Heckman Memorial Cemetery
AKA
Hesston Cemetery

Galena Township, La Porte County Indiana
Slide Presentation & History

The fading slide presentation above is best viewed with Internet Explorer. Families researching those that are buried at Heckman are welcome to
print out pictures and history for their personnel files. But those that are copying and pasting to other sites and then "implying the work as theirs"
please be advised that these photos and pages are copyrighted - 2005.

HECKMAN MEMORIAL CEMETERY

(AKA HESSTON CEMETERY)

By Donna Nelson at dnelson@csinet.net


“Historical News” - Heckman Memorial Cemetery, originally known as the Heckman Burial Ground, is located in Section 17 of Galena Township, on 1000 N.,
just west of 200 E. (Fail Road). A bronze plaque is mounted at the gateway to the cemetery. It reads: In Loving Memory of My Pioneer Father Jacob Heckman.
Erected by Mary Ann Heckman Fuller, 1929.
    The June 26, 1879 issue of The Weekly Argus states, The Heckman Cemetery is to be moved to new grounds by the Christian Church.
See separate page for a listing of individuals whose year of death was prior to 1879. These individuals are likely those who were relocated to this cemetery
from the Heckman homestead location and possibly from other local family properties. Descendants whose family histories reflect burials in Heckman Cemetery
prior to 1879 are encouraged to contact the webmaster of this site so that further research might determine the original burial locations.
    27 January 1891 – Daily Herald; There is a feeling among those interested that there ought to be an iron fence around the Heckman cemetery.
Start your petition, gentlemen, and find out how badly people want it.
     9 March 1892 – Michigan City Evening Dispatch; The Hesston cemetery has been improved greatly by the recent grading, etc.
Now let’s have a nice iron fence around it.

Transcriptions show the earliest death was that of William D. Heckman, son of Jacob and Elizabeth.  William's death occurred December 30, 1836 at the age 
of 14 yrs, 11 mo. and 6 days. In 1932, Mary Heckman Fuller, sister to young William, dictated her reminiscences. At that time, nearing 97 years of age, Mary stated
that the cemetery had not yet been established when her brother William died.  William was buried in the woods and her father built a little picket fence around the spot. Other graves were subsequently made in the same area and sometime later all were removed to what is now known as Heckman Memorial Cemetery.

At this writing (September 2005), there are approximately 350 identified graves. Various churches have occupied the area next to the cemetery
for over 125 years, the current one being Galena Baptist Church. This is an active cemetery.

HECKMAN CEMETERY

Pre-1879 Deaths (Likely Reinterments From Other Locations) *Denotes Children

*William D. Heckman Year of Death: 1836

Mary Cooper Year of Death: 1843

*Maomi Heckman Year of Death: 1845

*John Cooper Year of Death: 1851

Michael Ensley Year of Death: 1856

Rebecca Hann Year of Death: 1857

*Eunice Cooper Year of Death: 1861

*Theodrick A. Heckman Year of Death: 1861

*Schuyler Fuller Year of Death: 1862

Catherine Taylor Year of Death: 1863

William Waldruff (Rev.) Year of Death: 1863

Elizabeth Dodd Heckman Year of Death: 1864

Levi P. Heckman Year of Death: 1864

*Jacob Cooper Year of Death: 1867

*David U. Heckman Year of Death: 1867

*Theodrick A. Heckman Year of Death: 1867

Margareth M. Waldruff Year of Death: 1867

*Naomi K. Vandusen Year of Death: 1871

*George W. Rumbaugh Year of Death: 1872

Elizabeth L. Hatfield Year of Death: 1874

Naomi Heckman Foster Year of Death: 1875

*Infant Heckman (Son of Asa A) Year of Death: 1878

Margareth E. Coplin Year of Death: 1879

Compiled from obituaries by Donna Nelson, Aug 11, 2005

Heckman Cemetery listing

Heckman Cemetery Map

Heckman Obituaries & Notes

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Copyright 2005