Centerville Pioneer Cemetery facts for kids
The Centerville Pioneer Cemetery is a historic burial ground in Fremont, California. It's also known as the Centerville Presbyterian Cemetery. This special place was officially recognized as a state cemetery around 1858 or 1859. In 1976, it was added to the California Register of Historic Resources. It's a quiet spot where many early settlers of the area are buried.
What is the History of Centerville Pioneer Cemetery?
When the cemetery first started, this area was called Washington Township, Alameda County, California. This township included several small villages. Some of these villages were Mission San Jose, Irvington, and Centerville. Over time, these villages grew into towns. The church and cemetery were then named after Centerville.
About 100 years later, in 1956, five of these towns joined together. Centerville, Niles, Irvington, Mission San Jose, and Warm Springs formed the City of Fremont. So, the cemetery is now located in Fremont.
The first burials happened after 1855. The Alameda Presbyterian Church, which started in 1853, bought the land in the summer of 1855. This was led by Reverend William Wallace Brier and nine other founding members.
Who are Some Notable People Buried Here?
Many important pioneers who helped start Fremont are buried in this cemetery. You might even recognize some of their names from streets in the area!
- The Decoto family: This family was among the early settlers.
- Captain Caleb Cook Scott: He was from Nova Scotia. He sailed all the way around the tip of South America to settle here.
- Herman Eggers and Robert Blacow: These men were early settlers with large farms. Their farms were in what is now the Glenmoor area of Fremont. Robert Blacow was known for raising sheep.
- Reverend William Wallace Brier: His family is buried near the front of the cemetery. He was the Presbyterian minister who helped start the cemetery. He was also Alameda County's first superintendent of schools. Reverend Brier founded more than 27 churches, many in the Bay Area. This includes the Centerville Presbyterian Church in Fremont, which now manages the cemetery.
Records show that 368 people are buried in this historic cemetery.
Gallery
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Centerville Pioneer Cemetery
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Blacow family plot
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Brier tombstone memorial
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Herman Eggers family memorial
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Donald Jarvis headstone
