Greenwood Cemetery

Submitted by Max Horton

According to a not very reliable old story, Greenwood Cemetery was the site of an Indian massacre a few years before Birmingham was settled.

The first certain fact about it is that its nucleus, about a half an acre, was part of the land owned by Dr. Ziba Swan. It was set aside by him for the settlement as a burial place for Polly Utter and her daughter, Cynthia. The two women had been killed with an ax while alone at their farmhouse north of Birmingham by a deranged young man, Imri Fish.

Gradually the burying ground was filled with the remains of early Birmingham settlers. When walking through the south-east corner of the cemetery, one can read their names, the same names one sees every day on buildings and street signs around town: Barnum, Baldwin, Daines, Hanna, Hunter, Hamilton, Willits and others.

For many years the cemetery was scarcely cared for, but in 1885 the Greenwood Cemetery Association was incorporated under state law. This was accomplished largely through the efforts of the indomitable Martha Baldwin. The Association enlarged and cared for the cemetery until 1946 when the city took over its operation. Today the Parks and Forestry Department tends the grounds.

This monument is for Will and Althea Masters.
It is one of several at Greenwood which are constructed of zinc, a material
which withstands the rigors of Michigan weather very well.

Some of the oldest stones are hard to read now, but it is worth the effort to try. They tell not only the names of the early citizens of our town, but often where they came from. The Victorian inscriptions reflect the sentimentality of that age, and an occasional stone gives terse advice about the reader's need to prepare for the next world. Even though the need for a cemetery springs from sad events, Greenwood Cemetery is not in itself a sad place. It is a calm, green, peaceful spot. It has stories to tell those who care to investigate and is part of Birmingham's heritage.

From time to time, Historical Society members--Carolyn Johnson, Patricia Andrews and Max Horton have conducted informational tours of Greenwood for both school children and groups of adults.

On the next page are photos of some truly antique TELEVISION RECEIVERS.

Or you may return to THE TABLE OF CONTENTS where you will find numerous other Birmingham historical topics to read about.