Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2022 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== Historical Sketch of Graceland Cemetery, Chicago by Graceland Cemetery Company and Crematorium pub: 196? wihout copyright notice Believed to be in Public Domain GRACELAND CEMETERY, founded by Thomas A. Bryan, was dedicated August 30, 1860 and received its charter February 11, 1861. Our Special Legislative Charter, granted by the State, guarantees protection from pos- sible change. In the days when Chicago was known as "Fort Dearborn" the people buried their loved ones north of the river. There in 1828 JOHN KINZIE, the first Chicago white set- tler, was interred. In 1835 he was disinterred and moved to the old North Side Cemetery, the present site of the old North Side Pumping Station. In 1842 he was again dis- interred and moved to the City Cemetery, now Linoln Park. From there he was moved again to his final resting place at Graceland. Here too lies ALEXANDER BEAUBIEN, the first male child born of permanent residents of Chicago. In Graceland Cemetery, where the Midwest holds hands with history, the soft-spoken headstones, the dignified shafts, the serene tombs are footnotes to the saga of an inland city. Here in 119 acres of a rolling parklike haven of peace, lie the pioneers, leaders, builders and dreamers who wrote the story of the Midwest with their lives and left a skyline where they found a sand dune. They came to Chicago on moccasined feet, in creaking wagons, by paddle boat and lake schooner, on horseback and by stage - from the farms, village commons and sea- ports of the East - from the backwoods, river towns and plantations of the South - from the capitals and hamlets, the castled river banks and avenues of the old world. Make your pilgrimage to Graceland where in the sanctuary of its hallowed ground lie POTTER PALMER, the man who built several Palmer Houses. At his side lies BERTHA PALMER, his beautiful wife, who reigned as Chicago's Queen of Society. A short distance away lies GEORGE M. PULLMAN, builder of railroad equipment, whose grave is marked by a Corin- thian column. Nearby, marked by a simple headstone, lie CYRUS HALL McCORMICK, inventor of the first successful harvesting machine, and NETTIE FOWLER, his wife, leader of Chicago's society. In another section lies a Massachusetts lad who came to Chicago in 1856 to work as a dry goods clerk and founded a famous store. His burial place is distinguished by a sunken pool that mirrors an allegorical bronze monu- ment. On it appears two words "Equity - Integrity" and the name "MARSHALL FIELD." PHILIP D. ARMOUR, Graceland neighbor of FIELD and PULLMAN, as in life he was their Prairie avenue neighbor, founded a grain empire and changed the eating habits of the world. A sharp pointed obelisk towers over CARTER H. HARRISON, SR., who was so loved by the people of Chicago, that they elected him Mayor five times. After his death they elected his son, CARTER H. HARRISON, Jr., to the same high office. In the shade of Graceland's trees lies WILLIAM A. HULBURT, the man who founded what became baseball's National League. His grave is marked by a large granite baseball complete with stitches cut in the stone. Other noted sports figures include heavyweight boxing champions "Fighting Bob" FITZSIMMONS and JACK JOHNSON. JOHN JONES, the first Chicago Negro to gain prominence and be elected to a county office, and his wife also rest eternally in Graceland. AUGUSTUS N. DICKENS, youngest brother of the great novel- ist CHARLES DICKENS, lies near the main gate to these hal- lowed grounds. In another section lies JOSEPH T. RYERSON, steel merchant, and father of steel merchants, founder of what became Inland Steel Company. Imposing monuments mark their resting places. JOSEPH MEDILL, founder of the "Chicago Tribune," and JOHN T. McCUTCHEON, author of the famous cartoon "Injun Summer," lie where leaves rustle against their monuments. A statue of a crusading Knight, sculptured by LORADO TAFT, marks the tomb of VICTOR A. LAWSON, founder of the "Chicago Daily News." A celtic cross marks the grave of JOHN WELLBORN ROOT, archi- tect, a short lived genius who worked out the principle of the floating foundation for large buildings. The prominent architect, LOUIS SULLIVAN, the first master of the skyscraper, one of the world renowned Chicagoans, de- signer of the Auditorium Building, the Carson Pirie Scott and Company store and other noted buildings, lies in Grace- land. A simple granite stone marks his grave. In 1890 the GETTY family commissioned LOUIS SULLIVAN to design a sepulcher which became the "GETTY Tomb", known all over the world as a shrine of American architecture and a landmark of the City of Chicago as a plaque displayed in the cemetery office proudly notes. The cremated remains of DANIEL HUDSON BURNHAM, father of the Chicago Plan, the Cleveland Plan, the San Francisco Plan and the Washington, D. C. Plan, lie under a glacier boulder in the middle of an island in Willowmere Section. One by one they came to Graceland, men who saw Chicago when "Checagon" was an Indian word and a 17 star flag flew over Fort Dearborn. Men who helped and heard ABRAHAM LINCOLN nominated for the Presidency. Men who wept in the great fire of 1871 and laughed at the notion of not rebuilding a metro- polis. Men who fought in the wars of this country and made the supreme sacrifice. All eternally and peacefully sleep in its hallowed ground. Observe the names on Graceland's silent tombs and head- stones - at the novels and histories condensed into a few letters chisled in stone. Here lies JOHN P. ALTGELD, FRANK O. LOWDEN, Governors of Illinois - HEMPSTEAD WASHBURNE, FRED BUSSE, JULIAN S. RUMSEY, Mayors of Chicago - ALLEN PINKERTON, President Lincoln's private detective - TIMOTHY WEBSTER, hanged in Richmond, Virginia, as a spy for the Union - MELVILLE W. FULLER, Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court - SAMUEL W. FULLERTON, founder of Packingtown - JOHN CALHOUN, pioneer newspaper publisher - PHILIP HENRICI who opened Chicago's first old world coffee house. Year after year they came to Graceland - HUBBARD, FULLERTON, WACKER, BUCKINGHAM, NEWBERRY, BOWEN, GOODMAN, KIMBALL, McCLURG, BLAIR, BALDWIN, PARMELEE, HONORE, MANI- ERRE, HUTCHINSON, KEEP, HAMILL, BURLEY, HULBURB, BENTLEY, SPRAGUE and many others. Some of them lived to see the fruits of their genius but through time their shafts point to the stars stead- fastly as their faith pointed to the future. These are the men who made the Midwest. Since 1893 Graceland has operated one of the foremost crematories in the country. Cremations are conducted with utmost dignity and decorum. We cordially invite you to visit and our staff will be happy to answer your inquiries. GRACELAND CEMETERY COMPANY AND CREMATORIUM 4001 North Clark Street Chicago, Illinois, 60613 Phone: ***************** ========================================================================== Transcriber's Note: The above phone number was ommitted due to age and the possiblity of misinforming researchers.