Before Prairie Lawn
(1-5)

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

Harry B. Sands 1871 Aug 15

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.

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.