What I Know About Indian Park as of March 2020

by Laurie Graney

[Introduction added February 2021]

The following contains a summary of my research into Indian Park compiled over many years time. It was the basis of the presentation by Terry Burns, Kristal Prohaska and myself on the Mysteries of Indian Park. Many of the newspaper clippings and other family information saved over the years by my mother-in-law, Laura Graney, are also included in the article, especially in Part II.

For a reference page listing non-primary resources, please see the final article in the series by Terry Burns, Kristal Prohaska, and myself.

The research here was the basis for the research we did from 2021-2022 to learn more about the park’s history.

1837 – 1839 – Thomas Paine Aiken, (buried in Indian Park), and his family arrive in the Platteville area in 1837, and they live with Thomas and Laura Donelson. Laura Donelson is Thomas Aiken’s sister. In 1839, Thomas Aiken purchases a farm homestead consisting of 80 acres in Section 2 of Platteville Township. Descendants of Thomas Aiken have lived in the Platteville area ever since. Upon Thomas Aiken’s death, his son, William Aiken, purchases the Aiken family farm homestead. Upon the death of William, the farm was then purchased by William’s son, Leslie Aiken. Leslie Aiken had one child, a daughter by the name of Laura. Laura and her mother, Sarah Aiken, were teachers by profession, and they were very well respected in the Platteville community. Sarah taught at country schools in the area for many years. Laura taught at many country schools in the area, as well as the Platteville public schools. Laura married Wilburn Graney in 1940. Upon Laura’s death in 2006, part of the family farm homestead was inherited by Richard (Dick) Graney. It should be noted that there are other Aiken family members still living in the Platteville area today. The Aiken family farm homestead is now 181 years old.
1847 – In the Fall of 1847 Reverend John Lewis and his family arrive in Platteville from New Diggings. Rev. Lewis and Josiah Pickard are known for their efforts in helping to found the Academy, which was the early start of the UW-Platteville.
1848 – Rev. Lewis is installed as pastor of the Presbyterian Church.
1848 – On February 22, 1848 – John Rountree deeds land to the Presbyterian Church to be used as a burying ground for the interment of the dead. It is to be free to all persons to use and occupy for the purpose of interring the dead without tax assessment or charge. Today, this parcel of land is known as Indian Park. This deed states that the land is to be used “for and in consideration of their respect for the Christian burial of the dead”. The deed says the land is to “forever remain a cemetery”, and that it is “not to be used for any other purpose whatsoever”.
1849 – On February 6, 1849 the Wisconsin State Legislature passes an act, Chapter 25, that authorizes the Presbyterian Church in Platteville, Grant County, to change its name and form of government.
- Section 1. That it shall and may be lawful for the members of the Presbyterian Church in the town of Platteville, in Grant County, to change their name and form of government to that of a Congregational Church.
- Section 2. That the trustees of the aforesaid Presbyterian Church be and they are hereby empowered to sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of the property belonging to said church, and to make, execute, and deliver to the trustees of the Congregational Church, when duly chosen, deeds therefore, under their hands and seals: Provided, that a majority of the members of the said Presbyterian Church concur in such transfer by their votes cast at a meeting called for the purpose, of which public notice shall be given from the pulpit, at least two Sabbaths next preceding the time of holding such a meeting.
- Section 3. That the said Congregational Church, when formed as hereinbefore provided, shall be the successor in law to the said Presbyterian Church, and when the same shall have been duly organized as a Congregational Church, under an act of the legislature of the Territory of Wisconsin, approved February 8^th, 1847, entitled “an act to provide for the incorporation of the Protestant Episcopal Church and other religious societies in the Territory of Wisconsin,” then the property both real and personal, owned by said Presbyterian Church, shall by virtue of proper deeds of conveyance, made as hereinbefore provided, vest in the Congregational Church, so organized as aforesaid: Provided, that nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to give the trustees of the Presbyterian Church the power to sell or convey the Platteville Academy.
