History of Union Cemetery, Symco, Waupaca County, WI

By Delores Miller & Carl Much

The Township of Union in Waupaca County was established in 1857, nine years after Wisconsin became a state. The village in the southeast corner of Union Township that is now called Symco was originally called Unionville, Union Bridge or just plain Union. These names were not very popular, so the name of Symco was chosen, which is based on the name of an Indian chief. Early maps show both names, Union and Symco. By the start of the 20^th century, the name Symco was firmly entrenched.

In the 1850’s, the first white settlers came to this area, attracted by its good farming land. A number of Civil War veterans settled there. One of those was George E. Ellsworth who had been in Company "A" of the famous 6^th Wisconsin Infantry, which fought at Gettysburg and in every other major battle until the end of the war. The first recorded burial in Union Cemetery is that of Mary Ellsworth, George’s wife, who died on December 1, 1874. She is buried in about the center of Section I North. Five years later, George was buried next to her.

In the latter half of the 1800’s, German immigrants also came to this area and in 1880 they established St. Mark Lutheran Church. Many members of St. Mark have been buried in Union Cemetery over the years.

In the early years of Union Cemetery’s existence, many women died in childbirth and several young children died of diseases. For many of these, Union Cemetery in Symco is their final resting place.

Today, Union Cemetery is still a beautiful cemetery on a gentle slope south of Symco.