The Spring Valley Cemetery

Section 21, Longwood, Wisconsin

This grave yard was often referred to as the "Loggers' Cemetery" and contains many unmarked graves of transient workers who earned winter wages at the nearby camps.  We are not aware of any records which remain for the Spring Valley Cemetery.  However, there is a clue in the Longwood "Emmanuel Lutheran Church History."  Between 1896 and 1900 the church purchased two acres of land from Mrs. Julius Sorenson to be used as a cemetery, near Popple River, about 1 1/2 miles east of the present church where there were some graves established.  This was apparently done because the original acre where the church presently sits had a clause that forbade burials there.  By various ingenious means they over came that clause and moved one of the bodies to the present site, and later the others. This all seems to have happened prior to 1914 birth of Lula Mae Stewart, the author of "Follow the River".  The Spring Valley School which was attended by Lula Stewart,  was in section 10 so there might be other graves near there as well. 

The "church/cemetery" I am referring to is in section 21 (Chandler land) and may have been left on subsequent maps by the previous mapmakers.  Just west of the present church site, two acres were purchased in 1900 from Charles Randal which contained a house. The house was used for church services until the present church was dedicated in 1911. There probably were some tombstones present when the mapmaker did his work.  Consequently, the Spring Valley Cemetery may actually be located at the present day church and cemetery site, but I cannot say that with 100% Certainty.

Researched by Sharon Short.

Related Links

• Logger's Cemetery

• Early Longwood Plat Maps