History of Groveland Cemetery
The United States did not allow settlement in the Minnetonka area until 1851 when the Treaty of Traverse de Sioux was signed and the area was sold to the U.S. by the Dakotah Indians. In the early 1850's, the Chowen, Shaver, Gray and Ogin families moved here from Pennsylvania and began farming the land, paying $1.25 per acre for the land. Groveland Cemetery had its beginning in June 1855, when a Mr. Waters died of cholera about a week after his arrival from Pennsylvania. "The coffin was made by a Mr. A.N. Gray, and the body buried in Groveland Cemetery," according to Warner & Foote's history of Minnetonka, written in 1881. According to one of his relatives, George Chowen donated a piece of land "to be a burial place for Waters" and Groveland Cemetery was born. The grave is unmarked and the exact location is unknown. In 1856, the 16-month old son of the Gray family, for which Lake Minnetonka's Gray's Bay is named, died and was buried in Groveland Cemetery as well. This grave is marked with an in ground marker.
The Groveland Cemetery Association was officially organized on March 15, 1871. K.E. Whipple was elected chairman of the Organizing Committee and Y.E. Shaver was elected secretary. Others in attendance were were Henry Ogin, George Whipple, David Locke, Thomas Robinson, B.T. Shaver, and W.S. Frear. This group elected the first board of Trustees, namely: K.E. Whipple, Henry Ogin, George Whipple, David Locke, and William S. Chowen. After electing officers and trustees, they laid out the cemetery into grave lots with alleys between each one. This area is now known as Section 2, but for many years it was called the "Old Part." They also voted to investigate the price of a piece of land between the cemetery and the Groveland schoolhouse, which was located south of the cemetery. By April 1892, the school had apparently been moved to a location just west of the cemetery, where the Groveland Elementary School is now located. On October 22, 1902, a resolution was made regarding buying the school site and platting it, and on September 25, 1907, the trustees met with the school board to purchase the vacated school lot. The price was $175. This was the first addition to the original cemetery and it became known as the "First Addition" and later simply as Section 1.
In 1921 the Board negotiated with Thorpe Brothers Realty to purchase a piece of land adjoining the cemetery to the east. It was 1927 before the Thorpe Brothers sale was made. Over the years, there were three more expansions of the cemetery, resulting in Sections 4, 5 and 6. In 2008 the lot north of the cemetery became available and was purchased. Sections 7 and 8 make up this additional 8/10 of an acre, making the current size of the cemetery approximately 3.8 acres.
Click on the link below to see a copy of the original Articles of Incorporation from May, 1871.
The Groveland Cemetery Association was officially organized on March 15, 1871. K.E. Whipple was elected chairman of the Organizing Committee and Y.E. Shaver was elected secretary. Others in attendance were were Henry Ogin, George Whipple, David Locke, Thomas Robinson, B.T. Shaver, and W.S. Frear. This group elected the first board of Trustees, namely: K.E. Whipple, Henry Ogin, George Whipple, David Locke, and William S. Chowen. After electing officers and trustees, they laid out the cemetery into grave lots with alleys between each one. This area is now known as Section 2, but for many years it was called the "Old Part." They also voted to investigate the price of a piece of land between the cemetery and the Groveland schoolhouse, which was located south of the cemetery. By April 1892, the school had apparently been moved to a location just west of the cemetery, where the Groveland Elementary School is now located. On October 22, 1902, a resolution was made regarding buying the school site and platting it, and on September 25, 1907, the trustees met with the school board to purchase the vacated school lot. The price was $175. This was the first addition to the original cemetery and it became known as the "First Addition" and later simply as Section 1.
In 1921 the Board negotiated with Thorpe Brothers Realty to purchase a piece of land adjoining the cemetery to the east. It was 1927 before the Thorpe Brothers sale was made. Over the years, there were three more expansions of the cemetery, resulting in Sections 4, 5 and 6. In 2008 the lot north of the cemetery became available and was purchased. Sections 7 and 8 make up this additional 8/10 of an acre, making the current size of the cemetery approximately 3.8 acres.
Click on the link below to see a copy of the original Articles of Incorporation from May, 1871.
| groveland_articles_of_incorporation.pdf |