Eight Square Cemetery

Pine Twp
County Line Road
between Snyder & Burdick Roads

Porter County, Indiana

Anyone wishing to donate burial or family tree information about families in this or any LaPorte County cemetery,
please contact Deanna at (laportecountyin@yahoo.com) La Porte County Cemeteries. 
Frame tombstone and cemetery sign photos contributed by Jean Frame.

Donna Nelson has been studying many of the families in this cemetery. If you have questions, please contact her at donnamnelson@comcast.net .
She wrote this brief history a few years ago about Eight Square Cemetery.

Eight Square Cemetery History

When searching local cemeteries for our ancestors, it is important that we do not overlook cemeteries in bordering counties.
One such cemetery is Burdick, also known as 8-Square, after the octagonal shaped building erected about 1840 and used as a church
and school until about 1914. The building was torn down in the late 1920's or early 1930's, but the eight (8) cornerstones which served
as the building's foundation are still there. An 1856 deed shows that the 1 ½ acre parcel was deeded "To the public of Porter and
La Porte counties, as long as it is used as a burying ground". Because of the wording of the deed, there was no clear line of responsibility
for maintenance of the cemetery. In the past, the cemetery has been badly neglected and became overgrown. Several times, civic groups
performed major clean-ups at the site. Then, in January 1998 both the LaPorte and Porter county commissions transferred their respective
interests in the cemetery to Porter County's Pine Township. It is now being maintained by the Pine Township Trustee's office. Some of the
family names found here are:
BARNES - BEDENKOP - COTTON - FRAME - GOODWIN - REYNOLDS - SHELTON - STEVENS - STORM - WESTON - WOLFORD

Disclaimer: I am placing this cemetery on line because I have gotten quite a few emails concerning it.
Please note: this cemetery is in Porter County and not in LaPorte County.
Eight Square Cemetery was sometimes known as County Line Cemetery, as Burdick Cemetery to others and/or Wolford Cemetery
because of all the family members buried there.

Barnes, Mrs. Sarah Jane - obit - Chesterton Tribune, August 16, 1895 -
"Burdick. -- Mrs. Sarah Jane Barnes died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Wm. Cain, Thursday morning.
Her funeral was held Friday afternoon at the Eight-Square school house. Rev. Weston officiated."
 additional note from Donna Nelson - Sarah Jane (Hall) (Claypool) Barnes, wife of J.P. Barnes. Born 1823 in North Carolina.
Died August, 1895 in Porter Co., Indiana

Rachel Boothe obit - Jan 10, 1900 - The funeral of the late Mrs. Rachael Boothe was held Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock
at the County Line church, and was largely attended by relatives and friends. The remains were laid to rest in the County Line Cemetery.
   Mrs. Booth was ahighly repected and lovable woman and will be deeply mourned by her many firneds and sorrowing children.
Mrs. Boothe was a member of the Christian church and Rev. O. Stewart concuted the funeral services.
   Those from Michigan City, wo attended the funeral of Mrs. Boothe were: Mrs. W. O. Leeds, Mrs. B. H. Eddy,
Mrs. J. Snook, Mrs. J. Mason, Mrs. C. Doherty, Mr. F. M. Boeckling and Mr. J. Snook.

Hutson, Ben Buford - Michigan City News - 21 ? July 1907 -
African Buried With Honor - Former slave and one colored resident ? ? of Westville, died, Saturday, July 20.
  Westville's entire colored population passed away this week in the death of Ben Buford Hutson, a relic of the slave days in the south.
He was born in Kentucky and was held by the Buford family, a part of the aristocracy of that section.  He was carefully trained and
was in many respects an exemplary member of his class, retaining to the close of a long life a diction of language and a probity
and dignity of character which reflected credit on Mareo (or Marec) and Misses Buford. Ben's heart never left the south,
though he came north about the time of the civil war. For some years he filled position of butler in a Chicago family coming to this vicinity
with the Dunlaps at the time the moved to a farm a few miles southwest of Michigan City in the edge of Porter county.
The Dunlaps were war refugees from Kentucky and in what was then almost a wilderness they cased to be erected a residence
of more than ordinary pretentions.   Few private houses in the larger cities were more spacious and ornate in decoration, though
financial troubles intervened before the plans were fully consummated. Ben Buford was a part of the debris.
He married and led a precarious existence in the vicinity since. The burial took place Friday at the Eight Square Cemetery,
funeral services being held in W. Jeromes yard. Appropriate words were spoken by Sylvester Bertram and a choir sang.
The casket was heaped with flowers. The Westville Indicator says " Our people did honor to themselves in giving tender
and decent burial to one who was a child grown old and whose life lay in much sorrow".

