 The Historic Plaque. |
 The Rubble Pile. |
John Atkinson, founder of Atkinson Cemetery, was born on April 4, 1805 in Lewiston, Maine. He resided in Lewiston until his late twenties, and it was there that he married his first wife, Hannah Moore. Together they lived in Pittsfield, Maine, and began to raise a family. John and Hannah, along with their two adult sons Warren and Charles, moved to Cottage Grove in 1846. Hannah gave birth to a son, Nathan, the same year, and he is believed to be the first white child born in Cottage Grove. John Atkinson was primarily a farmer, but was highly active in the early Cottage Grove community. In 1849 he organized a private school in his home, and in 1853 he served on the board of officers when School District #53 was organized. The Atkinson home was soon referred to as "Atkinson's Corners," and when John's young son Martin was buried in what was to become Atkinson Cemetery, the cemetery was referred to as "Corner's Cemetery." When Cottage Grove was organized in 1858, John Atkinson was appointed an election judge. He was also one of the first elected township officials, being elected as supervisor. The 1858 enrollment for the Old Settlers Association lists a John W. Atkinson; while the name is somewhat common in Minnesota, it is possible this is the same Atkinson from Cottage Grove. In 1867 the Cottage Grove and Newport Universalist Church was organized at the Atkinson schoolhouse. Hannah passed away in 1873, and on October 29th the following year John married Almira B. Fiske of Baytown. John moved to Baytown to live with his new wife, and it is about this time the Universalist Church disbanded. Just shortly before he remarried, John deeded the Corner's Cemetery land to the newly formed Atkinson Cemetery Association. After he left Cottage Grove it is difficult to track what happened to John. It is rumored that he fathered more children, remarried a third time, and finally came to live in Minneapolis. Atkinson Cemetery contains no gravestone for John Atkinson, and it is sad to think that such a pioneer of Cottage Grove would not be buried in the cemetery that is his namesake. The Hennepin County Vital Records office holds the only clue to his final resting-place. A Physician's Certificate of Death contains a listing for John Atkinson who died of old age on December 28, 1892. Listed under place of burial are the words, "To be interred in Cottage Grove." Perhaps John Atkinson came home after all.
Hannah Moore was born in Maine on December 19, 1810. She later wed John Atkinson, and together they and their young family settled in Minnesota. Hannah was a farmer's wife, and would've tended to the home and her children. Along with her husband John and other members of the early Cottage Grove community, Hannah was one of the founding members of the Universalist Church organized at the Atkinson schoolhouse. Hannah passed away in 1873 at age 64 from cancer. Sources for her exact date of passing all conflict on either the month or day, with her tombstone listing September 17th, and the two Registers of Deaths listing October 11th or 12th. Another note of interest is the inscription on her grave, which is attributed to A. B. F. These are the same initials of the woman John Atkinson married the year after Hannah's death. It is possible that Hannah was friends with Almira B. Fiske, and that in passing she brought John and her friend together in marriage.
Not much is known about young Martin Atkinson, who met the unfortunate fate of drowning on the fourth of July in 1854. Martin was about sixteen-and-a-half when he died, which means he would have been born in Pittsfield, Maine, and was a pioneer just like his parents. Martin is most likely the first person to be buried in Atkinson Cemetery.
Lewis Austin is the husband of Alzina Munger Austin. Lewis was the director of Langdon School Dist. #30, which was organized in 1872. He also was on the board of managers for the Atkinson Cemetery Association. Lewis passed away at the age of 62. His grave lists his date of death as January 25th in the 1890s. Unfortunately the stone is broken and no death certificate exists to verify the exact year.
Alzina Emily Munger was born on January 11, 1825 in Orwell, Vermont. She is the sister of Joel and William Munger. Alzina married Lewis Austin, but it is unknown whether they married before or after settling in Cottage Grove. Alzina passed away on March 21, 1909 of a fractured thigh. She is the last known burial in Atkinson Cemetery.
FREDDIE A. CHURCHILL
In 1970 when the Ericksons transcribed Atkinson Cemetery, they found a
stone for Freddie Churchill. Freddie died on October 20, 1865 at the age
of five months. Today no stone exists for Freddie Churchill. It is likely
that the stone was either vandalized during the time when the cemetery
was still abandoned, or that it was too damaged to repair when Cottage
Grove rehabilitated the cemetery.
