The Political Graveyard: Berrien County, Mich.

Berrien County
Michigan

Berrien County information:

Population: 162,453 (2000); 161,378 (1990)
Land area 571 square miles.
County seat: St. Joseph
Berrien County official web site.
Capital Impact: Berrien County -- officials, addresses, and political, economic, education data
USA MapStats: Berrien County -- census data on population, race, economics
Berrien County MIGenWeb page -- genealogical, historical information and queries
(if this link doesn't work, find the new one through the USGenWeb national site).

Neighboring areas:

The Political Graveyard:

Selected officials of Berrien County
Politicians who were born in Berrien County
Politicians who lived in Berrien County
Politicians who died in Berrien County
Cemeteries and Memorial Sites of Politicians in Berrien County

Assignment of birthplaces, deathplaces, and cemeteries to counties is subject to error. The intent is to locate places according to current county names and boundaries. If you don't find what you're looking for, check other nearby counties, the unassigned page, or the Gazetteer. Any corrections to county locations would be greatly appreciated. See contact information on the Main Page.

Selected officials of Berrien County

(not intended to be complete)

Obed P. Lacey (Register of Deeds, 1831) Rodney C. Paine (County Treasurer, 1836) Rufus W. Landon (County Treasurer, 1842-52) William J. Cleary (County Surveyor) Roy Clark (County Clerk, 1909-12) John J. Sterling (Prosecuting Attorney) Don R. Pears (Register of Deeds, 1927-32) Edward A. Westin (Prosecuting Attorney) Don R. Pears (County Clerk, 1941-42) Don R. Pears (County Clerk, 1945-48) Robert Brackenridge (County Clerk, 1989-90)

Unknown Location
Benton Harbor, Berrien County, Michigan

Politicians buried here:

Robert S. Feldman (d. 1981) — of Benton Harbor, Berrien County, Mich. Democrat. Member of Michigan Democratic State Central Committee, 1948-56; alternate delegate to Democratic National Convention from Michigan, 1952. Died November 7, 1981. Interment somewhere.

Crystal Springs Cemetery
Benton Harbor, Berrien County, Michigan

Politicians buried here:

George W. Bridgman — of St. Joseph, Berrien County, Mich.; Benton Harbor, Berrien County, Mich. Republican. Circuit judge in Michigan 2nd Circuit, 1912-17. Interment at Crystal Springs Cemetery.

Morton Hill Cemetery
Benton Harbor, Berrien County, Michigan
Founded 1836

Politicians buried here:

Alonzo Vincent (1844-1916) — of St. Joseph, Berrien County, Mich. Born January 16, 1844. Married, January 1, 1866, to Elmira Enos (1846-1934). Republican. Served in the Union Army during the Civil War; member of Michigan Republican State Central Committee, 1899. Died June 20, 1916. Interment at Morton Hill Cemetery.

Rose Hill Cemetery
Berrien Springs, Berrien County, Michigan

Politicians buried here:

Thomas Mars (b. 1829) — of Michigan. Born in 1829. Member of Michigan state senate 13th District, 1881-82. Member, Grange. Interment at Rose Hill Cemetery.

Graceland Cemetery
Bridgman, Berrien County, Michigan

Politicians buried here:

Joseph Edward Taglia (1900-1957) — also known as Joseph E. Taglia — of Chicago, Cook County, Ill. Born in Chicago, Cook County, Ill., June 1, 1900. Son of Paul Taglia and Rose Taglia. Republican. Lawyer; alternate delegate to Republican National Convention from Illinois, 1956. Catholic. Member, Knights of Columbus. Died, from a heart attack, in Bridgman, Berrien County, Mich., June 1, 1957. Interment at Graceland Cemetery.

Weesaw Township Cemetery
New Troy, Berrien County, Michigan

Politicians buried here:

Carl F. Gnodtke (1936-2000) — of Sawyer, Berrien County, Mich. Born in Weesaw Township, Berrien County, Mich., January 2, 1936. Republican. Farmer; member of Michigan state house of representatives, 1979-96 (43rd District 1979-92, 78th District 1993-96). Lutheran. Member, Farm Bureau. Died May 29, 2000. Interment at Weesaw Township Cemetery.

Niles Cemetery
Niles, Berrien County, Michigan

Politicians buried here:

Josephus V. D. Sutphen (1802-1856) — of Monroe County, Mich. Born in Hunterdon County, N.J., July 24, 1802. Physician; delegate to Michigan state constitutional convention 2nd District, 1835. Died in Clay Township, St. Joseph County, Ind., May 1, 1856. Interment at Niles Cemetery.

Silverbrook Cemetery
Niles, Berrien County, Michigan

Politicians buried here:

