Quaker Cemetary

For many years, and until 1860 there was a Quaker neighborhood north of LaPorte.

The Society of Friends, or Quakers, had its beginning in 17th century England. The society reach the American colonies soon after the middle of the 17th century. Encuring many hardships, the Friends eventually expanded over much of the mid-west.

Very early in the 1830's the Quakers built a frame meeting house at a location hear the present Quaker Cemetery. In 1839 a district Quaker schoolhouse was built on the corner northeast of the cemetery and late in June 1839 the Society of Friends met there.

About 1869 a brick building was erected in LaPorte by the friends as their church. This church was located at the corner of Alexander and "A" Streets. A cemetery was beside the church, but owing to the growth of the city, was later moved out to the end of Park Street. The Quaker School was on the corner northeast of the cemetery.

Funerals and burying grounds of the Friends were taken care of by a special committee. For a long time Quakers were generally opposed to any marker on a grave. Many of the older burying grounds in Indiana were merely field stones and some are unmarked. The burying grounds were usually kept fenced.

The Quaker Burial Ground at LaPorte was used at a very early date, there being a record of 7 interments* during the 1830's. Of the 54 known burials, 11 were made in the 1840's and 11 in the 1850's. The last interment took place in early 1900. It is certain that the grounds contain many graves without markers of any sort.

The Quaker Cemetery was taken care of by a small trust fund until 1922. In the following years, the cemetery seems to have been pretty much abandoned. In the 1940's efforts were made to clean up up by local organizations and individuals and this was done for many years. A suggestion was also made of erection of an historical marker. In the 1960's Hugo C. Loewe, a Center Township Trustee, employed John Juranek as caretaker and the appearance of the cemetery was greatly improved.

In June 1958 a group of individuals met to discuss the restoration of the Quaker Cemetery. A Cemetery Association was formed with officers and directors. On May 11, 1962 a meeting was held and The Quaker Cemetery Association was legally organized. Mr. Kovenz of Kovenz Memorial Shop completed and erected a suitable historical marker in December 1967. The marker was dedicated May 27, 1968, thereby completing a memorial to the faithful service of the Society of Friends to this community.