Quaker Cemetery, Maple Grove Township, MI ~ April 27, 2023

Just south of Nashville off Guy Road, you will find this small, historic cemetery. It's not marked on Guy Road so look for a two track road that will lead you to the place. Most of the gravestones are illegible and the cemetery is not well-maintained.

Eli Lapham, a Quaker minister, was the first settler here when he bought the land in 1837 from John Mott, a Quaker from Jackson. More Quakers followed and a small settlement was formed. Nothing is left of the settlement and this cemetery is all that remains to indicate their presence (other than Quaker Brook in Nashville).

Nathaniel Newton was born in Vermont in 1804 and died here in 1855.

The only doctor in the initial Quaker settlement was Dr. Archelaus Harwood and there are six Harwoods buried here, four of them dying in 1855.

Thomas Mayo died in Andersonville in 1864 and was a member of Company H, 6th Michigan Cavalry.

Frank Downs (1855-1938) has one of the few modern markers because he requested that he be buried here among his ancestors.

Levi Biggs died in 1864 and was a member of Company B, 28th Michigan Infantry.

The most renowned burial in this cemetery is that of John Quick (1762-1851). He crossed the Delaware with George Washington, was wounded in the Battle of Trenton, encamped at Valley Forge, and fought in the Battle of Monmouth. He later came to Maple Grove to live with his son Abram. Abram Quick  had married Eli Lapham's (the settlement's founder) daughter. 

Baby Frankie McCartney lived July 4, 1870 - September 23, 1871.

Here lies an infant whose name I couldn't find.

Jacob Emmons, May 15, 1843 - August 25, 1855.

Harvey Carnell died as a toddler (Jan 7, 1856 - June 26, 1860).

According to Internment.com, there are 61 burials here and they have a list of the 61 names. This is a peaceful place albeit with many worn down and broken grave stones.