BI Cemeteries

Kane Cemetery is the oldest cemetery on Bainbridge Island. It is located on Lafayette Avenue, next to the historic community of Port Madison. The cemetery was founded by George Anson Meigs, a pioneering man who was one of the largest lumber and shipping magnates on the Puget Sound. He founded the Port Madison lumber mill in 1854, which established the town as Washington territory’s center of logging and shipbuilding. His daughter, Lillian, was the first white child born on Bainbridge Island.

Meigs’ young and only son, George Elroy “Ella” Meigs, died at Port Madison in 1870. Not desiring to bury his son at Dead Man’s Island, the family instead buried Ella amongst the maple trees in their garden.

The Kane Free and Accepted Mason Lodge No. 8 was established in 1860 in Port Madison. Meigs himself was an active high-ranking mason, and around 1874 he donated one acre of his own land to Kane Masonic Lodge to establish a town cemetery. Ella was then transferred from his burial in the garden to the Meigs’ family plot at Kane Cemetery. Prior to the founding of the cemetery, burials took place on Treasure Island in the harbor, known at the time as Dead Man’s Island. They also frequently took place in people’s yards or gardens. Erosion issues at Dead Man’s Island lead the community to begin seeking a different community burial grounds. After Kane Cemetery was created, many of the burials there and around the island were reinterred at the new cemetery.

The oldest burial with an identifiable headstone in the cemetery is for a Scottish immigrant named Donald MacDonald, a Mason who died in 1867 in a logging accident on Whidbey Island. Originally buried on Dead Man’s Island, he was later reinterred at Kane Cemetery. There are countless unmarked graves in the cemetery. The people buried there with death dates prior to 1880 were probably reinterred there from Dead Man’s Island and other places around town.

Kane Cemetery and Kane Lodge No. 8 were named after Elisha Kent Kane (1820-1857), a surgeon, author and Arctic explorer. In the mid-1880’s, Meigs experienced a great deal of financial losses, and most of his land holdings ended up being sold to the banks to aid in recovery. The one-acre cemetery was deeded in 1901 by the London and San Francisco Bank Ltd. to the Kane Lodge. The Dexter Horton Bank then obtained the Port Madison land holdings from the San Francisco Bank, and turned much of the land within Port Madison into a summer colony. The undeveloped remaining land was then sold to William Pitt Trimble. Trimble, in turn, deeded 2.5 acres, which included Kane Cemetery, to Kane Lodge. In 1909, Kane Lodge No. 8 used a $1.00 quit claim deed to officially and permanently give the cemetery to the Washington Grand Lodge. For many years, Robert Beaton Ross (1903-1984), a third generation islander and Bainbridge Island historian, was the keeper of the cemetery keys.

In 1990, the Grand Lodge gave authorization to the Kane Cemetery Committee of the Renton Lodge to begin expanding cemetery facilities. A columbarium wall, the first one on Bainbridge Island, was built with 408 niches. The wall was dedicated on May 11, 1991 by Grand Master Sydney Kase during a special dedication ceremony. A special plaque, located on the south corner of the wall, was engraved to mark this special occasion. Additionally, a Masonic memorial was dedicated at the cemetery on June 5, 1989 to remember the heritage and history of both Masons and non-Masons that have called Bainbridge Island their home. The memorial consists of a flag pole, bench, curved brick wall, and two mounted plaques near the east side of the cemetery.

Currently, Kane Cemetery is considered a mature cemetery because there are no new ground plots available for purchase. Around 2010, the lodge undertook a project to repair many of the cemetery’s oldest headstones that had fallen into disrepair.

The Meigs Family: George Anson Meigs (1820-1897) was the founder of the town of Port Madison and the Port Maidson Lumber Mill. He was once considered the wealthiest man on the Puget Sound. His daughter, Lillian Meigs (1859-1927), was the first telegraph operator on Bainbridge Island. Meigs Park, near the center of the island, is named after George Meigs and is located where his dairy farm once stood. Meigs Road, located in historic Port Madison, is also named after him and is located where the Meigs’ house once stood.