1849 – On July 9, 1849, a deed is recorded in Grant County. This deed deeds the Presbyterian Church property to the Congregational Church for the sum of $1. This deed mentions the “special act” that was passed by the Wisconsin State Legislature, which was approved on February 6, 1849. This deed specifically states that included with this property is a “certain one acre lot” that is “described and used as a burying ground”.
1850 – On August 27, 1850, Thomas Paine Aiken and Eleanor Donelson die from cholera. Aiken and Donelson are buried in the Presbyterian (Congregational) burying ground.
1855 – Enoch Sanford dies of cholera and is buried in the Presbyterian (Congregational) burying ground. Sanford’s will is on the Ancestry website.
1855 – On August 17, 1855 a warranty deed is recorded between John and Lydia Rountree and John Lewis. This warranty deed is for 21 acres that surround the area of Indian Park. A mortgage is also recorded on this date.
1855 – The county surveyor certifies that he has laid out lots in the Town of Platteville for John Lewis, E. W. Covell and John Rountree.
1856 – A release of mortgage is recorded for the 21 acres that John Lewis bought from John Rountree.
1858 – Warranty deed – John Lewis and Electa Lewis to E. W. Covell. It is interesting to note that this warranty deed was not recorded until May 14, 1875.
1860 – On September 2, 1860, John Lewis dies at the age of 43. Lewis was very much respected and loved in the Platteville community. People referred to him as “Saint John”. Lewis was laid to rest on an afternoon of “autumnal splendor”. The entire Academy followed his casket to the cemetery.
1860 – December 10, 1860 – A certificate of probate for John Lewis’ estate is recorded. Electa Lewis is named as heir to his estate.
1861 – November 6, 1861 – Tax Deed – Ownership of the cemetery goes to Grant County. (According to Register of Deeds Marilyn Pierce, this should not have happened as the parcel is a cemetery and cemeteries were not to be taxed.) (The tax amount of $2.71 was due from the year 1857.) W. R. Beach represented Grant County in the purchase of the cemetery. It should be noted that I have tied W. R. Beach to the 1850 Beetown cholera. There is an entry about the Beetown cholera in the 1900 Holford edition of the History of Grant County Wisconsin, which ties Beach to this event. (Is it coincidental that Beach would purchase a cemetery for the county with known cholera victims?)
1868 – On May 30, 1868 Grant County quit claim deeds the Presbyterian Burying Ground to John Rountree for $3.
1869 – On July 20, 1869 Eliphalet and Rebecca Covell and Electa Lewis quit claim deed Lots 9, 10, 19 & 20 of Covell’s Addition, (Indian Park), to John Rountree for $50. (It is unknown as to why Rountree did this, as the Covells and Electa Lewis did not own and had never owned these lots, and Rountree already had a quit claim deed recorded with Grant County. ???????????? Electa Lewis had long ago left Platteville and was living in Chicago at this time.)
1875 – tax roll records show that John Rountree has ownership of lots 9, 10, 19 & 20 of Covell’s Addition.
1890 – John Rountree dies on June 27, 1890.
1895 – July 25th, 1895 – Lydia Rountree, Jennie Rountree and John S. Rountree sell Lots 9, 10, 19 and 20 of Covell’s Addition and several other parcels to Robert Spear. (Robert Spear lived in Platteville, and he is listed as a “capitalist” on the 1900 census. I also located documentation indicating that he was on the Grant County Board of Supervisors in 1898. Robert Spear’s father was John Spear. John Spear was on the Platteville City Council in 1892. The 1920 census shows John Spear was a bank president. While internet surfing I later found info showing that a John Spear was the president of the State Bank in Platteville.
1898 – Rountree heirs attempt to sue the Presbyterian Synod to eject them from the ground and to terminate its use as a cemetery. (Note Chapter 25 of the 1849 Wisconsin State Legislature says the Congregational Church is now the successor in law of the Presbyterian Church.)
1898 – Court document showing that the Rountree heirs are entitled to possession of 41’ 6” on the south side of lots 10 and 19. The balance of lots 10, 19, 9 and 20 are for cemetery purposes.
1901 – January 15, 1901 – E. B. Rice has a lien recorded at Grant County for lots 9, 10, 19, & 20 of Covell’s Addition. (The word “affidavit” is written alongside this handwritten document.) The lien is for compensation of materials, labor and attorney fees, (caring, upkeep and maintenance), of the “Presbyterian burying ground”.
1901 – January 16, 1901 –A deed is recorded at Grant County, which transfers the ownership of Indian Park/Cemetery, Presbyterian burying ground, (except for a strip of land on the south side of lots 10 and 19), to O. W. Barrett. Barrett purchases the cemetery from E. B. Rice and Della E. Rice for $500.
