often imprisonment. In order to escape this oppression and to assure themselves and their children the freedom to worship and serve God as true Lutherans many of these people emigrated to America. It was a group such as this, under the leadership of Rev. Adolph Kindermann*, who came to this land in the fall of 1843, settled the area along Cedar Creek and founded the city of Cedarburg. Soon after their arrival, they built the first log church on the plot of ground where the old cemetery now is. This was the beginning of Trinity Lutheran church. The cemetery was a part of the churchyard as was the custom in those early years. This piece of land was donated to the church by two of the members, Ludwig Groth and his brother-in-law Friederich Dobberpuhl.
In 1853 the log church was found to be too small and too primitive so a new church of stone was built near the intersection of what is now Washington and Western avenues, just north of the present Immanuel Lutheran church. Burial in the old cemetery continued until 1868. As was stated in the News-Graphic article, it was very difficult to dig a grave in the rocky soil. It often took two men several days to complete a grave. The use of blasting powder was common in this work but this was both dangerous and expensive. The question of a new location for the cemetery was often brought up at the congregational meetings but no action was taken. In 1868, the schoolteacher and organist, Johannes Kuehn, donated a parcel of land on what is now Bridge Street to be used as the new burial ground. It was the beginning of the present ìZur Ruheî cemetery.

In order to preserve the names of the members who were buried in the old cemetery, the congregation, in 1877, erected the present stone monument. Engraved on the monument are the following names and dates:

Christ Groth, 1780-1856; Maria Peul, 1863-1865; Christian Dobberpuhl, 1781-1848; Johannes Vogenitz, 1849-1856; Ludwig Groth, 1812-1850; Wilhelm Ziemer, 186801969; Johann Hackbarth, 1789-1850; Caroline Groth, 1848-1852; Carl Dobberpuhl, 1776-1853; Frau A. W. Spuhl, 1821-1846; Carl Voigt, 1790-1863; Frau J. Suelflow, - ; Heinrich Steger, 1791-1863; Frau F. Portzlaff, 1872-1856*; Peter Kressin, 1821-1865; Frau F. Groth, 1818-1857; Auguste Groth, 1816-1850; Frau J. Kuehn, - 1860; Johann Trautwein, 1856-1856; Frau W. Liesenberg, 1840-1862; Herman Klug, 1856-1861; Frau A. Klug, 1827-1865; Wilhelm Dobberpuhl, 1850-1861; Frau G. Groth, 1790-1857; and Frau W. Vogenitz, 1823-1856.

Some of these present members of Trinity are direct descendants of these pioneers who are buried on this old cemetery and until a few years ago at least one day a year was set aside to clean up the cemetery. In the hustle and rush of our present day life, this old custom has been neglected, with the result that the cemetery now has an abandoned look. To many of us at Trinity, it is with a feeling of thankfulness that the city has shown an interest in securing this bit of ground and setting it aside as a reminder of days gone by.

And as I have made the recording of the history of Trinity Lutheran church one of my hobbies, I am personally grateful for the City Council's action in the preservation of this cemetery as a park.

Very truly yours, Theodore Borleske

* Rev. Adolph Kindermann - church booklets refer to him as Rev. Johann Kindermann; Frau F. Portzlaff, 1872-1856, this is the way it was written in the article.