CIRCLE HILL CEMETERY BURIALS & FAMILIES

Denise Lake Compiler & Photographer

2009-02-18T15:16:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Graveyard Burials with photographs and family data, often obituaries. This blog is dedicated to the families of everyone buried in this cemetery. But most of all to Denise for helping them come alive again!!!

CIRCLE HILL GRAVEYARD BURIALS
Photographs taken by Denise Lake
The compiling Denise has done of all the family group sheets for each person buried in Circle Hill is way beyond free genealogy. She is now one of the 'obsessed-crazed' upshots doing the work and loving it. Some of this data is at Find-A-Grave but all the work she has done will be here. All future genealogists researching the families of the burials within Circle Hill will be very thankful for Denise and aljavascript:void(0)l her work. My role in all this is to simply place the data and photographs online for the world to use. I have resized and altered the light/dark feature in hopes you can read the stone as well as possible. Thanks Denise!

Spencer A. Chaney,

2009-01-29T12:20:00.000-08:00

Spencer A. Chaney was born 15 July 1898 in Williamsburg, Grand Traverse the son of Samuel G. and Sylvia A. Brenneman. Spencer died 3 Mar 1956 in Grand Traverse County.

DEATH TAKES S. A. CHANEY
Spencer A. Chaney, 57, of Traverse City died at his home Saturday afternoon of a self-inflicted gun wound, according to police.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday from Martinson funeral home. The Rev. Clark G. Adams will officate. Interment will be in the family lot at Circle Hill cemetery, Williamsburg.

Mr. Chaney was born July 15, 1898, near Williamsburg, where he resided until 1945.

On May 10 of that year, he married Katherine Zick. Together they made their home in Traverse City. Mr. Chaney was a veteran of World War II. He is survived by his widow; a stepson, Bill Zick of Traverse City; a stepdaughter, Mrs. Robert Greilick of Traverse City; two brother, Ted of Williamsburg, and Colin of Ypsilanti; four sisters, Mrs. Ward Ruttan of Alden, Mrs. George Raft and Mrs. Guy Weimer, both of Traverse City, and Miss Laurabelle Chaney of Grand Rapids; and five grandchildren.

Clyde Sanford Orcutt

2009-01-29T12:15:00.000-08:00

Clyde Sanford Orcutt son of Burdette Walter Orcutt and Olive M. (Unknown). He was born 14 Jul 1918 and died 14 June 1919 in Grand Traverse County.

Ralph George Orcutt / Fern Marie Aldrich

2009-01-29T09:20:00.000-08:00

Ralph George Orcutt born 24 Oct 1912 to Freeman E. and Emma Johnston White. In 1920 he was living in Lansing with his parents on North Magnolia Avenue on 16 January according to the census of that year.

Ralph married 1 Jul 1939 in Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan to Fern Marie Aldrich. He was a US Army World War 2 Veteran. He died 24 Oct 1987 Traverse City and is buried in Circle Hill Cemetery Lot 084.

Ralph's Military Stone

Burdette "Bert" / Olive Orcutt

2009-01-29T08:54:00.001-08:00

Olive (Maiden) Orcutt born abt 1882 in New York. I don't have a marriage date or place at this time. She was married abt 1902 to Burdette Walter Orcutt as her first son was born 1903. In 1910 they were living in Birdsall, Allegany, New York by 1920 they were residing in Whitewater Twp, Grand Traverse and in 1930 Ocqueac, Presque Ile, Michgan. Olive died 27 April 1963 but there is not a record in Grand Traverse County. I also didn't find her in the Social Security Index. Burdette, "Bert" died in Millersburg, Michigan so perhaps that is where her death record would be found as well.

"Bert" is on the headstone with Olive but it is dark and not showing well. Here is a snip of that photo:
"Bert" was born 28 Sep 1881. His obit has this to say:

KIN OF LOCAL RESIDENTS DIES
Bert Orcutt, 79, of Millersburg, Michigan, died Tuesday afternoon at Little Traverse Hospital, Petoskey, after a long illness.