Willie Churchill was born on July 20, 1871 to J. A. and Nellie Churchill, who were farmers. Willie died in September 1872 of dropsy on the brain. The WCVR and CGHPO Registers of Deaths both list the day as the 1st, but his gravestone says the 5th. The CGHPO Register of Deaths also mistakenly lists Willie as being married at his time of death. J. H. Churchill was a trustee and sat on the board of Atkinson Cemetery; it is possible that this is Willie's father, and that Willie's birth record has a mistake, with the initial "A" instead of "H". It is also possible that Freddie is Willie's brother.
David J. Dibble died at the age of 10 on October 19, 1861. Nothing else is known about him.
Lewis Hill was born in 1822 in Hollis, Main. In 1843 Lewis Hill began his pioneering sojourn to Minnesota, contracting fever and ague on the way. First settling at St. Croix Falls, Lewis moved to Cottage Grove in 1843. Of all the pioneers buried in Atkinson Cemetery, Lewis Hill was the first person to settle in Cottage Grove, and like most pioneers he was a farmer. In 1855 he moved to Dakota County, and in 1858 he was enrolled as a member of Old Settlers Association. Sources conflict as to when Lewis married Abba, but it is most likely that they wed when Lewis returned to Cottage Grove in 1859. Lewis and Abba were members of the Universalist Church at Atkinson Corner's (founded 1867), and Lewis was on the board of managers for Atkinson Cemetery Association (1874). The Hills had several children, many of whom are buried in Atkinson. Lewis died on February 11, 1888 of general debility.
ABBA HILL
Abba (Abbie, Abigail) was born in 1836. She married Lewis Hill in 1859.
Since she was the wife of a farmer, she most likely spent her time raising
their children and tending to the house. Together Abba and Lewis had several
children: John W., Maude A., Tennyson, Emma C., Jessie L. and Frederick
E. G. Aside from being a member of the Universalist Church, no further
information about Abba is known, including the date of her death.
While no information is available about these children of Lewis and Abba Hill, it can be assumed they were all young children when they died. The single stone, which is for all three children, contains carvings of lambs, a figure reserved for infants and young children. Tennyson died in August 1860, and both John W. and Maude A. died in November of 1861.
CLAUDIA (HILL)
Atkinson Cemetery contains a grave with the inscription "Claudia,
daughter of ____." The remainder of the inscription is completely
illegible. Both the WCVR and the CGHPO Registers of Deaths list a Claudia
Hill, born in Minnesota; WCVR lists Lewis & Abigail Hill as her parents.
Could the Hills have had another child, or is Claudia merely Emma C.'s
middle name? Claudia died of Typhoid Pneumonia on February 10, 1876 at
the age of eleven years.
Fredie (Frederick) E. G. Hill, son of Lewis and Abbie Hill, was born in 1875. He died in his early 30s in 1907. No further information is available on Fredie.
Charley Keller was born in Cottage Grove to Henry and Anna Keller. His gravestone lists his death as March 7, 1880, which conflicts with the WCVR and CGHPO Registers of Deaths, which list him dying in 1881. Charley was not even five months old when he died of croup.
CORWIN K. MANNING
Corwin K. Manning was born on April 21, 1856 in New York. His parents
were Stephen H. and Sarah Manning. It is not known when Corwin pioneered
to Cottage Grove, but like most pioneers, he was a farmer. Corwin married
Julia A. Munger, and together they had a daughter, Lillie May (January
10, 1871). Corwin died on February 13, 1881. While his gravestone is nearly
illegible today, the 1970 Erickson transcription states that Corwin met
the unfortunate fate of being "killed on the cars." Did this
mean that Corwin also worked on the railroad, or did he accidentally meet
his fate while walking along the train tracks?
JULIA A. (MUNGER) MANNING
Julia A. Munger, daughter of Joel and Lucinda Munger, was born on April
4, 1852 in Vermont. Julia was only five years old when her family pioneered
to Cottage Grove in 1857. She married Corwin Manning, and their daughter
Lillie May was born on January 10, 1871. Lillie was just ten years old
when Corwin died in 1881, and was orphaned when her mother passed away
the following year. Julia died on June 1, 1882 of consumption. Although
Lillie was left parentless, it is most likely that a member of the very
extensive Munger family took her in.