1901 & 1902 – tax roll records show that O. W. Barrett is the owner, but no taxes were paid as the said property is a “cemetery” and “graveyard”.
1902 – June 9, 1902 – Survey is done for Lots 10 & 19.
1903 – tax roll record line is left blank.
1904 – tax roll record indicates that the property is now “public property”.
1917 – May 29, 1917 – The state legislature passes an act to “vacate” the cemetery. The city is given six months from the passage of the act to “remove all remains” to suitable lots in Greenwood Cemetery in the said City of Platteville. Thereafter, the use of said lands for interment shall be prohibited and the title thereto shall be vested in the said City of Platteville. (Platteville City Council meeting minutes show that the council did not vote to remove the remains from the cemetery until April 3, 1918. (The April 3, 1918 date is over 10 months from the passage of this act.) Once this task was completed, the city council authorized and empowered the Rountree Park Committee to level the surface to the ground, etc.. The remains of several individuals still remain in Indian Park, as these individuals died of cholera. At that point in time, it was believed, if the remains were “dug up” the dreaded disease could once again be spread.) I continued to read through the Platteville City Council meeting for over two years from this date, and I did not observe where the Rountree Park Committee reported back to the council that their task had been completed.
1917 – Sometime around this time the Aiken family ordered grave markers for Thomas Aiken and Eleanor Donelson to be placed at the “new” cemetery where their remains were to be moved. According to newspaper accounts and what my mother-in-law told to me, the Aiken family was prevented from moving these remains, as Thomas Aiken and Eleanor Donelson had died of cholera and there was fear of spreading the cholera once again. The grave markers were found on the family century farm several years back. Laura Graney told me that she and my father-in-law, Wilburn, had buried the grave markers. She also mentioned the approximate location of them. It is possible that we might be able to locate the grave markers. Copies of the grave markers photos have been sent to the Wisconsin State Historical Society.
1918 – March 8, 1918 – City Council votes to rename the cemetery “Rountree Park”.
1918 – April 3, 1918 – City Council votes to remove all bodies found in Rountree Park and to rebury them in Greenwood Cemetery. Rountree Park Committee is then authorized and empowered to level the surface of the ground and to erect fences on the north and south sides of said park and that the expense, thereof, be borne by the city.
1919 – tax roll record line is left blank.
1920 & 1921 – tax roll records indicate “park lots 9 & 10”.
1929 & 1930 – tax roll records indicate “North Park” 9, 10, 19, 20.
1936 – tax roll record indicates “North Park” lots 9, 10, 19, 20.
1945 – tax roll record indicates “North Park”.
1951 – tax roll record indicates “North Park”.
1961 – tax roll record indicates “North Park”.
1962 – tax roll record indicates “City of Platteville”.
1959 – November 11, 1959 – Atty. Robert Block sends a letter to the city clerk that indicates the Council had authorized him to secure an abstract to the property known as “North Park”. The purpose of this was so that the city could possibly sell the property as building lots. Atty. Block states in his letter that the Grant County Abstract Company said that the abstract did not show title to any one person or group, and the property is in an uncertain state in that three different groups own some interest of record in the property. (See Attorney Block’s letter for specific details.)
1975 – April 1975 – Laura Graney writes a letter to the Platteville Journal. The letter talks about an error that had been made in the Platteville Folklore column of the paper. Her letter to the editor was then published in the April 8, 1975 edition of the Platteville Journal. Laura’s letter is in response to a Folklore Column that was published in the April 3, 1975 edition of the Platteville Journal. Of special note is the mention of one Indian Mound left in the cemetery.
1976 – April 13, 1976 – Platteville City Council approves permission for the Thomas Paine Aiken marker to be placed in Indian Park.
1985 – November 22, 1985 – City of Platteville registers the Application for and Approval of Lot Re-Division with the Grant County Register of Deeds, as the City wanted to “remove” the interior lot lines to create one lot, so that Indian Park would be only one parcel.
1986 – December 22, 1986. The City of Platteville completes an application, which is approved by Grant County, to remove the interior lot lines from Indian Park/Cemetery.