Surviving are his widow, Olive; four sons, Darwin of Ellsworth, and Lyle, Alton and Lynn, all of Millersburg; two sisters, Miss Bertha E. Orcutt and Mrs. Mamie Bradley, both of Traverse City; and two brothers, Carl of Williamsburg and Delbert of Edwardsburg.

Funeral services will be held Saturday at the Carr Funeral Home at Onaway, and burial will be at Circle Hill Cemetery.

Note: Millersburg is in Presque Ile County

Jane Marie Orcutt

2009-01-28T16:51:00.000-08:00

Jane Marie Orcutt was born 23 Apr 1951 and died 7 Mar 2001 in Fergus Falls, Otter Tail County, Minnesota. Her mother's maiden name is Aldrich. This data is from the Minnesota Death Index 1908-2001 She is buried in Circle Hill Cemetery, Williamsburg.

Freeman E. Orcutt / Emma Johnston White

2009-01-28T16:28:00.000-08:00

Freeman E. Orcutt, 81, of 426 W. Tenth street, died at his home Monday evening after a three month illness. Mr. Orcutt was born December 23, 1878 in Allegheny county, N.Y. and moved in 190 to Williamsburg where on May 10, 1910 he was married to Emma White. She died in 1928.

He was a carpenter and builder in the Traverse City area for many years, and followed the same trades in Lansing for 20 years. He returned to Traverse City in 1930 and was employed by Brown Lumber & Supply Co. until retiring in 1948.
Mr. Orcutt is survived by one son, Ralph G. of Evanston, Ill; three grandchildren; two sisters, Miss Bertha Orcutt and Mrs. Mamie Bradley, both of Traverse City; three brothers, Bert of Millersburg, Carl of Williamsburg, and L. A. of Edwardsburg;
and several nieces, nephews, and cousins. A fourth brother, Ray, died in 1954.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday at Martinson funeral home, Rev. J. C. Hecocks officiating, with burial in Williamsburg Circle Hill cemetery.

Emma Johnston White was born 24 May 1880 in Williamsburg. Emma died 18 Apr 1928 in Lansing, Ingham, Michigan. Burial is in Circle Hill Cemetery, Williamsburg.

Although it is not very readable the 2nd photograph is of the top of Emma's headstone and says Emma.

Bertha Edith Orcutt

2009-01-28T16:08:00.000-08:00

Mar. 16, 1978, Ex-director of nursing school dies Traverse City -- Bertha E Orcutt, R. N., director of the School of Nursing at Traverse City State Hospital for several years until she retired in 1957, died Thursday in Traverse Geriatric Village. She was 86. She was born in Almond, NY June 20, 1891 to Louis G and Elsie A (Phinney) Orcutt and came to Williamsburg in 1903, settling on a farm with her family. After teaching school for two years........

Miss Orcutt is survived by a brother, L A Orcutt of Edwardsburg and many nieces, nephew, grandnephews and grandnieces.

The funeral will be Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Martin-Covell Funeral Home.....Burial will be in Circle Hill cemetery, Williamsburg.

6-4-1957
If Orchids were ever deserved by a Traverse City resident, they must go to Miss Bertha Orcutt, who retired last week as Superintendent of Nurses at the Traverse City State Hospital after 38 years of dedicated service.

Starting her life, of service, Miss Orcutt first taught school in this area for several years before taking up the study of nursing in 1917. The way wasn't easy. During the flu epidemic of 1918, Miss Orcutt, as a student nurse, plunged into the fight to curb the disease in this community, and as a result, contracted the disease and was forced out of training for 11 weeks.

Still determined to become a registered nurse, Miss Orcutt returned to training and completed her course. Incidentally, the beginning salary for nurses at the time was twenty dollars a month, not too much of an inducement to attract young women to the profession, but it wasn't for money Miss Orcutt was interested in nursing. It was a, far higher consideration, a full dedication to the welfare of others, an ideal to which she has clung through her long nursing career.

