Maple Hill Cemetery, Cadillac, Wexford, Michigan – Block T Lot 461

Maple Hill is a larger city cemetery, located on the south side of Cadillac, Michigan. I have collected a number of photographs from this cemetery and will post my photographs by lot number.

The ownership information for this lot was blank in the cemetery printout at the Cadillac Library, as was the purchase date.

Lucy (Kaiser) Johnston, was born 28 February 1876 in Canada and died in Cadillac, Wexford, Michigan on 2 October 1914. She was another of the siblings in the family of Elizabeth Long and husband William Kaiser. James and Jane Johnston married siblings of Lucy, Elizabeth and William Kaiser respectively.

An old family history says her husband, George Johnston, was a cousin of James and Jane Johnston. Gorge’s death certificate says he was born in St. Louis, Michigan on 25 January 1871 and died in Moran Township, Mackinac County, Michigan on 7 June 1946. The death certificate has every genealogists least favorite words in the blank reserved for names and birthplaces of parents, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown. When George remarried after Lucy’s death, that marriage record film shows partial information, father Alexander Johnston, mother “__aria Thompon”. Hmmm, this may be the connection that I have long searched for between the Thompsons, Johnstons and Kaisers, but I have not researched the problem yet.

There is no marker on the lot for Lucy and Gorge’s daughter, Doris. “Cousin Doris”, my Dad always said. I remember her as a slight woman, perhaps eccentric, somewhat outspoken. Her physical appearance reminded me of two of my father’s siblings, who would have been her cousins, actually first cousins, once removed. Doris E. (Johnston) Leslie was born 19 October 1902 in Cadillac, Wexford County, Michigan and died 24 July 1971 in the same place.

Shortly after Doris died, my father (the undertaker) arranged for a graveside service. I remember Dad calling me on the phone and insisting that I attend. I must have left our little daughter with M-in-L, because I did respect my father’s wishes and attend. It was a small crowd, and as I recall, it included a male friend of Doris’ who was displeased about the fact that a minister was present. My undertaker father always followed his conscience in matters concerning last farewells, and he may have been the closest living relative childless Doris had. So, there was a minister, and a prayer, and a displeased gentleman. Years later I did remember the lot and the other markers on it when I revisited the site.

The final marker on the lot is one for Raoul E. Nadon. Raoul was one of Doris’ husbands, either the first one, or the second one. In the old history I mentioned, three husbands were listed. I have not researched the details.