Jurisdiction:  Niles Township Section 15

 

Status:  Inactive.  BCGS Cemetery Records include information up to August 6, 2012.

 

Location:  East side of Old US 31, North of M-140

 

Cemetery Governing Body:  Niles Township

 

Location of Cemetery Records:  

 

Johnson Cemetery sits off the road about 75 to 100 feet and it very secluded.  With large trees and a fence, Johnson Cemetery is very hard to see from the road.  Because of this, the cemetery is in very good condition for its age.

 

According to a plat map of 1873, the cemetery stood on the Kelsey property.  David Savage transcribed the headstones for the Berrien County Genealogical Society in 1975 and at that time, there were 184 monuments still standing.  Of those monuments, the oldest one found was that of Jane Julia Cox, daughter of Delos and Jane Cox.  This baby was adopted from Lynford and S. K. Lardner.  The baby died on September 18, 1818 at the age of 1 year, 4 months and 9 days.  The oldest person buried is thought to be Elizabeth J. Wynn who died in 1908 at the age of 90 years. 

 

Three Civil War Veterans are also found in Johnson Cemetery.  They include Hezekiah Branch who was born on February 13, 1810 and died in the Battle of Shiloh on April 7, 1862.  Also, Noah Cain who died in Petersburg, Virginia on August 17, 1864 at the age of 16 years, 4 months, 15 days.  Thirdly, James Jones, who was killed in the Battle of Wilderness, Virginia on May 5, 1864. 

 

 Written By Chriss Lyon