Miss Orcutt started her work at the Traverse City State Hospital when little was known concerning mental illnesses, and the care of patients was almost completely custodial. "Crazy" people were brought to the hospital, confined and there most of them lived out their days, little effort being made to effect cures. They were merely kept as comfortable as possible. During her service as superintendent of nurses, Miss Orcutt has witnessed a complete reversal of this thinking. She has seen the progress medical and psychiatric men have made in curing mental ailments and has played an important part in that progress herself. As superintendent, Miss Orcutt has been a firm disciplinarian, for only through discipline would her charges get the best possible care.

Her thoughts have ever been for her patients and never of herself. We have many local citizens who have done outstanding things at times, and for these they should be honored, but there are too few who have dedicated their entire lives to the service of others. And one of these is Bertha Orcutt.

May she be happy in her retirement happy in the knowledge that her life thus far has been justified far beyond that of the average person.

Lewis Marvin Orcutt / Elsie A. Phinney

2009-01-28T15:51:00.000-08:00

Lewis Marvin Orcutt b. 29 Dec 1852, Owego, Tioga, New York to David Orcutt and Betsy Grow. He married 1 Jan 1878 to Elsie A. Phinney in Almond, Alleghany, New York where he was still living in 1900;

By the 1910 census he was living in Whitewater, Grand Traverse, Michigan where he remained.

Lewis d. 22 Aug 1929 Williamsburg, Grand Traverse, Michigan and is buried in Circle Hill Cemetery, Whitewater Twp, Lot 084.

Elsie A. Orcutt was b. 16 Apr 1859 in Almond, Allegany, New York. Parents not known at this time. She moved to the area with her husband Lewis after living for quite some time in Almond. Elsie d. 9 Oct 1918 Traverse City, Grand Traverse, Michigan.

Ella Marie (Stites) Orcutt

2009-01-28T15:30:00.001-08:00

Ella M. Orcutt, 77, of 3745 Silver Lake Rd., passed away Saturday, Dec. 9, at Munson Medical Center after a brief illness. Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. Betty Hall of Lansing, Mrs. Eugene (Verna) Dixon of Traverse City and Mrs. David (Marjorie) Reincke of Suttons Bay; a son, Leslie Orcutt of Mason City, Ill; 13 grandchildren; four great grandchildren; three brothers, John Stites of Grand Rapids, Arthur Stites of San Jose, Calif, and Albert Stites of Williamsburg and a sister, Mrs. Blanche Valley of Traverse City.

Mrs. Orcutt was born Jan. 5, 1895 in Williamsburg to Kossuth and Elizabeth Stites. She was a member of Emmanuel United Methodist Church and the Retired Teachers Assn. Mrs. Orcutt had been a lifelong resident of the Williamsburg and Traverse City area and had taught school in the Williamsburg and Summit City area, retiring 17 years ago.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday from the Martinson Funeral Home, Traverse City, with the Rev. George A. Belknap officiating. Interment will be in Williamsburg (Circle Hill)cemetery. Friends may call at the Martinson Funeral Home, Traverse City, and memorials may be directed to Emmanuel United Methodist Church.

Philo D. Scofield / Christina Evelo Langworthy

2009-01-23T09:40:00.000-08:00

Philo D. Scofield born 11 Dec 1852 in Grand Traverse County to Daniel S. Scofield and Cordelia C. Grey

His lifeline:
1860: Residence - Adams, Hillsdale, Mich.
1870: Residence - Whitewater Twp, GT, Mich
1875, 17 Mar: Marriage - Christina Evelo Langworthy GT Liber 2 pg 024 - Name listed as Annie E. Langworthy
1880: Residence - Whitewater Twp, GT, Mich
1880, 27 Oct: Marriage - Margaret Selkirk GT Liber 2, page 051
1894, 14 Apr Death - at 41y5m3d in Whitewater Twp of heart trouble

Some of the Scofield stones are unreadable so perhaps one of those is for Christina/Annie, born 14 May 1856 Williamsburg, GT., the daughter of William Langworthy and Martha Welton. Annie married age 19y in Whitewater Twp on 17 Mar 1875. She died 25 Nov 1878 of consumption in Williamsburg.

