Eel River Township Cemeteries

Eel River Township was organized in April 1834

Huntertown is the main town in rural Eel River Township straddling the eastern line with Perry Township.

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Eel River Cemetery

Northeast corner of Carroll and Madden Roads, near U.S. 33, across from Riverview Cemetery.

Google map photo is Street View

The First Death. — Late in the fall of 1832, a stranger, traveling on foot, sought the house of Adam Hull, and asked for lodging and food. He was taken in, and, during the night, he arose from his bed and walked toward the door, where he was seized with convulsions and died the next morning.

A few weeks subsequently, a family of emigrants by the name of Fosdick, stopped for the night with Mr. Hull, and it was ascertained that several of their childreu were suffering with scarlet fever. During the night, one child died, and, two days later, was followed by another. These children and the stranger previously alluded to, were buried on the south side of Eel River, in ground which was afterward consecrated for cemetery purposes.

Page 150 in the book History of Allen County, Indiana. Publication date 1880 Publisher Kingman Brothers on Archive.org.

In 1836 he came to Eel River township and entered land, and in 1837, he and W. M. Lansdale attempted to drive their wagons through, but on reaching the Black Swamp could only make four miles a day, and at St. Mary's village abandoned their wagons and came through on horseback. They arranged for the building of their cabin, to which they brought the family in the fall of 1837. Mrs. McKee died January 17, 1839, and was the first person buried in the cemetery, conveyed by her husband. Mr. McKee did an important work in the early settlement in the organization of Wesley Chapel church, and was an official member and an ordained minister of the gospel.

Copied from page 307 of the book Valley of the upper Maumee River, with historical account of Allen County and the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana Volume 1, Publication date 1889 on Archive.org.

The land conveyed by John and Martha McKee bought in 1837. Martha McKee died January 17, 1839 and is the first person buried in the cemetery in Area 1 on the DAR page. From the Annals of Eel River Township page 307 in Valley of the upper Maumee River, with historical account of Allen County and the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana Volume 1, Publication date 1889 on Archive.org.

Find-A-Grave Eel River Cemetery photo
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Earliest date 1840. Still in use. Early records lost. IN DNR Latitude 41.1911 Longitude 85.2861.

Go to: ACPL Index, DAR tombstone photos, Find-A-Grave, or Google map.

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Fairview Cemetery

South side of 3235 West Shoaff Road, 0.8 mile west of old State Road 3, west of Huntertown.


Google map Street View photo.

DAR Fairview Cemetery photo
Go to Mary Penrose DAR photos

Earliest date August 7, 1847. Still in use. Also known as Warcup Cemetery. IN DNR Latitude 41.235 Longitude 85.1908.

Go to: DAR tombstone photos, Find-A-Grave, or Google map.

A discussion of the George Wappes Woodsmen of America tombstones was Septermber 22, 2022 on Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne Private Facebook Group.

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Riverview Cemetery

11022 Carrol Road, northwest corner of Carroll and Madden Roads, near U.S. 33 across Madden Road from Eel River Cemetery
Corporate Office – 1140 Lake Ave, Fort Wayne, IN 46805

Street View photo on Google maps

Find-A-Grave Riverview Cemetery photo Find-A-Grave photo
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Founded in 1905*, earliest date 1910. Still in use. IN DNR Latitude 41.1903 Longitude 85.2881.

Praise, prayer for service, sacrifice Riverview Cemetery Veterans Day Ceremony by Jamie Duffy published November 10, 2014 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.

Go to: ACPL Riverview Cemetery Index, DAR tombstone photos, Find-A-Grave, or Google map.

Original ornamental wrought iron fencing
Riverview Cemetery used to have ornate wrought iron fencing shown here at the corner of Carroll Road with Madden Road by the Eel River Church building. The fencing was damaged, removed, and replaced with landscape stones, shrubs, and fencing shown in the Street View photo on Google maps.

Vietnam Memorial Tank

Vietnam Memorial Tank 11249 Carroll Road Street View photo from Google maps

The Quest for a ... Tank? How an M-41 Walker Bulldog made it's way to Riverview Cemetery by Lynette Fager published February 1, 2014 on Business People magazine.

Veteran raises concern over incorrect memorial sign by Hannah Strong, posted January 4, 2017 on CBS WANE-TV NewsChannel 15.

Vietnam Memorial Tank Vietnam Memorial Tank plaque

A January 5, 2017 post by Hofer and Davis, Inc. Land Surveyors on Facebook with a photo of the Vietnam era tank shows the memorial plaque with the inscription:

This Tribute to... The Armed Forces Of The United States Who Served Their County In Viet Nam Erected By... The People Of Fort Wayne June 14, 1968 Breakfast Sertoma Club.

The Facebook post references the Hannah Strong WANE-TV article Veteran raises concern over incorrect memorial sign shown above stating: On CBS WANE News 15 this morning, a Vietnam Veteran was wondering where the old tank memorial had been moved? We know, because Hofer and Davis, Inc. staked its location at Riverview Cemetary a few years ago. Shared January 5, 2023 to True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook on Facebook.

Vietnam Memorial Tank with flags
Vietnam Memorial M-41 Tank with six military service branch flags on August 24, 2014.
Coast Guard, Air Force, POW/MIA with USA, Navy, Marine Corp, Army

M-41 Tank Dedication published November 18, 2013 by D.O. McComb and Sons on YouTube

Bob Chase Voice of the Fort Wayne Komets hockey team and 56 years on WOWO radio is shown for about 3 minutes starting around 5:40 on the video above. Bob was laid to rest in Riverview Cemetery in November 2016.

November 12, 2013 post by Hofer and Davis, Inc. Land Surveyors on Facebook:

If anyone saw the dedication of the Walker Bulldog M-41 Tank yesterday (Veterans Day) at the Riverview Cemetery at 11425 Carroll Road, it looked a little different than this. This is a picture we took after Dave McComb, of D.O. McComb and Sons Funeral Homes had us stake the location of the Tank and flagpoles on Wednesday October 23, 2013. The Tank was moved and escorted by the "Freedom Riders" motorcycle club on November 1, 2013. Will try to get a picture of the new veterans section next time we are at the site.

November 11, 2019 post by Hofer and Davis, Inc. Land Surveyors on Facebook:

In November of 2016 we were honored to stake the tank, flagpoles and lighting for D.O. McComb's at Riverview Cemetery. We wish to thank all the veterans today for their service. The folks at Hofer and Davis, a Division of ForeSight Consulting, LLC.
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Page updated: January 8, 2024