MARS MONUMENT
Atkinson Cemetery contains a modern monument to the Mars Family, which
was erected in the early 1980s. The Mars Family, like the Mungers, was
a large and prominent family in Cottage Grove and the surrounding area,
but there is no solid evidence that any Marses are buried in Atkinson.
There are no surviving gravestones containing the name Mars, and many
of the Marses listed on the monument are buried in Cottage Grove Cemetery.
However, an undated Platt Map of Atkinson Cemetery in the WCHS files lists
a plot as being sold to J. M. Mars. John M. Mars, born on July 29, 1865,
was the son of Hartley Mars. John died on July 18th in either 1883 or
1888.
After the Mars monument was erected, some Minnesota newspapers claimed that the founder of Mars Candy Corporation was buried in Atkinson Cemetery. Franklin C. Mars, founder of Mars Candy, is believed to have been born in Newport, MN, and is interred in Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis. However, Atkinson Cemetery can lay claim to its association with the Mars Candy Corporation. A'Hyatt Munger, son of William Munger, married Placidius E. Mars, daughter of Hartley Mars. Their granddaughter was Gladys Munger, who was one of the biggest proponents for rescuing Atkinson Cemetery during the overpass construction in 1981. In 1979 Forrest Mars, son of Franklin C. Mars, contacted Gladys. Forrest Mars was conducting genealogical research on his family, and knew that his father had come from the Newport area, and that the Mungers were related to the Marses. It turned out that Forrest's great-grandfather was John S. Mars, brother to Hartley Mars, making he and Gladys third cousins. Forrest lent a hand in helping to rescue Atkinson Cemetery, and the monument was erected to commemorate any Marses who might be buried there. (see transcriptions for a full list of names)
JOEL MUNGER
James "Joel" Malancton Munger was born on March 3, 1817 in Orwell,
Vermont. His younger brother William was born exactly five years later
in 1822. Their parents were William and Betsy Munger. Joel and William
apparently like to do things exactly the same. In a double wedding, Joel
married Lucinda Belden, and William married Julia Belden, Lucinda's sister,
in Johnstown, Wisconsin on December 31, 1843. William was the first to
settle in Cottage Grove, but Joel wasn't far behind. He and his young
family pioneered to Cottage Grove in 1857. Joel began raising Spanish
Merino sheep, but later turned to farming due to problems with wolves.
In 1858 Joel served as an election judge, and was also elected justice.
He joined the Universalist Church at Atkinson Corner's Schoolhouse in
1867. When Atkinson Cemetery Association was formed in 1874, Joel sat
on the board and was a trustee. Joel was also elected overseer of the
public highway built on the West Side of town. He and Lucinda had ten
known children. Joel died on April 3, 1887 of heart disease. His gravestone
bears a carving of a chain with three links, containing the letters "F.L.T."
These letters stand for Friendship, Love and Truth, and are a symbol of
the International Order of Oddfellows.
Hellen C. Munger was born in Vermont to Joel and Lucinda Munger. In 1857 Joel Munger's family pioneered to Cottage Grove. Hellen would've been about ten years old, and most likely helped her mother care for Julia (Manning), her younger sister, and any other small children during the long trek to Minnesota. Hellen was just twenty-seven when she died of typhoid pneumonia on April 7, 1874.
Joel and Lucinda Munger had a three-month-old infant who died on November 1, 1862.
JULIA A. E. MUNGER
Julia A. E. Belden, daughter of Lucas and Roxy Belden, was born in Vermont.
She married William Munger in Johnstown, Wisconsin on December 31, 1843,
and in 1852 they settled in Cottage Grove. Primarily Julia was a housekeeper,
but like her brother-in-law, she too was a member of the I.O.O.F. Her
gravestone proudly proclaims her membership in Lodge #154 in Prescott,
Wisconsin. She and William had five known children. Their son A'Hyatt
married Placidius Mars, and is the grandfather of Gladys Munger. Julia
died of heart disease on the 17th of either July or August, 1881. She
was fifty-eight years old. Her husband William is buried in Cottage Grove
Cemetery.