The Bucklin Family: Nathan Bucklin (1839-1915) was the superintendent of the Port Madison Mill for 25 years, probate judge of Kitsap County, Sheriff of Kitsap County, Kitsap County Assessor, and Bainbridge Island Road Supervisor. After homesteading in Port Madison for many years, the family moved south to Eagle Harbor in 1888, to an area that has ever since been known as Bucklin Hill. The former Bucklin house on Bucklin Hill still stands today, and is occupied by Hyla Middle School. Bucklin Hill Road, located on the same street at their original homestead, is named after the Bucklin family.

The Primrose Family: Peter Johnson Primrose (1828-1899) was the Port Madison postmaster and the longest serving county territorial official. Additionally, he held several county offices, was a high ranking member of the Freemasons, and was elected deputy grand master of the Free Masons of Washington thirteen times in a row. He also served as a member of the Port Madison Union Guards during the Civil War, the first colunteer detachment in Washington Territory. Many members of the Primrose family are buried in Kane Cemetery, as well as other island cemeteries.

William DeShaw: (1834-1900) Owned and operate the Agate Point Trading Post, a store which he named “Bonanza.” He married a granddaughter of Chief Seattle and the daughter of Princess Angeline, Mary Ann “Ena” Talisa (d. 1922). DeShaw is the only member of his family to be buried in Kane Cemetery.

Theresa Dirscherl Reidell: (1889-1955) Bavarian-born author and literary figure. She wrote under the pen name “Louisa Kern” and authored the novel The Wife of Mahlon. While living in the Hood Cancal, she ran a writer’s studio out of her home.

Eugene Leonard Day: (1878-1969) Arrived on Bainbridge Island in 1904 and worked as a carpenter, Bricklayer, farmer, and owner of a shingle mill. The present day “Day Road” on the island is named after Eugene, and the home he built himself, near the corner of Day Road and Madison Avenue about a block from Halilts Elementary, still stands today.

Nicholas Ballard: (1843-1911) Kentucky-born Civil War veteran of the Confederate Army. He deserted the army about one year after his enlistment on Christmas Day 1863. The Ballard family moved to Bainbridge Island around 1905, where they set up a dairy farm in Port Madison.

The Logg Family: Scottish-born George Logg (1851-1938) was a pioneer homesteader in Central Washington. George, his wife and six sons moved to Rolling Bay in 1909. One of their sons, Charles Logg Sr (1895-1981), was a nationally recognized crew coach with Princeton and Rutgers. Another son, William Logg (1883-1952), married the daughter of Nicholas Ballard, Charlotte Ballard (1884-1969). William and Charlotte had a daughter named Mildred “Millie” Logg (1909-1989), who married newspaper editor Walter “Walt” Woodward Jr (1910-2001). Together they published the Bainbridge Island Review during World War II, which notably opposed the forced removal of the island’s Japanese American residents. William and Charlotte also had a son, Elmer Logg (1913-1984), who became one of the best University of Washington football players of all time. Many members of the Logg family and their descendants are buried at Kane Cemetery and other island cemeteries. Logg Road in Rollingbay is named after the Logg family.

The Welfare Family: Capt. Alfred Edward Welfare (1837-1908) was born in England and immigrated to America in 1856. He soon made his way to Bainbridge Island, landing at Port Madison in 1858. He married Sophie Moss (1849-1928) and they had ten children together, most of whom were born at the family home in Port Madison. He worked for George Anson Meigs, founder of Port Madison and owner of the Port Madison Mill, for over three decades, and received his first commission of the Oakland in 1880. He was master of the ship up until his death, making regular trips from the Puget Sound delivering the mill’s lumber down the coast to California. A granddaughter through Alfred and Sophie’s son, Alvin Jess Welfare (1882-1963), was renowned Bainbridge Island author and historian Katy Welfare Warner (1917-2002). The Welfare family and many of their descendants, including Katy, are buried at Kane Cemetery and other island cemeteries. Welfare Avenue near Creosote is named after the Welfare family.

