Aspen Grove Cemetery (Burlington, Iowa) Explained

Aspen Grove Cemetery
Established:	1843
Closed:	-->
Location:	Burlington, Iowa
Country:	United States
Website:	Official website
Findagraveid:	94186
Nrhp:	Aspen Grove Cemetery Historic District Nrhp Type: hd Nocat: yes Embed: yes Coordinates: 40.8278°N -91.1197°W Added: April 22, 2022 Refnum: 100007633

Aspen Grove Cemetery is a cemetery in Burlington, Iowa. In 2022, it was listed as an historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.^[1]

History

Aspen Grove Cemetery was established in 1843.^[2] The Aspen Grove Cemetery Association was approved by the Legislature of the Iowa Territory in December 1843 and they first met on January 3, 1844.^[3] Charles Starker, the first president of the Cemetery Association, designed and laid out a large portion of the cemetery.^[4]

Initially, ten acres were purchased in 1844 and an additional eight acres were purchased shortly after. In 1866, 32 more acres were purchased for the cemetery. Between 1867 and 1875, the cemetery had 2,173 interments.^[5] By 1887, the cemetery had near 9,000 interments.^[6] By 1935, the cemetery had 32,000 interments and had expanded to around 100 acres.^[7]

By 1930, the cemetery started expanding to the north, laying out roads closer to Sunnyside Avenue.^[8]

Notable interments

• G. F. A. Atherton (1790–1882), member of the Wisconsin State Assembly and Wisconsin Legislature^[9]
• Tony Baker (1945–1998), NFL player of the New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams, and San Diego Chargers
• Floy Little Bartlett (1883–1956), composer
• Nicholas Bouquet (1842–1912), Medal of Honor recipient and soldier in the Civil War
• James Clarke (1812–1850), 3rd governor of Iowa Territory^[2]
• John M. Corse (1835–1893), general in the Union Army, lieutenant governor of Iowa^[10]
• Augustus C. Dodge (1812–1883), U.S. Representative from Iowa Territory, U.S. minister to Spain, U.S. senator from Iowa^[11]
• Henry Dodge (1782–1867), U.S. Representative, Senator, and Governor of the Wisconsin Territory^[12]
• John H. Gear (1825–1900), 11th governor of Iowa^[2]
• James Isham Gilbert (1823–1884), general in the Union Army
• James W. Grimes (1816–1872), 3rd governor of Iowa and U.S. senator^[13]
• Benton Jay Hall (1835–1894), U.S. Representative From Iowa^[14]
• Thomas Hedge (1844–1920), U.S. Representative from Iowa
• John Flournoy Henry (1793–1873), U.S. Representative from Kentucky^[15]
• Jacob Gartner Lauman (1813–1867), businessman and general in the Union Army^[16]
• Isaac Leffler (1788–1866), American lawyer and U.S. Representative from Virginia
• Shepherd Leffler (1811–1879), U.S. Representative from Iowa^[17]
• Aldo Leopold (1887–1948), author, conservationalist, and educator
• Charles L. Matthies (1824–1868), Union Army officer
• William Butler Remey (1842–1895), colonel in the Union Army^[18]
• Jeremiah Smith Jr. (1802–1862), representative of the Wisconsin Territorial Assembly
• Joseph Champlin Stone (1829–1902), U.S. Representative from Iowa^[19]

Notes and References

1. Web site: National Register of Historic Places Program: Weekly List. National Park Service. April 29, 2022. 2023-02-14.
2. Web site: History & Visitor Information . aspengrovecemetery.com . 2022-06-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220607074827/https://www.aspengrovecemetery.com/history--visitors-information . 2022-06-07 . live.
3. Web site: National Register of Historic Places Registration Form – White, Abiathar and Nancy (Corey) House . 2014-01-15 . nps.gov . 2022-06-07.
4. Web site: Starker-Leopold Historic District . 1982-12-27 . nps.gov . 2022-06-07.
5. News: Aspen Grove . 1876-02-10 . Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye . 4 . . 2022-06-07.
6. News: Iowa Items . 1887-06-21 . . 2 . . 2022-06-07.
7. News: Delegates to Visit Historic Cemetery . 1935-06-16 . . 16 . . 2022-06-08.
8. News: Cemetery Ass'n Re-elects Officers; Plans New Drives . 1930-01-16 . Burlington Hawk-Eye Gazette . 11 . . 2022-06-08.
9. Web site: George F A Atherton b. 31 Dec 1790 Chesterfield, Cheshire, New Hampshire, USA d. 23 Apr 1882 Burlington, Des Moines, Iowa, USA. atherton.one-name.net.
10. News: Gen. Corse Buried . 1893-05-10 . Sioux City Journal . 1 . . 2022-06-07.
11. Web site: Dodge, Augustus Caesar . . 2022-06-07.
12. Web site: Dodge, Henry . . 2022-06-07.
13. Web site: Grimes, James Wilson . . 2022-06-07.
14. Web site: Hall, Benton Jay . . 2022-06-07.
15. Web site: Henry, John Flournoy . . 2022-06-07.
16. News: The Funeral of Gen. Lauman . 1867-02-22 . Muscatine Weekly Journal . . 2022-06-07.
17. Web site: Leffler, Shepherd . . 2022-06-07.
18. News: Col. Remey's Remains . 1895-01-24 . The Gazette . . 2 . . 2022-06-07.
19. Web site: Stone, Joseph Champlin . . 2022-06-07.