TAX ROLES

1895 John Rountree Est. 9, 10, 19 & 20.

1896 John Rountree Est. 9, 10, 19 & 20.

1897 John Rountree Est. 9, 10, 19 & 20.

1898 John Rountree Est. 9, 10, 19 & 20.

1899 John Rountree Est. 9, 10, 19 &20. (There is a note in the “by whom paid” column that says “Cemetery Illegal Account”.

1900 John Rountree Est. 9, 10, 19 & 20. (Note that indicates it is a “Cemetery”.

1901 Note that lines 3 and 4 indicate that O. W. Barrett and the John Rountree Est. are owners. 9, 10, 19 & 20….then there is a note saying 35 feet S. side Lots 10 & 19, Cemetery”. There is no tax information.

1902 O. W. Barrett is the owner listed. Lots 9, 10, 19 & 20 ex. 41 ½ ft. off S. side 19. “Graveyard”.

1903 Public Property Ex. 41 ½ ft. off S. side of 10, 19. Lots 9, 10, 19, 20. No tax information is listed.

1904 Public Property Ex. 41 ½ ft. off S. Side of 10, 19. Lots 9, 10, 19, 20. No tax information listed.

1905 Public Property Lots 9, 10, 19, 20. Ex. 41 ½ ft. off S. Side of 9, 10, 19, 20(??????) No tax information listed. Whatever information was written in the “By Whom Paid” column was erased.

1906 Public Property 9, 10, 19 and 20. Ex. 41 ½ ft. off S. side 10, 19.

1907 Public Property 9-10 and 19 and 20 ex 41 ½ ft. off S side of 10-19.

1908 Public Property 9-10-19 & 20 ex. 41 ½ ft. off S. side of 10-19.

1909 Public Property 9-10-19-20 ex. 41 ½ ft. off S. side of 10 & 19.

1910 Public Property 9-10-19-20 ex. 41 ½ ft. off S. side of 10 & 19.

1911 Unknown Owner 9-10-19-20 ex. 41 ½ ft. off S. side of 10 & 19.

1912 Unknown Owner 9-10-19-20 ex. 41 ½ ft. off S. side of 10 & 19.

1913 Unknown Owner 9-10-19-20 ex. 41 ½ ft. off S. side of 10 & 19.

1914 “Unnone” Owner 9-10-19 and 20 ex. 41 ½ ft. off S. side of 10 & 19.

1915 Unknown Owner 9-10-19 ex. 41 ½ ft. off S. side of 10 & 19. (Nothing about 20.)

1916 Unknown Owner 9 & 10-19 ex. 41 ½ ft. off S side of 10-19. (The number 20 is penciled in and a written note is made asking, “what about lot 20”.)

1917 Unknown Owner 9-10-19 ex 41 ½ ft. off S. side of 10-19-20. ( First mention of lot 20 not being a whole lot.)

1918 Unknown Owner 9-10-19 & 20 – ex. 4 ½ ft. off of S. side of 10 & 19.

1919 Unknown Owner 8, 10, 19 – ex. 4 ½ ft. off of S. side 10, 19. (No mention of 20.)

1920 Park lots 9, 10 less 4 ½ ft. of S. side of 10. (No mention of 19 & 20.)

1921 Park lots 9, 10 less 4 ½ ft. of S. side lot 10. (No mention of 19 & 20.)

1922 Park lots 9, 10 less 4 ½ ft. off S. side of 10. (No mention of 19 & 20.)

1923 Park lots 9 & 10 less 4 ½ ft. off S. side of 10. (No mention of 19 & 20.)

1924 City Park – 9, 10 less 4 ½ ft. of S. side of 10. (No mention of 19 & 20.)

1925 City Park – 9, 20 ex. 4 ½ ft. of S. side of 10. (No mention of 19.) *****

1926 City Park 9, 10 ex. 4 ½ ft. of S. side of 10. (No mention of 19 & 20.)

1927 City Park 9, 10 ex. 4 ½ ft. of S. side of 10. (No mention of 19 & 20.)

1928 City Park 9, 10 ex. 4 ½ ft. of S. side of 10. (No mention of 19 & 20.)

1929 North Park – City Park 9, 10 ex. 4 ½ ft. of S. side of 10. (No mention of 19 & 20.)

1930 North Park – City Park 9, 10 ex. 4 ½ ft. of S. side of 10. (No mention of 19 & 20.)

1931 North Park – lot 9 & S. 48 ½’ of 10 & lot 20 & S. 48 ½’ of lot 19.

1932 North Park – Lot 9T S. 48 ½’ of 10 & lot 20 & S. 48 ½’ of lot 19. (Sec. or Lot column indicates 9-10 19-20.)

1933-1954 North Park –

1955 (No Tax Role at Southwest Wisconsin Room)

1956–1959 North Park B –

1960 (No Tax Rolee at Southwest Wisconsin Room)

1961 City of Platteville / North Park

1962-1969 City of Platteville

1970 -1975 (No Tax Roles at Southwest Wisconsin Room)

1976 City of Platteville

1977-1981 (No Tax Roles at Southwest Wisconsin Room)

1982 City of Platteville – Lot 9; N 48 ½’ of Lot 10 N 48 ½’ of Lot 19; Lot 20

Tax rolls for Indian Park/Cemetery for the years 1848, 1849, 1850, 1857, 1858, 1859 and 1860. The 1849 Tax Roll indicates “Graveyard”. The 1850 Tax Roll indicates, “land in NW ¼ not included”. This is the Presbyterian burying ground. I was either unable to locate or there was nothing in the tax rolls for the Presbyterian burying ground for the tax roll years of 1851-1856. The tax rolls for 1857, 1858, 1859 and 1860 show the lot numbers, but does not show a taxed amount. The 1860 tax roll specifically says that the parcel is “exempt”.