The Beaton Family: Thomas Simpson Beaton (1841-1907) arrived in Port Madison in 1866 and worked as a master ship carpenter and sparmaker for the Port Maidson mill. He married Hattie Alice Primrose (1860-1926), daughter of Peter Primrose, and they had six children. After the mill closed, he worked for the Port Blakely mill until he was elected Kitsap County Sheriff in 1900. Descendants of the Beaton family have been closely associated with shipbuilding at Port Madison and maritime history. Thomas and Hattie’s grandson was Robert Beaton Ross (1903-1984), island historian and decades-long keeper of the keys for Kane Cemetery. Many members of the Beaton family and their descendants are buried at Kane Cemetery.

William Thomas Finch: (1840-1907) Farmer and the second postmaster of Winslow. An accidental fall caused him to break his back, which confined him to a wheelchair. His home, where he set up the post office and dispensed mail, still stands on South Madison Avenue behind Eagle Harbor Congregational Church. Finch Road is Winslow is named after the Finch family.

The Grow Family: Ambrose French Grow (1825-1909) was a Civil War veteran of the Union Army. After reading about the beautiful Pacific Northwest in Kansas newspapers, Ambrose sold his farm and moved his family to Bainbridge Island. They were the third family to homestead on the area now known as Winslow. Ambrose was a charter member of the Eagle Harbor Congregational Church. The Ambrose and Amanda Grow home is now a Bainbridge Island Historical House and a restaurant called Harbour Public House. The original wood used to construct the home was Douglas Fir cut from first growth forests on the island and milled at the Port Blakely Mill. Grow Avenue in Winslow is named after the Grow family.

The Wist Family: John George Wist (1834-1873) was born in Nassau, Germany and immigrated to the United States with his brothers Philip and Christian. John was one of the early proprietors of the Port Madison Hotel. After John’s death, his brother Philip (1845-1885) and Philip’s wife Anna Maria Scheerer (1846-1876) took over the hotel. After Anna’s death, Philip sent for her sister, Katherine (1851-1931) in Germany to come help with the children. Philip and Katherine were married on New Year’s Eve 1876 at the Port Madison Masonic lodge, and together they continued to manage the hotel until Philip’s death in 1885.

Charles Vickers: (1828-1875) Native of London, England and the second Engineer of the steam tug Politkofsky for the Port Madison mill. On April 23, 1875, an accident occurred in the boat’s engine room, killing Charles instantly. Upon his death, Port Madison Mill officials and acquaintances began searching for surviving family members, but turned up nothing. No one in Port Madison seemed to know anything about his past or his life. However, Vickers had saved $500 (roughly equal to over $14,000 in 2024). When there were no family members to give the deceased’s savings to, it was customary at the time for the money to go back to the Territory. The citizens of Port Madison discussed this possibility and decided instead to use the money to create a grand monument in honor of Charles Vickers. Stories from the time period report that the monument was created in Italy and shipped to Port Madison, where it was then placed upon Vickers’ grave.

William Bull: (1850-1905) Danish-born Bull was a pioneer homesteader in Seabold. Along with his father-in-law, John Johnson, the two owned most of the land around Seabold and sold parcels to incoming Scandanavian immigrants. Seabold was first called “Bull Town” after William Bull, a name that even Bull himself did not prefer. He proposed calling it “Seabold” because on his first day on the island the sea was boldly hitting against the rocks near the shoreline. By 1885, William was the Deputy Assessor for Kitsap County when Port Madison was the original county seat. He also worked as a farmer on his own land.

Links:
Kane Cemetery on Find a Grave
Kane Cemetery on Billion Graves
William Renton Lodge No. 29

Location and Contact Information:
Address: 9964 Lafayette Avenue, Bainbridge Island, Washington 98110
Coordinates: 47.70474, -122.51602

Managed by Renton Lodge No. 29:
Mailing address: P.O. Box 10851, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
Phone: (206) 842-8846

Seabold Cemetery was founded in 1889 by John Thomas Johnson, an immigrant from Norway and the co-founder of the Seabold community. It is located along 305 in between the two brand new roundabouts. At the time of its founding, it was located on what was then Johnson’s land, which he began homesteading around 1880.

