Jurisdiction:  Berrien Township Section 35

 

Established:   May of 1857

 

Location:  Pucker Street and Chapel Road

 

Cemetery Governing Body:  Berrien Township

 

Known as Union Cemetery, South Union Cemetery, Berrien Center Union Church Cemetery and Berrien Center Cemetery, Union Cemetery got its start in May of 1857 when Zera and Eliza Wright gave 2 acres of land for a church.  H.W. Rugg of Niles was contracted to build a wood church at a cost of $1325, which was dedicated on July 4, 1858.

 

In 1923, an iron fence was erected around the cemetery in order to keep cows from grazing within the cemetery.  This fence was removed in the 1990's and part of it was used to construct stable in a barn that was built by recycling materials from others.

 

In 1976, the water system of the cemetery was changed from a single hand pump to an electric pump and piping for seven faucets and a stone pump house.  This upgrade was a service project of the Berrien Center Grange.  At the time this was the oldest Grange in Michigan dating back to March 6, 1873 when it was the 14th founded in the state.  They spent the remainder of their treasury of $3000 that they feared might revert to the state if their membership dropped below 7 and they lost their charter.  The money had been in a trust since 1970 when the Grange hall on Huckleberry Road was sold due to waning membership and the organization not being able to afford the building.

 

The Grange held a long history of public service by "caring for the sick, plowing fields for incapacitated members, and raising money for a variety of other causes" as F.W. "Bud" Bruce stated in a Herald Palladium newspaper article in the September 26, 1976.

    

The family of an early settler of the county is buried within Union Cemetery.  In November of 1825, William Baldwin Jenkins brought his family of 8 to Pokagon.  They spent their winter in an abandon Indian hut.

 

With so much history in Union Cemetery, it is now being named a Historic Site in the State of Michigan.  From Herald Palladium August 29, 2002:

“The old Union Church and its adjacent cemetery are being named to the state registry of historic sites, and the township wants to own it to make sure it is maintained properly. It has not been used as a church for many years. Volunteers maintained it in the past.”

 

 Written By David Barricklow