- Bay County -

Unnamed Burial Ground, Bay City

Very little is known about this burying ground, which appears to be the oldest one in what is now Bay City. A brief description of it is found on page 106 "History of Bay County, Michigan" as follows: "The first burial in Lower Saginaw was some time prior to 1840. A man named Bennett, from Pine River, died, and was buried near what is now the corner of Eleventh and Washington Streets. This was a sand ridge, and was selected on account of its elevation. The next death here was that of Mrs. Derr, who was buried in the same place, and these were the only deaths in the settlement for several years. This burial place was used until about 1859."

It is likely that many of the interred remains were relocated to the newer cemeteries such as Pine Ridge, which land was purchased and set apart by Judge James Birney about 1859. It seems that some remains were unintentionally left behind due to unmarked graves, and missing records that were either not kept or destroyed. In June, 1893, four coffins were unearthed at the end of Saginaw street while workers were digging a trench for a 6-inch tile sewer. It was reported that the coffins "were not disturbed, as they are down low enough to allow of the sewer being laid." [The Sunday Times, 4 June, 1893] In this article pioneer William R. McCormick stated that his father, mother and sister had been buried here, but their remains were transferred to Pine Ridge Cemetery in 1862. In 1908 another coffin was struck in the rear of No. 3 Hose House on Washington street while digging holes to place posts under the sagging foundation of the building. [The Bay City Times, 23 April, 1908]

Using an 1893 plat map and newspaper accounts it seems that this early burying ground was between Washington and Saginaw streets, north of Columbus street. An 1895 Sanborn Fire Map shows Hose House No. 3 located on Washington street, midway between Columbus and 11th streets.