At the time it was established, the cemetery was located in a very quiet, calm area. Many of the earliest burials at Seabold Cemetery were not marked with headstones or even recorded. The oldest identifiable headstone belongs to Henry Melling, who died in 1889 at one month old.

Johnson donated the land for the cemetery for the Seabold community to use without any formal deed being made. At some point, E.S. Howard and Rena R. Howard came into possession of the land, and deeded it in 1907 to Albert Selland. Selland, the owner of the Selland General Store in Manzanita, obtained the cemetery, an additional acre and an access road on behalf of the Seabold Community Church. In 1949, Albert’s widow, Inger Selland, made a $10 quit claim deed for the cemetery land to the Church of Seabold. Later that same year, Gordon Muenz and his wife Irene Muenz donated an additional half-acre for the cemetery via a $1 warranty deed. In 1951, Gordon and his wife Wanda Muenz donated an additional five acres for the cemetery via a $10 quit claim deed.

Not wanting to manage the cemetery anymore, Seabold Church gave a quit claim deed of $10 for all cemetery land to the Seabold Cemetery Corporation in 1957. The cemetery was thereafter operated by Art Bretsen for many years.

In 2022, the Chavurat Shir Hayam, a local Jewish community, created a new section at the back of Seabold Cemetery for Jewish burials. Shir Hayam has a cemetery board that manages this section, provides improvements, and gives support to families experiencing loss.

[These “notable burials” are a work in progress!]

The Johnson Family: John Thomas Johnson, born Ingebrigt Størkersen (1833-1924) in Norway, was the founder of Seabold Cemetery and co-founder of the Seabold community on Bainbridge Island. The Johnson family were the first pioneer homesteaders in Seabold, arriving around 1880. Johnson sub-divided his homestead, selling parcels to incoming settlers. In additional to the cemetery, Johnson also donated land for a church, school and other community buildings. Johnson and his wife, Ane Kristina “Anna” Ludvigsdatter (1840-1902) had ten children, many of whom married into other island pioneer families. Including John and Anna, many of their children and descendants are buried at Seabold Cemetery.

Karla Kuskin: (1932-2009) Children’s book author who wrote and illustrated over 50 books. Some of her published works include Roar and More (1956), Jerusalem Still Shining (1986), and City Dog (1994). She released a collection of her verses in 2003 titled Moon, Have You Met My Mother. She was also a frequent New York Times book reviewer.

William Lawrence Bell Jr: (1924-2006) One of the original creators of the sport Pickleball, which was founded on Bainbridge Island. William was a lawyer, political advisor, businessman, and he was married to children’s book author Karla Kuskin. Amongst his many career accomplishments, he was Minority Counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, VP and General Counsel of the Hudson Institute, and VP, General Counsel and Secretary of the CNA Corporation.
Peter Bergman: (1870-1935) One of the first Deputy Assessors for Bainbridge Island. A veteran of the Spanish American War, Peter also served as Justice of the Peace, census enumerator and well as a member of the school board for multiple terms, including the time period when the high schools were built.

The Corpuz Family: Several members of the Corpuz family are buried at Seabold Cemetery, as well as other island cemeteries. The Corpuz family are one of the original Filipino families that immigrated to Bainbridge Island in the early 20th century. They worked for the island’s Japanese American farmers before eventually purchasing farms of their own. When the island’s Japanese American residents were removed to internment camps during World War II, Filipino families helped tend to their farms.

The Silven Family:

Orrin Ireene Selland:

Links:
Seabold Cemetery on Find a Grave
Seabold Cemetery on Billion Graves
Seabold United Methodist Church

Location and Contact Information:
Address: 11512 State Route 305, Bainbridge Island, Washington 98110
Coordinates: 47.70206, -122.55765

Contact Seabold United Methodist Church for additional information:
Address: 6894 NE Seabold Church Road, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
Phone: (360) 692-7694