No. 83, March 2009
Greenleaf Cemetery
By Delores Zillmer Miller
Wisconsin became a state in 1848, and was divided into 72 counties. The biggest influx of Germans did not arrive until 1870 or so. This is where all of Delores' ancestors begat large families. The English, Irish and French came before, but it was not until the Germans came and settled in Central Wisconsin, Waupaca County, Township of Dupont and village of Marion.
Dairy farmers to the core for 130+ years. Historical data was always passed down from generation to generation. Family histories, legends, lore, and genealogy was thoroughly researched, printed, published, books bound and passed to each and every family member, whether they wanted a copy or not.
So what was Delores to do then, historically?
In 1975 two historians, Wayne and Alta Guyant visited each of the 80 or so cemeteries in Waupaca County, copying names and dates of tombstones. Working on a grid pattern, marking off roads, and rows, sectioning each. During the winter months, typed all this information on cheap notebook paper, with an old manual typewriter. After their deaths this data was put on microfilm and given to various libraries even Salt Lake City Church of the Latter Day Saints giant library.
Thirty years later Delores and friend Mary Rahr and other interested historians attempted to update these records. They never finished the job. But Mary and Delores persisted, and did update about 20 of the cemeteries. Mary then electronically typed all data into the Waupaca County Historical Society Web Site on the Internet.
Greenleaf Cemetery, is north of the village of Marion, Wisconsin and has about 4000 grave sites on eight acres of land. The first recorded burial was of Mary A. Churchill, wife of J. B. who died July 7, 1862 at the age of 24 years, 3 months and 10 days. All this info is on her tombstone, although with acid rain, snow, bitter winds, the stone has slowly corroded and washed away. It was good, the Guyants copied statistics when they did, because in 2009 the stone is unreadable. Many Civil War Veterans and servicemen of all wars are buried in Greenleaf and each Memorial Day flags are placed in holders, honoring their sacrifices. Whole families of children died of black diphtheria circa 1880.
Michael Zillmer was born on January 30, 1814 and died May 1, 1895 at the age of 81 years, 3 months and one day. He came to the town of Dupont in 1879, had three wives each named Wilhelminia or Minnie (not at the same time) and is buried in the back part of the Greenleaf Cemetery. None of his wives are buried with him, we wonder why? He is the great-grandfather of Delores and now in 2009 has at least 500 or so descendants. Recently we found his last will and testament in the Probate Office at the Waupaca Court House. We found names of his three daughters that we knew existed but could never track down. His Dupont Dairy farm is now in the fifth generation, my nephew Bruce is still milking Holstein Cows, same as his great Great Great Grandfather did in 1879 when he came to Dupont.
Cemeteries can give us so much information, even though the residents are silent and still but not forgotten. Visit one soon.
Where will Russell and Delores be buried? We don't care, that is a decision our children will make when we are gone. For fifty some years we have not lived in that area. Not Greenleaf for sure, too congested.
From a poem, author unknown:
No funeral gloom, my dears, when I am gone,
Corpse-gazings, tears, black raiment, graveyard grimness.
Think of me as withdrawn into the dimness,
Yours still, you mine.
Remember all the best of our
Past moments and forget the rest,
And so to where I wait come gently on.
copyright 2009 by Delores and Russell Miller
Journal