East Richfield Cemetery

(also known as Fairview Cemetery)

This  was established in April 1845 by a gift of 3/4 of an acre by  Orson M. and Lucretia Oviatt to the trustees of the First Congregational Society.  Most of the present acreage has been given to the Township Trustees by Everett & Emily Farnum (.54 acre, 1870; .235 acre, 1876), Charles & Mary Brush (.84 acre, 1898), Charles Brush (1.03 & .70 acre, 1912), Dorothy Brush Dick (3.70 acres, 1932), and the East Ohio Gas Co. (.078 acres, 1948).

It is here (pictured at left) that the four children of the famous abolitionist, John Brown, are laid to rest having died one week of each other.  Charles, Austin, Peter and Sarah Brown died of black diphtheria, or the black plague, according to the account of "Aunt Fanny" Oviatt, grandmother of Jennie Oviatt, who nursed the family through this terrible illness. 

Below at the left, is a photo of the granite memorial to John Farnham/Farnum, father of Everett Farnham and the only Revolutionary soldier to be buried in Richfield.  John was born in 1761, Cornwall, Litchfield County, Connecticut.  He was only 16 years old in 1777 when he enlisted as a private in Captain Robertson's Company, 2nd Regiment and later fought in the Battle of Monmouth.  His honorable discharge papers are signed by General George Washington.  In 1812, John and most of his family arrived in Richfield where he built his first home made of logs to protect himself from native Indians.  A couple years later, he was elected "fence viewer", a township official whose function was to settle property line disputes between adjacent land owners.  John Farnham died in 1834 and was buried on his property which later became Fairview cemetery 11 years later.

Much gratitude is owed to the Weld family who left a trust fund that has made the restoration of the native field stone wall and resetting of tombstones possible in East Richfield.

In the summer of 1934,  Mrs. W.E. Ellis and Mrs. A.E. Ozmun generously spent their time reading tombstones in East Richfield Cemetery and their invaluable list exists today at the Richfield Historical Society.  If you would like to verify that your ancestors are buried here, we can look-up names for you from this reading for anyone buried prior to mid-1934.

The cemetery is located on the west side of Brecksville Road, Richfield, Summit County, Ohio, just south of East Ohio Co.; look for the field stone wall and winding hillside drive. Visit FindAGrave® to search the cemetery.

Stephen Pixley, one of the earliest burials at West Richfield Cemetery, died at the age of 49 on October 31st, 1829. (above)

West Richfield Cemetery

This cemetery  was founded in 1824 and many Richfield family names are found here:  Alger, Baldwin, Baumgardner, Bigelow, Carter, Comstock, Dustin, Ellsworth, Fauble, Gargett, Goldwood, Greenlese, Hall, Hart, Humphrey, Ingersol, Kirby, Lane, McKinstry, Oviatt, Palmer, Parker, Phelps, Prickett, Shall, Sheldon, Starr, Swan, Townsend, Williard, and Wood.

 

 

It was in this cemetery that an impressive sandstone vault stood for 80 years until it was torn down in July, 1959.  It was decreed an eyesore and a hazard by township trustees.  The 12 by 20 foot structure, built in 1879, was originally intended as a place to store caskets during the winter until spring weather made grave digging possible; however, the vault had long remained unused.  Some of the huge sandstone blocks were used as a retaining wall on the town hall site (circa 1959).

Some of the very old tombstones are unfortunately disintegrating before our very eyes!  To the left, is the headstone of little Nancy Stoffer who died at the age of two years and 6 months on March 9, 1831.  She was the daughter of David R. Stoffer and Mina Bigelow, daughter of John & Lydia (Benedict) Bigelow.  David Stoffer was born in Germany in 1801, went to California in 1863 and was never heard from again.

Mrs. W.E. Ellis and Mrs. A.E. Ozmun generously spent their time reading tombstones in the summer of 1934 at West Richfield Cemetery and their invaluable list exists today at the Richfield Historical Society.  If you would like to verify that your ancestors are buried here, we can look-up names for you from this reading for anyone buried prior to mid-1934.  

This cemetery can be easily found on the east side of Broadview Road, just north of Rte. 303, Richfield, Summit County, Ohio. Visit FindAGrave® to search this cemetery.