First Burial
1871 Jan 10
1871, A Public Burial Ground
The earliest deaths recorded in the "Date of Death" book of the
Prairie Lawn Cemetery Association are dated 1871. The first is Anna
Mears and hers is the date noted on the marker at the
entrance to Prairie Lawn.
Anna Mears
1871 Jan 10
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Harry B. Sands
1871 Aug 15
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Anna is the third of three sisters on this marker. Her sister Laura
died in 1878, and Lottie also died in 1871.
The burials in 1871 were on land still owned by the US Government, under the administration of
President Ulysses S. Grant.
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1873, Private Ownership
On October 15, 1873 a patent is issued to John D. Milliken, an
early Coneburg settler, for the W/2 of the SW/4 of
the section where Prairie Lawn is located. Those 80 acres include
the burial ground. Later, John D. and his wife
Mellie V. Skinner, move to Colorado, where the new town of
Milliken, CO is named for him.
1878, Brookdell Cemetery
In 1878, the burial ground is owned by G. W. Campbell, G. W. Neal, and
A. B. Salisbury, and a plat
of the Brookdell Cemetery dated March 7, 1878 still is on file with
the Register of Deeds of Marion Co., KS.
1881, Prairie Lawn Cemetery Association
On February 16, 1881, the Prairie Lawn Cemetery Association acquired the 40
acres on which Prairie Lawn now is located.
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