In Need of Maintenance: Woods Cemetery

Woods Cemetery is in the upper left corner of Sheridan Township in Clare County. Actually, it’s right on the border of Sheridan and Grant townships with McCurran Creek dribbling in the background. Many Google searches for this graveyard list it as “Wood” cemetery, even though the sign clearly reads “Woods”. Also known as ‘Sheridan Cemetery’, records indicate there are only twenty-one burials there. The oldest burial seems to be that of Eveline Wood, died and buried in 1868. She was followed in 1869 by 31-year-old Barbary Wood, and from 1875-1882, three more Woods were buried – hence the name of the cemetery.

The final burial belongs to Mary Roe who died at age 27 in 1904.

Upon visiting this graveyard in the woods, the crumbling stones lie amid weeds and bushes; during late fall and winter months it has an eerie backdrop of gnarled trees.

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Many stones are hard to find, some have been vandalized, others overgrown. The cemetery is in need of some kind of repair or upkeep, as it could be a peaceful place to visit and stroll thru if kept up. Either way, it’s still an interesting little cemetery to visit when you get the chance.

It’s located on South Cornwell Avenue, 2 ½ miles east of 127. You would have to get off on Exit 160 just before the Clare Welcome Center and travel approximately five miles north.

The gallery below depicts some images of what the cemetery looks like, followed by a video that shows a little more and talks about some of the graves.