Spring Vale Cemetery was established in 1868. One of the first president's to serve was John Purdue, who was one of the original benefactors of Purdue University. Click on his name at the top for history on John Purdue.

One of of the most historically significant cemeteries in Tippecanoe County, it is the burial site of Moses Fowler, Adams Earl, Helen Gouger, and many other area founding members. In the past 150 years, we have served over 16,000 families and continue to provide comfort options that meet unique individual needs.

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Here are some other facts about Spring Vale Cemetery we hope you find interesting.

Our local heros of war ~ We salute you...

arett arnett pic2  arnettarett marker

  • Arett Campbell Arnett (1882 - 1955) Medical pioneer. Outstanding physician, Army Reserve Officer, aviator and civic leader. Following the example of one of his military affiliates, Dr. William J Mayo, a co-founder of the Mayo Clinic, he founded Lafayette's renowned Arnett Clinic, the largest multi-specialty physician practice organization in Indiana. Plot: Section 8

richard dehart pic    richard dehart

  • Richard Patten DeHart (1832 - 1918) Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General. Served in the Civil War first as a 1st Lieutenant and Regimental Adjutant for the 46th Indiana Volunteer Infantry. Transferred to the 99th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, he rose to the unit's Lieutenant Colonel before being commissioned as Colonel and commander of the 128th Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He was brevetted Brigadier General, US Volunteers on March 13, 1865 for "faithful and meritorious services". After the war he became a prominent lawyer and judge and died in Lafayette, Indiana in 1918. Plot: Section 2, Lot 216

 

Thomas mccall  mcall marker

  • Thomas Edward McCall (1916 - 1965) WWII Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served as a Staff Sergeant, Commander of a Machine Gun Section, in the US Army in Company F, 143rd Infantry, 36th Infantry Division. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for action on January 22, 1944 near San Angelo, Italy. His citation reads in part "Displaying outstanding aggressiveness, he ran forward with the weapon on his hip, reaching a point 30 yards from the enemy, where he fired two bursts of fire into the nest, killing or wounding all of the crew and putting the gun out of action. A second machine gun now opened fire upon him and he rushed its position, firing his weapon from the hip, killing four of the guncrew. A third machine gun, 50 yards in the rear of the first two, was delivering a tremendous volume of fire upon our troops. S/Sgt McCall spotted its position and valiantly went toward it in the face of overwhelming enemy fire. He was last seen courageously moving forward on the enemy position, firing his machine gun from his hip. Plot: Section 12, Lot 281

 

Godlove orth pic

  • Godlove Stein Orth (1817 - 1882) US Congressman. Lawyer and a prominent member of the Indiana State Senate in the 1840's. He served as a Captain during the Civil War. He served as a Republican US Congressman on three occasions: 1863-71, 1873-75 and 1879-82. He also was a US envoy to Austria-Hungary in 1875 an 1876.

 

Politicians who are buried at Spring Vale Cemetery

 

Will wood  wood marker

  • William Robert Wood (1861-1933) — also known as William R. Wood; Will R. Wood. US Congressman. Elected to represent Indiana's 10th District in the US House of Representatives, he served from 1915 to 1933. He also served as a Member of the Indiana State Legislature.

 

thomas ward

  • Thomas Bayless Ward (1835-1892) — US Congressman. Elected to represent Indiana's 9th District in the US House of Representatives, he served from 1883 to 1887. He also served as Mayor, and a State Court Judge.

 

 durgan marker  durgan marker 2

  • George Richard Durgan (1872-1942) — US Congressman. He was a sucessful sales merchant and served as Mayor of Lafayette, Indiana, 1904 to 1913 and 1917 to 1925. In 1933, he was elected as a Democrat to the Seventy-third Congress, serving until 1935. A unsuccessful candidate for re-election, he resumed mercantile pursuits and was appointed to the Indiana Public Service Commission in 1941.

Other Greats...

ray ewry pic  ray ewry pic jump  ewry marker

Raymond Clarence 'Deac' (1874 - 1937) US Olympiam Gold Medalist from Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana. He earned 10 medals during his Olympic career in the high jump, broad jump and triple jump competition.

The Tippecanoe County Area Plan Commision publication states that Rumor states cemetery was created on site of Native American burial grounds and special area reserved for Indian burials post-Civil War era.