Thomas Fitzgerald (1796-1855) — of St. Joseph, Berrien County, Mich. Born in Germantown, Columbia County, N.Y., April 10, 1796. Democrat. Served in the U.S. Army during the War of 1812; member of Indiana state house of representatives, 1825-27; probate judge in Indiana, 1829; member of University of Michigan board of regents, 1837; member of Michigan state house of representatives from Berrien County, 1839; candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Michigan, 1839; U.S. Senator from Michigan, 1848-49; probate judge in Michigan, 1852-55. Died in Niles, Berrien County, Mich., March 25, 1855. Interment at Silverbrook Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.
Edward La Rue Hamilton (1857-1923) — also known as Edward L. Hamilton — of Niles, Berrien County, Mich. Born in Niles Township, Berrien County, Mich., December 9, 1857. Republican. Lawyer; U.S. Representative from Michigan 4th District, 1897-1921. Died in St. Joseph, Berrien County, Mich., November 2, 1923. Interment at Silverbrook Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.
John Varnum (1778-1836) — of Haverhill, Essex County, Mass. Born in Dracut, Middlesex County, Mass., June 25, 1778. Member of Massachusetts state senate, 1811; U.S. Representative from Massachusetts 3rd District, 1825-31. Died in Niles, Berrien County, Mich., July 23, 1836. Interment at Silverbrook Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.
Nathaniel Bacon (1802-1869) — of Niles, Berrien County, Mich. Born in Ballston Spa, Saratoga County, N.Y., July 14, 1802. Married to Caroline S. Lord (1815-1887). Republican. Lawyer; justice of Michigan state supreme court, 1855-57; circuit judge in Michigan 2nd Circuit, 1858-63, 1867-69; died in office 1869. Presbyterian. Died in Niles Township, Berrien County, Mich., September 9, 1869. Interment at Silverbrook Cemetery.
William Graves (1809-1881) — of Niles, Berrien County, Mich. Born in New Hampshire, 1809. Father of Frank Graves (killed while leading a charge in the Battle of the Wilderness, 1864). Village president of Niles, Michigan, 1845; secretary of state of Michigan, 1853-54; mayor of Niles, Mich., 1875-76. Died in Niles, Berrien County, Mich., April 21, 1881. Interment at Silverbrook Cemetery.
Orville W. Coolidge (1839-1918) — of Niles, Berrien County, Mich. Born in Edwardsburg, Cass County, Mich., October 9, 1839. Son of Sarah (Mead) Coolidge and Henry H. Coolidge; married 1867 to Katie Pettengill. Lawyer; mayor of Niles, Mich., 1890-91; circuit judge in Michigan 2nd Circuit, 1894-1911. Died in Niles, Berrien County, Mich., October 15, 1918. Interment at Silverbrook Cemetery.
Washington Irving Babcock (1833-1908) — also known as W. Irving Babcock — of Niles, Berrien County, Mich. Born in New York, 1833. Married 1858 to Ruth W. Hitchcock. Republican. Lumber business; alternate delegate to Republican National Convention from Michigan, 1884; mayor of Niles, Mich., 1885-86; member of Michigan state senate 9th District, 1887-90. Member, Freemasons; Knights Templar. Died in Niles, Berrien County, Mich., March 31, 1908. Interment at Silverbrook Cemetery.
Lawson A. Duncan (1832-1900) — of Niles, Berrien County, Mich. Born in 1832. Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1872; member of Michigan state senate 11th District, 1883-84. Died in Niles, Berrien County, Mich., August 5, 1900. Interment at Silverbrook Cemetery.
Francis Quinn (d. 1876) — of Niles, Berrien County, Mich. Republican. Delegate to Republican National Convention from Michigan, 1860; colonel in the Union Army during the Civil War. Died in Chicago, Cook County, Ill., March 26, 1876. Interment at Silverbrook Cemetery.
Jacob Beeson (1807-1885) — of Niles, Berrien County, Mich. Born in Pennsylvania, September 7, 1807. Brother of William B. Beeson; married to Elizabeth House; uncle of Lewis H. Beeson. Democrat. Merchant; village president of Niles, Michigan, 1840; delegate to Michigan state constitutional convention, 1850; delegate to Democratic National Convention from Michigan, 1856. Died April 19, 1885. Interment at Silverbrook Cemetery.
- See also Beeson family of Michigan
Francis J. Plym (1869-1940) — of Niles, Berrien County, Mich. Born in Sweden, 1869. Republican. Architect; inventor; alternate delegate to Republican National Convention from Michigan, 1928. Swedish ancestry. Died in 1940. Interment at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Lakeview/City Cemetery
St. Joseph, Berrien County, Michigan

Politicians buried here:

Calvin Britain (1800-1862) — of Michigan. Born in New York, 1800. Founder of St. Joseph, Michigan, in 1829; member Michigan territorial council 6th District, 1832-35; delegate to Michigan state constitutional convention, 1850; Lieutenant Governor of Michigan, 1852-53. Died in St. Joseph, Berrien County, Mich., January 18, 1862. Interment at Lakeview/City Cemetery.

Forest Lawn Cemetery
Three Oaks, Berrien County, Michigan

Politicians buried here:

Henry Chamberlain (1824-1907) — of Three Oaks, Berrien County, Mich. Born March 17, 1824. Brother of Mellen Chamberlain and William Chamberlain. Democrat. Candidate for Governor of Michigan, 1874; delegate to Democratic National Convention from Michigan, 1876, 1896; candidate for Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1896. Died February 9, 1907. Interment at Forest Lawn Cemetery.
- See also Chamberlain family of Michigan
Charles K. Warren (1871-1932) — of Three Oaks, Berrien County, Mich. Born in Three Oaks, Berrien County, Mich., July 17, 1871. Republican. Alternate delegate to Republican National Convention from Michigan, 1908; Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1920. Died August 10, 1932. Interment at Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Old Watervliet Cemetery
Watervliet, Berrien County, Michigan

Politicians buried here:

Leon Donald Case (b. 1877) — also known as Leon D. Case — of Watervliet, Berrien County, Mich. Born in Ellsworth, Pierce County, Wis., January 15, 1877. Democrat. Newspaper publisher; member of Michigan state senate 7th District, 1913-14, 1933-36; defeated, 1914, 1928; candidate in primary for Lieutenant Governor of Michigan, 1936; secretary of state of Michigan, 1937-38; defeated, 1938. English and French ancestry. Interment at Old Watervliet Cemetery.

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Selected officials of Berrien County

Politicians who were born in Berrien County

Politicians who lived in Berrien County

Politicians who died in Berrien County

Cemeteries and Memorial Sites of Politicians in Berrien County