Month: August 2017

Southside Cemetery – Chicago 1835

 

South Township     Section:  27 Township 39  Range: 14

Open circa: 1835- 1847

 Let us remember a cemetery whose site later became a major Chicago brewery and now is the huge McCormick Place convention center and hotel complex.

About 1833, sixteen acres of land were purchased for a municipal town cemetery but reserved for Catholics. On August 15, 1835, the town surveyor was ordered to survey the property and completed the task on August 26. The Northside Cemetery was laid out at the same time, a subject of a separate blog post on this website.  Continue reading “Southside Cemetery – Chicago 1835”

1812 Massacre Site south of Fort Dearborn

Once located in the sand hills of the lake shore, between 16th and 18th,streets, centered  about east of 1729 S Prairie or the Northeast corner of 18th street and Prairie Avenue. Chicago, Cook County, Illinois 60605 

    South Township     Section: SW 1/4 22 Township 39  Range: 14

 This is one of the first early white burial sites in Chicago whose bodies were later reburied at the Fort Dearborn Cemetery.  Historical accounts state that on August 15, 1812, 39 men, 2 women, and 12 children led by Captain William Wells and John Kinzie started out south along the beach from Fort Dearborn for Fort Wayne when a surprise Indian attack took place. Their bones lay in the sand, half buried where they were killed, until 1816 when Fort Dearborn was reopened. They were then reburied at the Common Burial Ground at Fort Dearborn, also referred to as Fort Cemetery or Garrison Cemetery. Continue reading “1812 Massacre Site south of Fort Dearborn”

Meet Rev. Gotthilf J. Lambrecht

Preaching after death

 

preacher

Anyone visiting Montrose Cemetery at 5400 N Pulaski Avenue in Chicago will certainly pass by the most imposing grave of the Reverend Gotthilf J. Lambrecht. Every day, since his death, he appears to continue to steadfastly preach from his granite pulpit, as he did in life. .  His family members are buried in rows in front of the monument much like they would be sitting in front of a pulpit in church, as if listening to his sermon. Continue reading “Meet Rev. Gotthilf J. Lambrecht”

14 Skeletons found under a Pickle Farm

 

portraitaaaMeet Lyman Budlong (1829-1909) a  pioneer in the pickle industry, who built a massive farm of 700 acres in Bowmanville, now just a neighborhood on Chicago’s north side, centered about Lincoln and Foster. Budlong aerialaaaHe grew tomatoes, onions, carrots, and lettuce but his huge money crop was cucumbers and became one of the largest supplier of premium pickles. In later years he began growing flowers in a huge number of greenhouses. And, along the way,  he discovered skeletons buried on his property! Continue reading “14 Skeletons found under a Pickle Farm”

About the author

  

 

DSCN0090aA resident for over fifty years, Barry A. Fleig is a devoted fan of all things Chicago. The streets, the maps, the buildings and the places for the dead. He has been a recognized authority on burying grounds, cemeteries, and burial sites with an emphasis on vanished cemeteries specializing in Chicago,  Cook county,  Lake and DuPage Counties. 

His interest in cemeteries  began in 1967 when he began researching his own family history.  

For three years, he served on the Board of Management for the Chicago Genealogical Society, as their Cemetery Chairman.  He has been the Vice-Chairman of the Association for the Ethical Protection of Burial Sites. 

Mr. Fleig has aided in the identification and preservation of Russell Cemetery near Techny in Northfield Township, Cook County. His most significant accomplishment was the rediscovery, identification and research of a forgotten cemetery on Chicago’s northwest side. Mr. Fleig uncovered records and maps documenting the burial of over 38,000 bodies within twenty-seven acres of a 320 acre County Farm. The burials were made in Cook County Cemetery at Jefferson (Dunning) on property later known as the Chicago State hospital on Chicago’s northwest side.  The whole story and a searchable database can be found at http://www.cookcountycemetery.com

Continue reading “About the author”