Williams Cemetery

Leroy

From Debbie Kinyon and Pat Greene’s book, History of Leroy, second edition, on page 48:

1.18 acres of land for this cemetery was donated by the Williams’ family who lived at 6449 Vrooman Rd. in 1831. Later, Williams’ son took up residence next to this cemetery and became its sexton. His job was to dig graves. In winter months when the ground was frozen, bodies were kept in the stone vault located near Vrooman Rd. The sexton checked on the bodies daily and when their condition started to deteriorate, the families were notified and arrangements made. The front of the property is graced in by large, hand-cut sandstone blocks stacked as a retaining wall. It was, at one time, enclosed by a decorative iron fence. Solomon Davis William [sic] was buried here in 1886 at the age of 69. His son, Dexter William [sic], was the first soldier of Leroy Twp. to die in the civil War. Solomon chose a location near a stately pine tree for his son’s grave site. Years later, when the Leroy trustees were cutting down all the evergreens at the cemetery, Dexter’s son Alton stood guard over the tree and refused to let anyone cut it down. The pine no longer stands today. Other note-worthy graves are those of Jonathan Weed (of Weeds Corners) Mar. 20, 1791 – June 17, 1875 and his wife Polly Bliss Aug. 1, 1797 – Mar. 2, 1869. Some gravestones date back to 1822, nine years before the cemetery was officially sanctioned. Some familiar names read on gravestones are Brakeman, Baker, Bates and Vrooman. It’s thought that as many as eight generations of one family rest in Williams Cemetery. Records indicate that in 1926, eight plots were purchased for five dollars.

Both Solomon Davis Williams and Solomon Dexter Williams served in the Civil War and the local GAR Post 743 was named the S. Dexter Williams Post.

This cemetery is on the west side of Vrooman Road, not far from Painesville Warren Road. The Williams home is across the street and a bit to the north. The cemetery appears as an old one, on the hill. The stone retaining wall still exists, and there is a sandstone vault on the south side of the front. There is a new split rail fence along the north side.

This active cemetery now has five sections. All of the rows were read from east to west and the stones from south to north.

This cemetery was proofed 29 September 2000.

Addendum June 2017: There is a nearly complete searchable database for Northeast Leroy and Williams Cemetery at the Township site: http://leroyohio.com/roads-service/cemeteries/

Note: Duplicate stone numbers indicate multiple persons inscribed on the same stone as detailed in the inscription column.