Margaret's parents George Selkirk and Jeanette Robertson; Margaret was born 1861 Canada and at age 19y married Philo on 27 Oct 1880. She died 13 Oct 1900 Grand Traverse County.

(Some data found on familysearch.org)

Daniel B. Scofield / Cordelia C. Grey

2009-01-22T14:20:00.000-08:00

From Ben Samels, Feb. 4, 1996
Daniel Scofield was a minister here in Williamsburg for 35 years. He officiated at the wedding of Frank Samels. Said he could marry any couple here or in Canada. His wife has 10 or 12 children, and most of his daughters died of TB during their child bearing years. The task of having children and care of them weakened them (the daughters), then TB set in.

Facts of Daniel B: b. 17 Jul 1823 NY; son of Elnothan Scofield and Anna [unk]. He resided in Adams with wife in 1860 in Hillsdale then moved to Whitewater Twp and resided there until his death 25th Nov. 1900

Facts on Cordelia C. Grey:
b. 10 May 1822 NY, daughter of Nicholas (Place) Grey and Laura Clark; married Daniel B. Schofield 1 May 1847; resided in Wheatland, Hillsdale 1850; Adams, Hillsdale 1860 and Whitewater Twp, Traverse City, Michigan and died 14 Oct 1891 in Williamsburg, Grand Traverse, Michigan.

Daniel's wife mentioned: Traverse City Herald, October 14, 1891
We are advised that Mrs. Scofield, wife of Reverend Daniel Scofield of Williamsburg, passed away on Wednesday. Funeral plans have not been announced.

William K Stites

2009-01-22T08:36:00.000-08:00

William and Madge are still living.

William K. Stites born and died on 5th Sep 1956. Son of William K. Stites and Madge

James Albert Stites / Martha "Macy" Samels

2009-01-22T07:26:00.000-08:00

Martha "Macy" Samels
Died Jan. 8, 1992

WILLIAMSBURG--Martha "Macy" Samels, 93, a homemaker from Williamsburg, died Wednesday at Bortz Health Care in
Traverse City. A resident of Williamsburg most of her life, she was a member of the Williamsburg Methodist Church. She enjoyed crocheting, plants and music.

Born in Williamsburg on May 6, 1898, she was the daughter of William and Bertha (Seeley) Samels. On May 2, 1917, she married James Albert Stites, who died in 1975. She also was preceded in death by two brothers, Tracy and Aldon Samels; and two sisters, Geneva Irish and Ruby Copeland.

Surviving are six sons, Clinton A., William K., Louis L. and Anthony W., all of Williamsburg, Harold R. of Elk Rapids, and Irvin R. of Nashville, Tenn.; four daughters, Mrs. Dorothy Rancour of Traverse City, Mrs. Thomas (Beatrice) Wight of St. Louis, Mich., Mrs. Leon (Bertha) Powell of Elk Rapids, and Mrs. Mitchell (Alice) Sinko of Williamsburg; a sister, Hilda Gibson of Fremont; and several grandchildren.

Services will be held at 2 P.M. Saturday at the Williamsburg United Methodist Church. The Revs, Dan Herlein and Merritt Bongard will officiate. Burial will be in Circle Hill Cemetery in Williamsburg. Friends may visit from 6 to 8 P.M. Friday at he Elk Rapids Chapel of Covell Funeral Homes. Visitation will continue from noon until the time of services Saturday at the church. Memorials may be directed to the Williamsburg United Methodist Church Fund, or to the Williamsburg Fire Department.

