Pleasant Green Cemetery
History
The Pleasant Green Cemetery was founded in 1883 by Daniel Jacobs, Hiram Spencer, Samual Taylor, George Perkins, Osmond LeCheminant, and maybe James Berotch, and Lehi Nephi Hardman, the Bishop of the Pleasant Green Ward, of the LDS Church. Bishop Hardman became the Custodian of the Cemetery. The land was donated by Nathan Smith, who owned 160 acres in the area. Many of the original founders of the western Salt Lake Valley Towns, including Magna, Hunter, Pleasant Green, Ragtown, and Coonville are buried here.
These include pioneers from the Coon, Bertoch, LeCheminant, Rushton, Hardman, Staker, and Taylor families.
The LDS Church cared for and owned the cemetery from 1883 to 1983. In 1983, the Church formed a nonprofit, known as The Pleasant Green Cemetery Preservation And Development Association. The Church turned ownership and care of the cemetery over to this nonprofit which has managed it ever since. The Cemetery was turned over to the Magna Metro Township in 2020.
Burials
Originally graves in this cemetery were sold in lots of 16. The LDS Church charged $20 for 16 graves. That price was later increased to $50 per grave. In the 1980s cemetery management began selling graves one at a time instead of in lots of 16. In the 1990s the price of graves was increased to $425. In 2012 the price was $500.
It is estimated by the cemetery that there are approximately 17,000 grave sites, of which 1,400 are currently occupied.
Nonprofit
Pleasant Green Cemetery is a nonprofit cemetery, which is operated and maintained by volunteers
Management
The Pleasant Green Cemetery is managed by The Pleasant Green Cemetery Preservation And Development Association, a nonprofit which was created by the LDS Church. In 2012, the sexton was Hiram Bertoch.In May 2020, the ownership was transferred to the Magna Metro Township.
References
- ^ "Pleasant Green Cemetery". Pleasant Green Cemetery. Archived from the original on April 25, 2012.
- ^ "Cathy Free: Free Lunch: Hidden but not forgotten, the Pleasant Green Cemetery has lived since 1883". Deseret News. 23 May 2012. Archived from the original on June 10, 2015.