Historic Grave Markers

This site is under construction.  However, some information, though incomplete, is listed below.

 

 

Tall pointed brick colored cemetery stone.

Grave #14 to the north of #13: Edward Meeks Dalton [(1852-1886), 14-02-06] was the only martyr for the institution of Polygamy in the LDS Church. His martyrdom was remembered with this 7+ foot monument purchased by the youth of the Church.  The message on it is truly a message of damnation for those who persecuted the Saints.  All should sometime stop and read this stone.

Grave #15: As we turn to the right, and head south, in the middle of the new row we see the gravesite of Amos C. Hatch [(1893-1985), 23-02-01], WWI Veteran, teacher, Parowan High principal, and accomplished potter who quarried clay out of our hills and sold huge amounts of Parowan Pottery through most of the 20th century.

Going west on the next row: Throughout the cemetery we can see names of families who were first pioneers and who wore out their lives working with incredible steadfastness. Among them are the names of Mitchell, Dalton, McGregor, Smith, Hollingshead, Benson, Robinson, Robb, Miller, Davenport, Durham, Adams, Gurr, Decker, and others.  So many made a great difference in this community over generations while others left the “Mother Town” to take their talents and spend their time building up what they saw as “The Kingdom of God” elsewhere.

Grave #16 on the right side of the row as you are headed west: Nathan Benson [(1826-1916), 03-09-03] is remembered throughout the region for his fine stone cutting abilities.  His monuments are evident throughout southwestern Utah and the Utah Arts Council said his work ranks as one of the finest, if not thefinest, stonecutters art in the region.  His wife [Ann Baybutt (1823-1889), 03-09-01] has an interesting history.  She longed for her homeland (England) her entire adult life but remained faithful to her family and died in what she thought was a harsh, forsaken land.

Grave #17: On the left near the bottom (west) of the row there is a very tall monument remembering Zachariah B. Decker (02-18-01), a Mormon Battalion soldier and one who is ften mentioned in town history.  He was at Sutter’s Mill when they found gold and returned with pockets full, turning it over to Brigham Young when he came home.  His wife, Nancy Bean, [(1827-1903), 02-18-02] is as interesting as Zachariah.  She had a 1st marriage in Illinois and he threw her out when she joined the LDS Church.  She left behind a child from that marriage which she never saw again. She was the wife of John D. Lee of Mountain Meadow Massacre fame.   She divorced him, the decree given by Brigham Young after she gave evidence of abuse, and then she married Zachariah Decker.  Over a lifetime she had 13 children, one from each of her first two husbands and eleven with Zachariah Decker. Nancy and Zachariah died 6 weeks apart.

GO UP THE NEXT ROAD HEADING EAST

Grave #18 on the left: Aunt Paulina Lyman [(Aunt Pliney), 01-21-01] filled books with birth records from Parowan and surrounding areas throughout her life.  She was a mid-wife and she kept records, filling at least 5 books mentioning the babies she brought into the world.  Her last deliveries were in the early 1900’s, but she was helping women in the 1850’s as well.  There was no such thing as retirement for this angel of mercy.  Her last book of records is the only one that seems to have survived and it contains about 500 names.  How many were the total, we do not know. 

As you look northward you can see all of the old cemetery.  In the 1950’s the cemetery was getting really crowded and it was decided that every other road would be taken out to make more room available.  You may have noticed that there are mid-to-late 20th century graves right down the middle of the rows, with the 19th century residents flanking them of both sides.

Grave #19:  At the top of the row turn right and go two rows up to the top of hill and then turn west:On the left as you move west we find J. Harold Mitchell [(1895-1990), A-04-04), a political powerhouse in the Utah legislature for many years.  He always remembered his roots in Parowan and served southwestern Utah well. He was very involved in getting our community two exits/entrances when they were putting in I-15.  He was also the personal friend of LDS Prophet Spencer W. Kimball and, in the mid-‘70’s, invited him to come and stay with the Mitchells and participate in the Parowan Birthday Celebration.

Stone of Dan Parker [(1887-1942),15-11-01]

Grave #20: Every resident in every cemetery has a story. In this area one can find Dan Parker [(1887-1942),15-11-01], brother to Robert LeRoy Parker or Butch Cassidy as he was known throughout the U.S., often popularized in “dime novels.”  Rumor has it that Butch Cassidy did not die in Bolivia and some even speculate he lies here, next to his brother, Dan.  Paul Adams (A-10-04), father of Fred Adams (Utah Shakespeare Festival founder) offered some validation outside the Parker family tales that Butch Cassidy did not die in Bolivia but returned to the United States, living in the northwest for years.  Paul Adams, by way of his son, Fred, gives the following account:  Dan Parker’s daughter was killed in a tragic automobile accident as youth people were coming down Parowan Canyon.  Paul Adams was a member of the bishopric in Parowan at that time and, the Dan Parker family, financially struggling, was offered assistance by members of the community.  However, at the gravesite, an elderly man came up to Bro. Paul Adams and handed him a number of large bills with a statement that went something like, “This is to be used to pay all expenses for my niece’s funeral.”  Bro. Adams believed that aging gentleman was Robert LeRoy Parker.*

Grave #21: Just below Dan Parker is Alma Richards (15-13-03), the 1st Gold Medal Recipient from the State of Utah. He received the medal in the Stockholm Olympics in 1912.  He lived most of his adult life in California but it was his desire to return to his roots upon his death.  His gravestone is a simple plaque provided by the U.S. government in appreciation of his military service.

Headstone of Governor Scott Matheson [(1929-1990), A-13-08]

Grave #22: To the south and across the road from these graves is Governor Scott Matheson [(1929-1990), A-13-08], one of the most popular governors to ever serve our state. He chose to come to Parowan for a ceremonial announcement of his candidacy in the home of Carol Wright.  This was his ancestral home and he always said he considered Parowan his second home.  Through his 2 terms in office, he participated in every 4th of July parade.  It was his request to make Parowan his final resting place.  He is widely considered to be one of the many “downwinders” in our cemetery. A “downwinder” is a cancer victim who was in the area in the 1950’s when the government was performing above-ground nuclear tests outside of Las Vegas and the wind carried contaminated particles northward, spewing us with radioactive particles. The fallout was first denied by the government but, as evidence and pressure mounted, the government began a policy of awarding up to $50,000.00 to those who could prove their presence in the area during the time of those above-ground tests.

Final thoughts: As the years have passed, we eventually needed more space and the cemetery plots moved further south.  This occurred in two separate projects.  It’s only been a few years since we took out the stone fence and opened up another larger section.  Johnny Orton, a local craftsman with deep ancestral roots in Parowan, was the person who carefully removed stones and reconstructed the pillars so that the cemetery wall was still intact as much as possible.

Another point of interest is the large number of veterans we have in our cemetery.  On Memorial Day an American flag is flown on each of those graves and there are 362 of them. If you haven’t done it before, you should come to the southeast corner of the cemetery on Memorial Day and see the sea of flags.  We have given much to our country!

As of the mid-1990’s there were 2500 residents in the cemetery. . . Parowan High Humanities students did a census and they finished with 2499 and waited impatiently for the next resident to arrive, making it 2500.   We add approximately 30-35 new residents annually.

In the early ‘70’s there was some vandalism in the cemetery as well as around town.  The schools, both elementary and high school, decided that which students value they do not vandalize so several history and English units incorporated information and tours about the sites and history of Parowan.  The practice continues today. It works!

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