**************************

James A. Stites

James A. Stites, 82, of R.1, Williamsburg, died Wednesday at the Traverse City Osteopathic Hospital following a short illness. The son of Kossuth Stites and Elizabeth Eaton Stites, he was born Oct. 15, 1892, in Williamsburg.

Mr. Stites married Martha (Macey) Samels in Kewadin on May 2, 1917. He lived his entire life in Williamsburg as a farmer, driving a school bus for 15 years and teaching Sunday school. He was a member of the Williamsburg Methodist Church where he held several offices.

He is survived by his wife Macey, ten children, Clinton Albert, Louis LeRoy, Anthony Wayne and Dorethy Luella Rancour all of Williamsburg, Harold Raymon and Bertha May Powell of Elk Rapids, William K of Kalkaska, Beatrice Louise Wight of St. Louis, Alice Marie Suiko of Mt. Pleasant and Irvin Ronald of Big Rapids, 29 granchildren, 15 greatgranchildren, two brothers, John of Grand Rapids and Arthur of California and a sister Blanche Valley of Traverse City. He was preceded in death by four sisters, two brothers and his parents.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Williamsburg United Methodist Church. The Rev. R. J. Lautner and the Rev. William Tennant are to officiate. Interment will be made in Circle Hill Cemetery, Williamsburg.

Marsha Ann Blakeslee & Irvin R. Stites

2009-01-22T07:06:00.000-08:00

NASHVILLE - Marsha Ann "Marti" Stites, 62, formerly of Traverse City, died Saturday at her home in Nashville, Tenn.,
where she has lived for the past 20 years.

Marsha was born on December 13, 1937, in Williamsburg, to Mahlon R. and Ivah M. (Shaw) Blakeslee. On August 22, 1954, she was married to Irwin R. Stites in Boyne City. Marsha worked for 25 years in claims with State Farm Insurance in Big Rapids. She also worked 13 years at Northern Telcom in Nashville, Tenn.

She was a member of Sweet Adelines in Big Rapids and Eastern Star. She loved to bowl, travel, play the piano and sing, and often played for weddings and funerals.

She is survived by her husband, Irwin R. Stites of Nashville, Tenn.; her sons, Capt. Ronald P. (Kim) Stites of Virginia Beach, Va., and Leonard A. Stites of Lebanon, Tenn; daughters Dawn M. (Gilbert) Infants of Mesa, Ariz., and Julia A. (Alan) Koschmider of Cadillac; and sister Karon (James) Anderson of Williamsburg; as well as 10 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Marsha is preceded in death by her parents, Mahlon and Ivah Blakeslee, and a brother, Whitney R. Blakeslee.

A funeral service at the Williamsburg United Methodist Church in April 2001 will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made in her memory. A recipient has not been chosen at this time. Memorial donations may be directed to the family in care of Julia Koschmider, 3519 W. Cecil Rd., Cadillac, MI 49601.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Elk Rapids Chapel of Covell Funeral Homes.

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Irvin/Irwin R. Stites b. 14 Jul 1935 son of James Albert Stites and Martha Macy Samels. He married Marsha 22 Aug 1954, Boyne City, Charlevoix County, Michigan

E. Pilate

2009-01-20T18:52:00.000-08:00

Enlarge by clicking!

A stick being used for a marker for a Soldier. Checking on data for this man: Possiblities

Edward Robert Pilate, 68, of Williamsburg, died Nov. 15; Covell Funeral Home, Elk Rapids.

I don't see any obit on the 20th.. just the notice above on the 19th. I cannot find anything from the 20th to the 30th of November in The Traverse City Record Eagle newspaper.

Edward Robert Pilate
Age at Death: 68
Birth Date: abt 1938
Death Date: 15 Nov 2006
Newspaper Title: Traverse City Record-Eagle
Newspaper Location: Traverse City, MI, Us
Obituary Publication Date: 20 Nov 2006