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meteries serve both a functional and an emotional purpose. They provide a ace for the disposal of corpses and also a place where the living can nor the deceased in a variety of ways. In this sense they are both secular and sacred symbolic places. The cemetery as a landscape often shares spiritual and/or mystical traits and is a positive expression of religious beliefs.[2] Cemeteries provide a document ofthe-most durable--- artifacts-of--death and a record of death customs. In addition, they are "planned places of beauty where the dead and .the living might mingle in restful reflection."[3] Centre Township Cemetery veteran burials include: Elias Palmer, a Civil War veteran; William Lovell who also served in the War Between the States; and Josiah Bartlett, a veteran of the American Civil War and later conflicts known as the "Battle of the Little Big Horn" and the "Yellowstone Campaign" during America's tragic conflicts with Native Americans late in the nineteenth century. In addition to their historic significance, cemeteries are places where families. entrust the remains of their relatives. It is imperative that a proper concern is shown for local citizens' ancestors. The protection of cemeteries becomes a question of respecting the broad range of religious beliefs and practices of those who have laid their kin to rest in them. It is the staff's recommendation, therefore, that the Historic Preservation Commission recommend Centre Township Cemetery for designation by ordinance by the County Council as a Local Historic Landmark. Landmark status would " one way to ensure protection of this valuable piece of local heritage. Historic Development Centre Township Cemetery began as a family burial ground on land originally owned by Jeremiah Smith. According to the Illustrated Historical Atlas of St. Joseph Countv (1875)[4], Jeremiah Smith was one of Centre Township's first residents and went on to election to the Indiana State Senate in 1832; little else is known about him. The earliest known burial here was _ that of his infant son who was interred on August 25, 1838. Other members h of the Smith family were also later buried here including Smith's spouse, Christiana, who died at the age of thirty—one on April 18, 1850. In October of 1850 Jeremiah Smith transferred the family cemetery property to the St. Joseph County Commissioners. According to the deed in this transaction the land was then set aside for use as a public burial ground.[5] Prior to 1850 Jeremiah Smith owned approximately forty acres of land in the vicinity. In October of 1850 he sold the land to Abner Tibbetts.[6] In 1852 Abner Tibbetts transferred the property to James Leach, hence the early use of the name Leach Cemetery.[7] The name Van Buskirk Cemetery refers to a family who also lived in the vicinity of the cemetery in the early years. •s BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES mellowing are biographical sketches of some of the families and individuals buried in Centre Township Cemetery. This small sampling of biographical data relative to individuals and families buried at the site is an example the type of cultural/historical information available from the study of 2