BREAKNECK CEMETERY UPDATED November 2011 According to the listing of burials at Standing Rock Cemetery in the Breakneck Cemetery section there are several people missing from the list obtained from the Portage County Historical Society. Several Nash family members from the Philip Nash family are buried in the Breakneck cemetery in unmarked graves.The last burial at Breakneck was 2-17-1916 per the record with the above remains transferred to Standing Rock Cemetery in 1970. From a local resident who saw the cemetery moved that day one cubic foot of dirt and the headstone was moved from each grave. Since the people were not embalmed the wooden caskets deteriorated and little was left except for a few bones and bits of clothing. Per Margaret Spurling, July 2006, the last burial in Breakneck was Mary Meacham in 1937. Mary Meacham was the only person to be buried in the cemetery in a metal casket. There were bone fragments left when the excavation occurred. The Smallfield family lived north of the cemetery which was adjacent to the sand and gravel pit on the Kent Ravenna Road. The cemetery was about 300 ft south of the Kent Ravenna Road and about 200 feet west of Rhodes Road. The entrance on Rhodes Road was down the dirt path to the knoll where the cemetery was located. According to the Spurling family the Breckneck Cemetery was first call the Rhodes Cemetery. The Rhodes family lived on Rhodes Road. Per the sexton at Standing Rock Cemetery the entire last row of Breakneck Cemetery is from the remains of the unmarked burials from the old cemetery. Per Jay Rhodes, July 2006, the cemetery has always been called the Rhodes Cemetery. The front gate to the cemetery was made of metal and on the archway above the gate was inscribed "Rhodes". The original metal gate was moved to the Breakneck Cemetery at Standing Rock Cemetery. The gate was being restored when last checked with the sexton at Standing Rock Cemetery in 2008. Charlie and Nellie Smallfield owned the property surrounding the Breakneck Cemetery. When the Smallfield family sold their property they realized that they had been paying the taxes on the cemetery and the road leading to the cemetery the entire time they owned the property.(per Margaret Spurling, July 2006) During the Civil War a powdermill explosion occurred at the munitions plant on Powdermill Road in Kent. The powdermill intersected with the Breakneck Creek which is northeast of the Breakneck Cemetery. The explosion caused several deaths from different families. Many were buried in the Rhodes Cemetery which could have been called Breakneck Cemetery related to those burials. In talking with my family and friends who lived most of their life in the area adjacent or close by the cemetery we remember a mausoleum which had the name Rhodes written on the entrance way which was located in the center of the cemetery on the south end. The mausoleum was made of stones and was not moved to Standing Rock. The single rose colored stone which we recalled is still in the cemetery today.Sandy McPike McGee. Names are listed per lot numbers with 82 known and 50 unknown. 1. Shirtliff, T. W.2. Shirtliff, Caroline D.3. Shirtliff, John died October 23, 18514. Shirtliff, Nancy wife of John5. Shirtliff, Ruell6. Shirtliff, Melissa7. Shirtliff, Asa born 1832 Ohio8. Shirtliff, Mary9. Shirliff, Flavel died 186510. Cartwright, Peter11. Shirtliff, H. M.12. Shirtliff, Cordelia , wife of H.M. died January 22, 186513. Shirtliff, George died November 20, 18 ?14. Shirtliff, Charles J.15. Shirtliff, Selah died February 23, 1861 age 7216. Shirtliff, Harriet born 184617. Shirtliff, Caroline D.18. Shirtliff, Carelia19. Shirtliff, Nannie A.20. Shirtliff, Nattie21. Shirtliff, Ella22. Ferguson, J. C.23. Ferguson, Susan24. Ferguson, Elizabeth25. Ferguson, Albert26. Ferguson, J. M.27. Hazel, Garnet born February 5, 1831 died March 13, 189228. Hazel, Henry born 1836 died May 16, 1913 born Springfield, Ohio Mary 3, 1839, age 7429. Hazel, Sarah born 1843 died 1878 wife of Henry30. Hazel, John W. born 183131. Hazel, Rebecca born 180932. Hazel, Rufus son of W. and R. Hazel died December 20, 186233. Hazel, Samuel born 184434. Hazel, Jacob 35. Baldwin, Truman born October 11, 1821 died March 21, 1865 Powdermaker36. Baldwin, Charlotte born November 13, 1825 wife of Truman37. Baldwin, Georgie 38. Baldwin, Clarissa died December 2, 186239. Baldwin, Truman Jr. died May 21, 180540. Adams, Edwin W. Civil War Vet born 1821 Massachusetts, son of Matthew and Olive Adams41. Slaughter, Charles born 1849 son of Jacob and Marinda42. Slaughter, Jacob born 181543. Slaughter, Marinda born 1821 wife of Jacob44. Leonard, Sewell born 1783 Massachusetts45. Leonard, Sallie died September 6, 1879 84 years born Massachusetts, wife of Sewell46. Leonard, Lyman Civil War Vet born 1833 Ohio47. Leonard, Rolen born 1837 Ohio48. Hulett, Asahel died December 3, 1877 age 7549. Hulett, Clarissa died August 25, 1887 age 80 wife of Asahel50. Hulett, Louisa51. Hulett, Harriet B.52. Hulett, Franklin D.53. Baxter, Laura C. died January 13, 185? Age 2854. Newberry, Sarah55. Newberry, Mary56. Foster, Joseph M. died January 16, 1863 born 1837 Ohio57. Foster, Margaret R. died January 20, 185? Age 51 wife of Joseph born 1802 Massachusetts58. Meacham, Cora59. Meacham, Mary A. born 1846 Ohio buried 1937 per Margaret Spurling in a metal casket60. Morris, Edwin 1817-1894 born in Connecticut61. Morris, Mary N. 1818-1854 wife of Edwin born in New York 62. Snyder, Jacob born May 20, 1819 died April 5, 189563. Snyder, Henry died 183? Born 1788 Pennsylvania64. Saunders, Minna Beck65. Rhodes, Frederick born 1818 died 190366. Rhodes, Barbara born 1822 died 1862 wife of Frederick67. Smith, Nahum died December 2, 186?68. Smith, Julia died 60 years old69. Hall, Druzilla S. born in New Hampshire70. Cutler, Harrison, son of S & C Culter71. Grinell, John72. Luce, Albert D.73. Bull, Henry A. died 1862, born 1836 Ohio74. Nash, Philip75. Nash, Effie76. Nash, Harriet77. Nash, John C.
