Westport Cemetery

 Today you get a story.  

I have been researching cemeteries in Jackson County for our October/Halloween adventures.  I have been using Find A Grave as a resource.  That site lists 59 cemeteries in Jackson County.  That is a large area including areas outside of Kansas City in the smaller towns.  I was surprised to see Westport Cemetery listed.  The research began.

Old Map of Westport 

The cemetery was donated by Edmund Price in 1835.  It was a piece of land 20 by 120 ft plot.  Citizens, Native Americans, victims of the clorera outbreak and people traveling west along the trails were buried here.

Around 1902 the cemetery had fallen to disrepair.  Families began moving the remains and headstones to other cemeteries.  Many moved to Union Cemetery which opened in 1856.  Many of the bodies and headstones were moved.

The family of Edmund Price tried to claim the land again.  It was now worth much more money.  I have not been able to find the court decision on that.  In 1915, the Badger Lumber Company bought the old cemetery and began construction on their new building.  They did not move the bodies and headstones.  The articles I have found state the bodies and headstones were "graded" into the earth.

At least one head stone was saved.  It was used as the cornerstone of the Badger building.  This was saved by groups when the Badger building as torn down in 1965.

The original headstone for Lt. Boggs (white piece) now at Union Cemetery.

Now that is most of the story but that land with the remaining bodies and headstones is still being used today.

The Allen Village High School sits on the land.

These kids have to have ghost stories.

Until tomorrow.

Until tomorrow.