SPECIAL NOTES OF INTEREST

1848 & 1849 Deeds – The trustees named on the 1848 Presbyterian Church deed are Josiah Pickard, Isaac Bancroft, Edward Estabrook, Joel Potter and J. W. Clark. Three of these individuals also appear on the 1849 Congregational Church deed as trustees for the Congregational Church…… Edward Estabrook, Joel Potter and J. W. Clarke. Thereby, these three individuals are now members of the Congregational Church.

Note: The E. B. Rice lien indicates that he was caring for the “Presbyterian burying ground” from May 1894 until 1901. Rice had purchased materials for repairs and fencing, and that he had “cared for said premises”. Also of special note…..the tax rolls show that Della Rice is the owner of Lot 8 of Covell’s Addition, and E. B. Rice is listed as the person paying the tax. Lot 8 is right next door to the cemetery……Lots 9, 10, 19 and 20 of Covell’s Addition. Therefore, it is very possible that E. B. Rice cared for the cemetery. The 1900 census shows that E. B. Rice’s occupation was that of a “dairyman”. Therefore it is likely that Rice did do fencing, repairs and other upkeep around the cemetery.

Note: E. B Rice and his wife, Della show up on a 1910 census, and they are living in Dubuque, Iowa. This census shows that E. B. is working for a nursery.

Note: Chapter 307 – Laws of 1917 – indicates lots 9, 10, 19 & 20 in Covell’s Addition for many years in the past and now being in ruinous and abandoned condition, and that no person or association had taken charge or care of the cemetery for the past 20 years. (This is not true, as E. B. Rice indicates in his lien that he had taken care of the cemetery until 1901. Also…..city records shows “clean up at the Old Cemetery”. It is unknown which old cemetery.)

Note: Congregational Church records indicate that Rev. John Lewis was buried at Hillside Cemetery. Lewis’ grave marker is not at Hillside Cemetery……it is at Greenwood Cemetery. An early newspaper article from 1854 calls the Presbyterian burying ground “Hill Grave Yard”. Is there confusion between the two cemeteries Hillside and Hill??? (Why was the cemetery called Hill Grave Yard? Is it because the cemetery was once a Hill, or could it possibly be because there were Indian mounds (hill(s)) in the cemetery???) City records indicate that John Lewis’ gravesite was not purchased until sometime in 1955. Was John Lewis actually buried in his own church’s cemetery? Note the possible confusion of Hill and Hillside cemeteries. It’s easy to move grave markers, but not so easy to move the remains.

Note: John Lewis’ wife, Electa Page Lewis dies, June 2, 1911, at the age of 94 in Baraboo. It was Electa’s wish to return to Platteville and to be buried next to John. Electa’s funeral service was held at the Congregational Church in Platteville.

Near John and Electa Lewis’ grave markers at Greenwood Cemetery are grave markers for Harlan Page (Electa’s brother), Fanny Lewis (John’s mother), Olive Lewis (John’s sister), and Henry McFall (Olive’s husband – Olive’s husband was a doctor). Harlan Page was once an editor for a Platteville newspaper. Harlan went on to bigger and better things….he became one of the editors for the Wisconsin State Journal. Harlan eventually had a stroke. Harlan lived in Baraboo at this time. Electa’s obituary says that she lived with Harlan for a time. I think that it is possible that she cared for Harlan after his stroke. Harlan’s wife was an accomplished opera singer. She traveled the country performing her talent. Harlan’s wife might have been supporting the family by doing so.

I have asked myself several times why Indian Park might have been called the Hill Graveyard in the 1850’s. This cemetery is not on a hill. In fact, the surrounding area can most definitely be described as being flat. Could their possibly have been someone by the last name of Hill that was buried in the cemetery, or could it be possible there were Indian burial mound(s) in the cemetery? As a child growing up in Platteville, I recall many people saying that the “hill” in Indian Park was, in fact, an Indian burial mound. I recall a teacher(s) in the 1960’s telling the students that this was an Indian burial mound and that we needed to respect it.

We have attempted to come up with pictures that were taken in and around Indian Park, but have been unsuccessful. When talking with other local citizens, we have been told they recall a wrought iron fence or some other type of fence that surrounded the Indian burial mound. When this fence was removed, it is not known.

It is a mystery to me how the Congregational Church lost ownership of the cemetery. I have yet to locate any documentation transferring the ownership of the cemetery from the Congregational Church to any other party or individual.