THE LONE GRAVE

The grave of young Blanche Grimes.

 

The grave of young Blanche Grimes is said to be “the most beautiful, but loneliest grave in Wisconsin”.  Her grave is located on a hilltop in the Columbia area, in Dewhurst township, Clark County. It is on Fisher Avenue, at the junction of Poertner Road.  The marker on this little one’s grave reads, “Blanche, daughter of Frank and Emma Grimes, born April 1, 1894, died August 5, 1895.  Tread softly by the grave of one our hearts had learned to love”. 

 

Today, visitors of the Black River Country, passing through what was once the 1890’s boomtown of Columbia, see only a log cabin and the grave, the only remaining signs of a community that had grown up rapidly and then experienced a real bust.  Dozens of families had moved into the area, and soon 20 stores were located along the main street.  A four room schoolhouse, a depot, and all types of stores were constructed there.  Soon the settlers found that their land was not fertile making the raising of crops difficult, so by 1910, most of the settlers had moved to other parts of the Midwest.  One of the families that left was that of Frank & Emma Grimes, leaving behind the burial ground of their 16 month old daughter and the lone marker, which tells us the story today.

 

Bits of history have been pieced together which were picked up from pioneers of Columbia, who now reside in other parts of Wisconsin.  A Mrs. Leslie Sherman, of Merrillan, once wrote “There are believed to be 27 graves in this small Columbia Cemetery on the hill, but only that of Blanche Grimes is marked.  Land for the cemetery was donated by the C. S. Graves Land Company”.  Others known to be buried, in unmarked graves in this cemetery are, the parents of Mr. and Mrs. Louie Hanel, Mrs. Fred Eggiman, Mrs. John Imoberstag.  Louie Hanel, the son, was employed with the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad and resided in Merrillan.  The grave of Mrs. Eggiman was located next to the Blanche Grimes Grave.  The Eggiman family moved to Chicago after the death of the mother. 

 

And so it is told, “The grave of Blanche Grimes was visited twice each year for 60 years by a sister, Mrs. Rose Gale of Hillsboro, Mrs. Holmer Wood of Black River Falls, an aunt of Blanche Grimes, also gave loving attention to the grave.  Each year until 1969, the picket fence around the grave was repaired, repainted white, and artificial flowers placed upon the grave”. 

 

Through the years, it is told, her marker has disappeared numerous times only to be returned to its’ original location in the middle of a night.  Her grave seems to be constantly adorned with flowers and many times visitors have left small coins and tokens of affection upon it.  There are many local superstitions concerning the aspects of good and bad fortune associated with this roughly carved remembrance of grief for a tiny daughter who died just short of 17 months of age.

 

So, Blanch Grimes, one of the 27 persons to be buried in this Columbia Cemetery is the only one to be remembered by a granite marker.  Her lonely grave in the 133,000 acre forest is beautiful and reminds visitors of the pioneers who developed the area so many years ago.

 

Others Confirmed Burials

• Deal, C. F.; born in Wisconsin, died of myocardititis, 18-Dec-1922 at the age of 66 yrs., 1 month, and 0 days.  Farmer married to Lidia Baughman. Source: Clark Co., WI Death Records, Vol. 10, pg. 54.

• Dow, Lois Rae; born 11-Feb-05 and died 1-Mar-1914 of meningitis and pneumonia, daughter of Harvey I. & Cora E. (Webster) Dow.

• Eggiman, Mrs. Fred

• Hanel, Mr. and Mrs. Louie

• Imoberstad, Mrs. John

Possible Burials

• Cody, Eliza M., born 23-Apr-1852 in Illinois, a widowed nurse whose father was Samuel Drew.  The informant was Mrs. John Bowen.  Source: Clark Co., WI Death Records, Vol. 6, page 1073.

• Olevrick, Son; born prematurely (stillborn) 26-May-1914 in Dewhurst twp.; child of Clums and Ella Fomesefsly (both Russian born)

 

Information for this article taken from the Atlas of Clark County, Wisconsin, a cemetery walk through and court records.  Submitted by Dolores Mohr Kenyon, with photos by Janet Schwarze.

 

Visit the Paranormal Activity Site for Lone Grave.