Elbridge G. Munger was born on December 30, 1851 (gravestone says 1852) in Johnstown, WI. He was the son of William and Julia A. E. Munger, who came to Cottage Grove in 1852. Like his brother Carl, he would've hunted and farmed in his youth. He attended the St. Paul Business College and School of Telegraphy, but returned to Cottage Grove to raise horses. His horses were considered to be the finest in Minnesota. Elbridge married Ellen ----. On July 23, 1883 they had a daughter and named her Myrta, after Elbridge's sister who had passed away earlier in the year. Elbridge died in 1900.
Fred Duane Munger was the son of William and Julia A. E. Munger. He was born on December 23, 1854, and died on August 9, 1856.
.Carlton W. Munger was the son of William and Julia A. E. Munger, and cousin to Julia A. Manning. Being a farmer's son, he would've spent much of his adult youth helping his father in the fields and hunting. It was doing the later activity where Carl met his untimely death at sixteen. Carl accidentally shot himself while trying to go under a fence. He passed away on August 18, 1882.
Myrta "Mertie" Ann Munger, daughter of William and Julia Munger, was born on September 1, 1857. She married Fred W. Staples, who was a farmer, and together they had one son, Willie. Myrta died on March 22, 1883, and her brother Elbridge named his daughter (b. July 23, 1883) after her.
Willie W. Staples was born on May 10, 1880 to Fred and Myrta Staples. He died two years later on July 2, 1882.
Alvah Tibbets was born on Christmas Day, 1804, in Wolfborough, New Hampshire (gravestone says 1803). On July 8, 1832 he married Dorothy ----. It is unclear when Alvah moved from New Hampshire to Maine, but in 1845 he, Dorothy and their eight children began pioneering west. They lived for a short time in Stephens County, Illinois, and in 1847 moved to Oconto, Wisconsin. In 1851 they moved to Waupaca Co., Wisconsin, and finally made it to Cottage Grove. Like most pioneers, Alvah was a farmer. He died on October 12, 1877 of asthma and old age.
Augusts A. Welch was born in Maine in 1828. The date of his settlement in Cottage Grove is not known, but on February 11, 1865 Augustus enrolled in the Civil War effort. Augustus joined Minnesota's Company I of 1st Regiment of Heavy Artillery. His regiment was mustered into action on February 13th, and served only until September 27th of the same year. He was discharged from service, along with the rest of his company, and lived in Cottage Grove until his death in 1900.
This footstone is not clearly associated with
any family. It rests near the Hill monument, but is closer to the Welch
monument (see transcriptions). Perhaps it was designed for David Welch?
Augustus A. Welch had an infant son, who died on May 21, 1864.
David Welch was born in 1792 and died in 1846. Little information about him exists, except that he was married to Betsy D. Welch. His grave bears the earliest date in Atkinson Cemetery, but according to oral history passed on by Gladys Munger to Robert C. Vogel in the 1980s, David Welch is not buried there. Settlers would often erect tribute monuments to family members who died along the trail, or who were left behind. If Augustus and William are his sons, it is likely that they pioneered to Cottage Grove after their father passed away, and erected a tribute to him in Cottage Grove.
Betsy D. Welch was born in 1799, presumably in the northeastern United States. She is the wife of David Welch. She died in 1887. No conclusive information about her is known, but one can speculate that she is the mother of Augustus and William, and pioneered west with them after her husband passed away.
William T. Welch was born in 1831 and died in 1861. His epitaph is part of the Welch monument, and of him little else is known. The Erickson transcription in 1970 lists William T. Welch with the dates 1831-1861, and a separate marker for William Welch who was a Corporal in Company B of the 3rd Minnesota Infantry. No separate stone exists today, and the current monument lists no war record for William T. Welch. The war record of 1865 lists a William T. Welch, who enlisted when he was 26. His regiment was mustered into action on September 26, 1861; he was never mustered out. This Welch was a corporal when he died in Cottage Grove on August 18, 1863. Minnesota Pension Records list a William Welch living in Redwood County, who received four dollars a month for being wounded in the thigh. Perhaps William and William T. are actually the same man, but records are inconclusive.
David F. Welch is the son of J. D. and A. H. Welch. He died on August 31, 1857 at the age of two months. It is possibled that he is related to David Welch [Sr.].
Emma H. C. was born in 1857 and died in 1899. Her marker is a footstone that bears no surname. In 1970 when the Erickson's transcribed Atkinson Cemetery, they noted that her stone "appeared to be associated with the Welches." No information exists as to whom she is related, and today her footstone is nowhere near the Welch monument.
