Wolfinger Cemetery Civil War Tombstone Project
Seven new stones were put in place by Richfield Township on August 25th of 2004. Tony Valentine processed the paper work and did all the needed research to make this happen. All of the applications were fine except one, the one Tony thought would be a problem. Joseph Shandreau of Co. B 67th Ohio actually has two markers right next to each other. This is not the problem, the problem is tracking down a date of death for him. Also the spelling of his name doesn’t help: Shantro, Shantreau, Shandreau, Shenden among others.
Tony tried the Blade obituaries, Probate Court records from 1868 to 1908, the 1890 Census for Civil War Veterans, Vital Statistics 1908-1934 for Ohio, Birkenmeyer Funeral Home burials 1898-1934 and several others. The VA called Tony and without a death date they will not issue the marker. We do know this, he was in Richfield Center Lucas County (out by the park) in 1870, and he wasn’t listed in the 1890 census so one might think he passed between these dates. If anyone has any ideas let Tony know otherwise we will be one short until that is found. Oh yeah, the cemetery records don’t exist, all they have is what is recorded on the stones that someone wrote in 1997, no wonder its haunted.
We thank Tony for his efforts!
History of Wolfinger Cemetery
Jacob Wolfinger built the first log house in an area that is now known as Secor Metropark in 1834. Two of the Wolfinger children were the first white people to be born and die in Richfield Township. The children were buried on the Wolfinger farm, which was the beginning of today's cemetery. Wolfinger Cemetery is a small cemetery and is surrounded by woods on three sides. The graves of thirty-six Civil War Veterans can be found here.
The Cemetery is located within Secor Metropark in Berkey Ohio, Lucas County. Secor Park was dedicated in 1953 and currently encompasses over six hundred acres of land including four hundred wooded acres. The park includes a visitor center and several hiking trails throughout the woods. Secor Park is located in Northwest Ohio about fifty miles south of Ann Arbor Michigan. From the I475/US23 Exit 13, go west on Central Avenue for six miles to the Secor Park entrance and turn left. Follow the signs in the park to Wolfinger Cemetery