Individuals buried (or believed to be buried) in Eight Square Cemetery -
Contributed by: Steve Shook - woodisgood@moscow.com

Philander Barnes - BURDICK, Ind. -- Philander Barnes died of consumption last Friday.
The funeral was held at the home of his sister Mrs. Wm. Cain last Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock.
The services were conducted by Rev. Hayes of Westville, and the remains were interred in what is known as the eight square cemetery.
He has been sick for a long time but has suffered little, just wasted slowly away.
SOURCE: The Tribune - Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; May 20, 1892; Volume 9, Number 6, Page 8, Column 5

BOONE, Margaret A.   -  Michigan City Evening News - Saturday, Feb. 22, 1902: Mrs. Robert M. Boone of Pine township, Porter county,
whose husband is one of the best known residents of Porter county, passed away this morning after a few weeks' illness of pneumonia.
Mrs. Boone was about 58 years old and was a refined and well educated lady who possessed many friends in this city and elsewhere.
The news of her death will cause much sadness and Mr. Boone has the sympathy of his many Michigan City friends in his great bereavement.
It is expected that the remains will be taken to Chicago for interment. (see follow up). Michigan City Evening News, Monday, Feb, 24, 1902:
The funeral of Mrs. Robert M. Boone, whose death THE NEWS chronicled Saturday, will be held Tuesday morning at 10:30 o'clock from
the Bull schoolhouse in Pine township, Porter county. The remains will be interred in a neighboring cemetery.
A number of friends from this city will attend the obsequies.
CONTRIBUTOR'S NOTE: Margaret and Robert Boone are in Row 12, Eight Square/Burdick Cemetery.

Edwin Frame - Burdick. - Edward Frame died at his home at 7642 Drexel ave., Chicago, Nov. 29, age 45 years and 2 months,
of cancer of the stomach. The remains were brought to Burdick, and the funeral services held Dec. 3,
the services being conducted at the Eight Square school house, Rev. Wright officiating. Deceased was a brother of John
and Younger Frame, and leaves a family of a wife and five children.
SOURCE: The Chesterton Tribune - Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; December 4, 1897; Volume 14, Number 34, Page 1, Column 5

Mr. Martin Frame - Burdick. Mr. Martin Frame aged 52 years, died at his home in Chicago, Thursday, June 4th. On Saturday
his remains were sent here for burial. The funeral was held in the M. E. church at this place, Rev. Rite, of Chicago, officiating.
The deceased leaves a wife, two children and five brothers to mourn his loss. His remains were interred in the Eight Square cemetery.
SOURCE: The Westchester Tribune - Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; June 13, 1896; Volume 13, Number 9, Page 8, Column 1

Mrs. Kilmer - Probably Mrs. Henry Kilmer - - Daily Herald, Wed, Dec 6, 1894 - Mrs. Kilmer living west of here died Wednesday
after an illness of almost a year. She was laid to rest in the Eight Square cemetery by many sorrowing friends. To know her was to love her.

Orange, Margaret Mrs. - Per the Chesterton Tribune, Porter Co., IN - December 13, 1888 - Died December 6, 1888
at the age of 52 years 11 months. Born Jan 2, 1836 daughter of Jessie and Nancy McCord -
widow of Thomas Orange who died in 1864. -Thomas enlisted 4 Feb 1864 into Co., H 9th Infantry Reg. at Jackson Centre, Indiana.
He died 4 November 1864 and was buried in New Albany National Cemetery on 10 Nov 1864.
They had 4 children: Julia, Jesse (m), Mary(?) and Augusta.

