Cambridge Cemetery Heritage Sign Dedication

Jacob Blasdel served in the American Revolution and his only pay was a land warrant in the northwest territory of the Ohio River. So Jacob left his New Hampshire home and migrated to Columbia, Ohio but stayed just a short while before coming on to now Dearborn County, Indiana.

Jacob Blasdel married Ruth Morse in 1778 in NH. Nine children were born to this family. The oldest, Enoch (1779-1847) married Susanna Ferris in 1804 (1782-1821) and had 8 children. After Susanna’s death, Enoch married Elenor Majes in 1826 (1773-1858). Jacob Blasdel (1782-1841) married Elizabeth Weaver in 1812 (1791-1883) and they had 8 children. Nabby Blasdel (1784-1864) married Thomas Townsend (1780-1855). Polly Blasdel (1784-1800) died while the family was in Columbia, Ohio. Ruth Blasdel (1787-1839) married in 1808 to Elisha Scoggin Jr. (1789-1821) and they had 7 children. She then married Bailey Guard (1788-1869). Jonathan Blasdel married Nancy Cooper (1794-1869) in 1815 and they had 11 children. Sarah Blasdel, better known as Sally was married twice. Her first husband was Ezekiel G. Harper (1785-aft 1850) and had 3 children and she married Leonard Chase (1793-1841) in 1834 and had two children. Leonard was married to Mary Lee Ferris and had 9 children. Sally finished raising his children and many married into the Blasdel family. Elijah Blasdel (1796-1863) was the youngest son. He married Clarissa Waring (1794-1857) and had 10 children. The youngest daughter was named Betsey Blasdel (1799-1875) and she was married twice. The first was Aaron Burroughs (who died in 1828 and had 5 children and she also married William Leeper. Most of these are buried at Cambridge Cemetery.

Jacob and his wife, Ruth and eight children came and settled near Tanner’s Creek. He settled in now Miller Township about 1804. An entry for Section 28 was shown as Jacob Blasdel and Archibald Stark but the patent from the government was only for Jacob Blasdel

By 1817, Jacob had founded a small town and called it Cambridge. It had a church, a store, a hotel, blacksmith shop, a school, a gristmill and sawmill that operated on water power and a school of higher learning that was the first to be incorporated in Indiana.

Cambridge Cemetery was founded when Jacob Blasdel’s daughter-in-law, Susanna (Ferris) Blasdel died in July of 1821. She wanted to be buried near an old tree, that ran near the mill race. He granted her last request and plotted a family cemetery. Soon this cemetery was opened to the public.

In this small cemetery, we have Jacob Blasdel who was a Revolutionary War Veteran, from NH. Samuel Houston was also a veteran. Enoch Blasdel was in the War of 1812. Jonathan Blasdel, called Captain was a Ranger. Under his direction, a blockhouse was built. John F Blasdel and John Goodwin both served in the Civil War. James McMullen was an old Army Scout who served under General Custer.

These old cemeteries are a part of our heritage and steps need to be taken to prevent people from destroying these small cemeteries.

To obtain a cemetery heritage sign for a cemetery, it must first be listed in the DHPA Cemetery and Burial Grounds Registry, which was established by Indiana Code 14-21-1-13.5. The cemetery must be at least fifty years old. A two page application must be completed. A check or money order for $125. Plus tax and shipping and handling must be accompanied with the application. This cemetery became known as Pella or Pelley Cemetery in 1866 when Judge Hohlman reestablished a post office here.

(This information was used for the program we had for the first Cemetery Heritage Sign in Dearborn County