Chardon Road (Smith Farm – Shram) Cemetery

Willoughby
(inactive)

This is a small cemetery located behind a building located at 29017 Chardon Road.

In 1840 the property belonged to the Smith family. Deed Volume S pg 427 shows Obadiah W. Smith and Olive, his wife for consideration of $1.00 deeding the cemetery to Sidney Smith, Anson Hunt, and Charles White as directors on 24 May 1861.

The cemetery is not in good repair. It is difficult to know who was the first person buried in this cemetery because there are at least 18 gravestones unable to be read. Although the stone is now missing, but read in the 1920s, the person with the earliest death date on a stone was Martha Smith, wife of William, who died 4 November 1836. The last burial appears to be that of Clara E. Smith who died at age 85 in 1953.

Page 102 and 103 in Soldiers and Widows of the American Revolution who lived in Lake County, Ohio by Mildred Steed says, “A letter dated February 24, 1926, to New Connecticut Chapter DAR, states:

“Edward Halstead died February 16, 1837, aged 86 years. He is buried on the Chardon Road one half mile east of Bishop or Route 21 road. The grave is marked with a marble slab. The weather has made the dates hard to read. Part of the burying ground is on the place where he died. I would like to have the town take over the grounds as there are several of the ‘Old Pioneers’ buried there besides relatives and friends. Would be glad to show you where the grave is if you will call. I live the first place east of the cemetery.
Rspy yours,
Leon E. Smith
Wickliffe, Ohio.”

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