Books tell tales of families who lived and died in early Dover Township

Does the Westlake Bicentennial celebration have you yearning for more information about early Westlake and Dover Township family histories? Cuyahoga West Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society has two award-winning books available for purchase: "Maple Ridge Cemetery Westlake, Cuyahoga County, OH: A history of Its People and Families" by Jeanne B. Workman and Jayne A. Broestl and "Pioneers of Westlake, Settlers in 1820 and Their Families," authored by Jeanne Workman.

The Maple Ridge Cemetery book was a culmination of the Ohio Bicentennial project that chapter members undertook from 2000-2003. This book was recognized for excellence by the Ohio Genealogical Society in 2004, and earned the Lida Flint Harshman Award. 

In addition to transcriptions of all known burials and tombstone inscriptions, this book contains well researched biographical material on each interred individual. In many cases, the findings include the individual’s parents and one or two more generations of his/her descendants. These “family trees” were compiled by the Cuyahoga West members from information found in public records such as: census, death certificates, necrology files and marriage licenses.   

The approximate number of known burials at the time of first printing, in 2003, was about 420. Of that number, only about 331 are recorded by inscriptions.

Twenty-nine interments that were not marked by inscriptions or stone have information taken from Cuyahoga County Death Records (1868-1889). These records were microfilmed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) and are on file at the LDS Family History Center in Westlake and at the Cuyahoga County Archives in Cleveland. 

A 20-page searchable index of all the people buried in Maple Ridge Cemetery, and their descendant family members, can be accessed from the Chapter’s homepage: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ohcwogs.  

"Pioneers of Westlake" was published by author Jeanne Workman, to celebrate Dover Township’s Bicentennial. It includes biographical information on the families that were listed as living in Dover Township in the 1820 census. It is similar to the Maple Ridge Cemetery book in scope and format and earned an Ohio Genealogical Society Book Award. This book was reviewed earlier this year in the Westlake | Bay Village Observer. 

A limited number of these two books are available through Cuyahoga West Chapter, OGS. "Maple Ridge Cemetery" sells for $19.95, plus $1.55 sales tax for Cuyahoga County residents. "Pioneers of Westlake" is $25.00, plus $1.95 sales tax.  Shipping and handling is $4.00 for each book. Checks should be made payable to Cuyahoga West Chapter, OGS, P.O. Box 45607, Westlake, OH 44145-0607. 

To save postage fees, ordered books may be picked up at one of Cuyahoga West's regularly scheduled meetings at Westlake Porter Public Library. The Chapter’s September meetings are: Sept. 7, 1-2:30 p.m. and Sept. 21, 6:30-8:45 p.m. For questions, please e-mail: cuyahogawest@gmail.com.

Jayne Broestl

Publicity Chair for the Cuyahoga West Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society that meets at Westlake Porter Public Library.

Read More on Westlake Bicentennial
Volume 3, Issue 17, Posted 2:58 PM, 08.23.2011