Owen Skilly - Burdick. Owen Skilly, oldest son of Mrs. Skilly of Otis, died Sunday of typhoid fever.
The funeral was held Tuesday from the Eight Square church. He leaves a mother and brother to mourn his loss.
SOURCE: The Chesterton Tribune - Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; February 25, 1899; Volume 15, Number 46, Page 5, Column 3
NOTE: (Not absolutely certain that he is buried in Eight Square Cemetery.)

David Soper, a well know resident of Burdick, died at his home in Burdick, Aug. 21, of consumption.
The funeral was held on the the 23rd inst., and the remains buried in Eight Square cemetery, in Jackson township.
SOURCE: The Tribune - Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; August 26, 1892; Volume 9, Number 20, Page 1, Column 4

R. G. Boone - Otis Items. R. G. Boone, a farmer living on the old Frame farm, died Sunday morning at the residence of his son in Chicago.
SOURCE: Porter County Vidette - Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; August 7, 1874; Volume 18, Number 32, Page 3, Column 3

Boone - Jackson Township Items. The funeral of a Miss Cotton occurred a few days snce.
She was a promising young lady; had just received a teacher's license.
A post mortem examination was had in her case. Disease ulceration of the bowels.
SOURCE: Porter County Vidette - Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; July 27, 1876; Volume 20, Number 30, Page 3, Column 5
(NOTE: Not absolutely certain that she is buried in Eight Square Cemetery. )

Dr. John M. Goodwin - BURDICK, Ind. -- Dr. John M. Goodwin died at his home at a quarter past 12 o'clock M., Saturday.
Dr. John M. Goodwin was one of the oldest physicians in Porter county, and was born in Tompkins county, New York, June 12, 1812.
His parents were Richard and Prudence (Hollister) Goodwin, and his ancestors lived in the early days of this country.
His father was a Methodist minister for fifty years, and his mother a survivor of the Wyoming massacres.
He began the study of medicine at eighteen years of age and graduated from Geneva Medical College in 1836.
He then managed his home affairs until 1842, when he moved to Aurora, Ill. Here he practiced medicine four years and
then returned to New York and practiced until 1856. Then he came to Porter county where he has since lived and practiced.
He was married August 25, 1841, to Sarah Biggs, and his wife and four children are left to mourn his loss.
Louisa, now Mrs. H. E. Kilmer, William, Clayton, and Elizabeth, now Mrs. M. Frame.
Four generations of descendents mourn his loss, besides the entire community and neighbors far and near.
With a helping hand for all his services as a doctor were often given. For the last few years he has been failing very fast
but always looking on the bright side a life few thought him to be so poorly. He was 80 years, 4 months and 10 days old.
The most sincere and heartfelt sympathy of the entire communitynis with the bereaved family.
SOURCE: The Tribune - Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; October 28, 1892; Volume 9, Number 29, Page 8, Column 6
  TALK OF THE TOWN - Dr. John N. Goodwin died at his home near Otis yesterday.
He had practiced in this county for the past thirty-eight years. His funeral occurred Monday, Rev. Virden officiating.
SOURCE: The Tribune - Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; October 28, 1892; Volume 9, Number 29, Page 5, Column 3

From the files of Juliane Burbach researching the Frame, Goodman and Kolhammer families. Mary E. Harman, her maiden name is Dunham,
her husband was Elias Reynolds Harman, both from Sugar Creek, Greene County, Ohio.
I haven't found his grave site yet. The ( Mary ) Emma Frame, ( husband Lyman Blair Frame ) also buried there,
is the daughter of Elias Reynolds Harman and Mary Elizabeth Dunham Harman. The family resided in Otis,Durham, LaPorte County
after arriving by 1870, left Ohio after 1860. All their children were married in LaPorte.

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