Category: Barton-7380 Barton Family Burial Plot

Categories: Albion Prairie Cemetery, Albion, Dane County, Wisconsin | Barton-7380

The location and purpose of the Barton Family Burial Plot

Establishing a family burial plot is a meaningful and thoughtful way create a place for future generations to be buried and pay tribute to their heritage. Family genealogy work has found that a large number of ancestors and relatives have lived in Wisconsin.

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The Bartons have lived in Wisconsin for over 25 years, and most of the Barton children currently live in Wisconsin. All the burial places the Bartons had in mind are no longer available. With all these things in mind, the Elder Bartons took the initiative, as part of their end-of-life planning, to create a special place for their family in Southern Wisconsin.

A search of local cemeteries, resulted in the establishing of the Barton Family Burial Plot in the Albion Prairie Cemetery, near Edgerton, Wisconsin, USA. In 2022, they purchased 14 gravesites in the Albion Prairie Cemetery. (Current rules allow a maximum of 28 people to be interned in these grave sites.) This is a well maintained, locally operated, cemetery in rural Wisconsin. The memorial in this award application will establish a marker for the Barton Family Plot, in the newest section of the cemetery. It carries on the Christian tradition of family burial plots, and allows multiple generations of the family to be laid to rest together, fostering a sense of continuity and connection.

The Albion Prairie Cemetery is rooted in the historical significance of the area, which was settled in the mid-1800s by immigrant families. The cemetery, itself, has a rich history, with many family plots dating back to the 1840’s. Originally, family plots of 8 gravesites were sold to families. Today, those plots are visible in the old part to the cemetery. Buried in this cemetery is another family of Bartons (unrelated), who were early settlers and members of the original Primitive Methodist Church.

Many of the old plots have a “tower” and many use an obelisk structure as the marker. After studying many graveyards, it was decided to also use an obelisk for the Barton plot. The Bartons lived in the Washington DC area for many years and have always loved the Washington Memorial. To use it as a pattern was an easy decision, and flares were added to the design to provide grounding and style to the memorial.

In choosing material, Richard wanted something that was “modern” but gave a nod to the existing historic monuments in the cemetery. In the past, several foundries made “White Zink” cast memorials as grave markers, but those are no longer available. Modern metal working has come a long way, with the application of technology to the fabrication of steel. Prairie Art Metal (Rich Feddel) was enlisted and accepted the task of constructing an 8-foot height, steel obelisk.

Cemetery rules and the trustee board are not in favor of rusty metal objects in the cemetery. In 2020, ZinkPower, a hot dipped galvanizing plant, was built in Stoughton, Wisconsin, one mile from the Barton home. Negotiations ensued and they agreed to dip the obelisk. Painting or Powder-coating in the long term would not hold up to the extreme weather changes this area sees.

Working closely together, the Bartons, Prairie Metal, and ZinkPower have produced a unique and majestic tribute that will endure for generations to come. Its careful planning and construction ensure it will be a meaningful and lasting addition to the cemetery.

Known Cousins buried at Albion Prairie Cemetery (mostly 6 and 7th cousins):