Jenison's Oddball Cemeteries

Pic of the Lowing Cemetery, taken in November 2019 by the author

The Lowing Cemetery is located at 28^th Ave and Bauer. According to the book Bend In The River, "The saga of the cemetery came about some time later when Stephan's brother, Holden [Lowing], wished to extend a logging road, which led north from Hudsonville, across his land. Holden asked permission of Stephan to have the road cross his property, making a straight access north from Hudsonville to the Ohio Mill's Dock on the Grand River. The plan was a feasible one, but Stephan refused to give his consent, angering Holden. Years passed, and then Stephan proposed to build a road going through to the river. He started proper procedure for approval of its construction. However, Holden, who was then supervisor of Georgetown Township, hadn't forgotten the earlier incident. Knowing that a road cannot disturb a cemetery, he turned the southern most part of his land into a pauper's field, burying one of the poor charges of the Township there."

For a little modern context, we can reasonably ascertain that the Ohio Mill's Dock is on the current site of Grand River Park, on 28^th Ave. north of Fillmore. There's a little pond on site that's a hot hole for bass and bluegill, and if you launch a boat into the river and go upstream to the second island, there's a little creek that flows into the river, and there's some badass walleye fishin' there.

The Lowing Cemetery is on record as being a "spite cemetery." But, there are 4 specific cemeteries that come up in the history of Jenison, Georgetown Township, and the greater Grandville area (according to Memorials Of The Grand River Valley, the entire Jenison/Grandville/Wyoming metro area was one continuous cityscape, until we got things like train tracks and later, an interstate highway). These 4 are Lowing, of course; the Jenison Cemetery; the Smallpox Cemetery, and the Haire Cemetery. I remember studying Jenison history in 3^rd Grade, and there's a little inkling of a memory that the other three cemeteries were made out of spite (just like the Lowing one), but as of December 2019, I have been unable to find any good sources on the motives of putting the other three at major intersections.

Jenison's Cemetery is located at the intersection of Port Sheldon St. and 8^th Ave. It's still used as a private cemetery for members of the Jenison family. Once every few years, a car will blow the stop sign on 8^th Ave, either due to intoxication or bad weather, and demolish the cemetery gate.

Scan of possible burials in the
Smallpox Cemetery

The Smallpox Cemetery is at the intersection of Vos St. and 10^th Ave. It's listed as abandoned in the County's register, much like the Shackhuddle Cemetery, but I was unable to get out of the car and look around the site of the Smallpox Cemetery, as the area is highly residential these days and I didn't want to be too much of a creep (I'm already in a black car driving slowly around a subdivision, for Pete's sake). Attached is a scan from an Ottawa County register on possible burials at the Smallpox Cemetery.

The Haire Cemetery is located at 22^nd Ave and Fillmore. I'm not sure I'd call this area a 'ghost town,' but Haire's Landing was a location on the Grand River that was vital for passenger boats and logging, and the Cemetery undoubtedly served the area until river service ended. I got a few picture of the cemetery, then drove north to Begole Street to see what I could see. That area is populated, so I was unable to get out of the car and poke around. If you happen to read this, and live in the neighborhood off of 22^nd Ave and Begole in Jenison, please let me know if there are any ruins back there from the old Haire's Landing.

The Haire Cemetery, taken in November 2019 by the author

Works Cited:

Everett, Franklin. Memorials of the Grand River Valley. Chicago Legal News Company, 1878.

Ancona, Gaspar F. Where The Star Came To Rest. Editions Du Signe, 2001.

McGee, John W. Bend In The River. William B. Eeerdmans Publishing Company, 1973.