Cedar Bluff Cemetery Hold Much Rockford History | Haunted Rockford

Cedar Bluff Cemetery is located on the city’s east side at the intersection of Longwood and Rural Streets. It is one of Rockford’s oldest cemeteries, established in February of 1847. Cedar Bluff is tree lined and while the tombstones are not as ornate as those found in Greenwood Cemetery, the people buried here have just as rich histories.

The cemetery was formerly known as the East Side Cemetery and was renamed “Cedar Bluff” at the suggestion of Dr. Josiah Goodhue. This is the same Dr. Goodhue that suggested changing the original name of Midway to the present name of Rockford.

Unfortunately for Dr. Goodhue, he is remembered more for the way he died than anything else. Dr. Goodhue is part of a legend that started with Chief Big Thunder. Big Thunder and his people lived in the area that is now called Belvidere. When Chief Big Thunder realized he was dying, he asked his people to place his body in a sitting position. This would allow his spirit to watch for approaching danger. He had a premonition that his people would be conquered by men “of a lighter color”.

Later, the stockade that surrounded Chief Big Thunder body would be located right on a stage coach trail. It also was close to a stage stop. While travelers were waiting for the horses to be switched out they would explore this stockade. Some of them decided that the Chief’s bones would make great souvenirs. This led to the Curse of Chief Big Thunder. Supposedly, anyone who took one of the bones would die a horrible death.

Josiah was added to the curse because he stole Chief Big Thunder’s skull. One evening, Josiah was accompanying a woman to her home after she assisted him with a patient. He fell into an unmarked well and broke his neck. Josiah requested to be buried at the top of the hill in Cedar Bluff.

There are others from Rockford’s founding families buried here. In fact, some of Rockford’s long standing ghost stories have originated from the families that were laid to rest in this place. The Spafford family is interred there, including Carrie Spafford Brett who was engaged to Elmer Ellsworth, the first Union Officer killed in the Civil War. Carrie’s heart was broken after the death of her yoiung man. But she went on to find happiness again when she met Frederick Brett. They had a son named Charles. When Carrie’s beloved father grew ill, the family moved to Rockford. Charles became a teacher and moved to St. Louis. Carrie’s heart was broken yet again when her father, her husband and her son all died within a short period. Carrie would often dress in her Victorian mourning dress with a full veil and make her way from her mansion in downtown Rockford to this cemetery. Her sobs would echo over the entire cemetery. Carrie herself died in 1911. But Carrie can still be seen in the cemetery, dressed in her black mourning clothing, sobbing over the graves of her family.

One of Rockford’s first millionaires and his wife, H.H. and Carolyn Hamilton, lost their beloved daughter, Barbara, to illness in 1909. They designed a mausoleum in this cemetery and positioned it so they could see it from their mansion.

Another legend of this grave claims that Barbara’s heartbroken parents also buried her favorite horse inside this mausoleum. Psychics visiting the area in Cedar Bluff have been confused and startled to see a horse running through the cemetery.

Visitors have placed horse toys and statues on top of the mausoleum in tribute to Barbara and her horse.

Emma Jones and her husband Frank have their graves here. Frank owned a transportation company and Emma kept house in their very unique home on First Street. The story of Emma and her sad decline is one of Rockford’s most enduring ghost stories. When Emma became ill with Alzheimer’s she was forced to leave her beloved home. Once in a while she would still make her way back to her home on First Street. Emma died in 1964, but she still continues those visits both at Cedar Bluff and the house she loved.

There are soldiers here including George Whitmore, a veteran from the Spanish-American War and Azor Goodwin who lived through the Civil War and returned to Rockford to serve the community as a doctor. Grant Damon and Alexander Folz, two young soldiers killed in World War I were laid to rest here with countless others.

There are also more “infamous” people buried in Cedar Bluff. For instance, Jacob Maher, who lured his estranged girlfriend, sixteen-year-old Mary Ostrowski, out in the middle of a snowstorm, only to shoot her before turning the gun on himself.

Another fatal love story is that of Leo and Celia Carlson. The young couple lived in Rockford in the downtown area. But in 1911 their relationship ended. Celia left Leo and returned to her home in Janesville. Leo grew bitter and eventually shot Celia and then turned the gun on himself. Celia isn’t buried at Cedar Bluff Cemetery, but it is here that her restless spirit walks, still seeking justice from the man who took her life.