Bellefontaine Cemetery is a nonprofit, non-denominational cemetery and arboretum in

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

. Founded in 1849 as a

rural cemetery A rural cemetery or garden cemetery is a style of cemetery that became popular in the United States and Europe in the mid-nineteenth century due to the overcrowding and health concerns of urban cemeteries. They were typically built one to five ...

, Bellefontaine is home to a number of architecturally significant monuments and

mausoleums A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be consi ...

such as the

Louis Sullivan Louis Henry Sullivan (September 3, 1856 – April 14, 1924) was an American architect, and has been called a "father of skyscrapers" and "father of modernism". He was an influential architect of the Chicago School, a mentor to Frank Lloy ...

-designed

Wainwright Tomb The Wainwright Tomb is a mausoleum located in Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri. Originally constructed for Charlotte Dickson Wainwright in 1892, the tomb also contains the remains of her husband, Ellis Wainwright. The mausoleum was de ...

, which is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

. The cemetery contains of land and over 87,000 graves, including those of

William Clark William Clark (August 1, 1770 – September 1, 1838) was an American explorer, soldier, Indian agent, and territorial governor. A native of Virginia, he grew up in pre-statehood Kentucky before later settling in what became the state of Miss ...

Adolphus Busch Adolphus Busch (10 July 1839 – 10 October 1913) was the German-born co-founder of Anheuser-Busch with his father-in-law, Eberhard Anheuser. He introduced numerous innovations, building the success of the company in the late 19th and early ...

, Thomas Hart Benton,

Rush Limbaugh Rush Hudson Limbaugh III ( ; January 12, 1951 – February 17, 2021) was an American conservative political commentator who was the host of '' The Rush Limbaugh Show'', which first aired in 1984 and was nationally syndicated on AM and FM r ...

, and

William S. Burroughs William Seward Burroughs II (; February 5, 1914 – August 2, 1997) was an American writer and visual artist, widely considered a primary figure of the Beat Generation and a major postmodern author who influenced popular cultur ...

. Many

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

and

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

soldiers from the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

are buried at Bellefontaine, as well as numerous local and state politicians.

History

On March 7, 1849, banker William McPherson and lawyer John Fletcher Darby assembled a group of some of St. Louis's most prominent citizens to found the Rural Cemetery Association of St. Louis. This association sought to respond to the needs of a rapidly growing St. Louis by establishing a new cemetery several miles outside city limits. St. Louis was experiencing exponential population growth during this time and city leaders thought that the existing graveyards, which were mostly concentrated along Jefferson Avenue near the city center, were an impediment to urban development. Many were also convinced that city cemeteries represented a public health hazard (see miasma theory). These problems were compounded during the summer of 1849, when a massive cholera

epidemic An epidemic (from Greek ἐπί ''epi'' "upon or above" and δῆμος ''demos'' "people") is the rapid spread of disease to a large number of patients among a given population within an area in a short period of time. Epidemics of infectious ...

swept through St. Louis and claimed the lives of more than 4,000 people. With existing cemeteries running out of space to expand, and with many residents fearing that fumes from nearby cemeteries could cause them to fall ill en masse once again, this epidemic further underscored the need for a new rural cemetery for St. Louis. In 1849, the Rural Cemetery Association purchased the former Hempstead family farm located five miles northwest of the city, with the intent to turn it into a large

modeled after

Père Lachaise Cemetery Père Lachaise Cemetery (french: Cimetière du Père-Lachaise ; formerly , "East Cemetery") is the largest cemetery in Paris, France (). With more than 3.5 million visitors annually, it is the most visited necropolis in the world. Notable figure ...

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...

and Mount Auburn Cemetery in

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...

. The association that originated the cemetery, named it at first the "Rural Cemetery". The 138-acre Hempstead farm was situated along the road to

Fort Bellefontaine Fort Belle Fontaine (formerly known as Cantonment Belle Fontaine) is a former U.S. military base located in St. Louis County, Missouri, across the Mississippi and Missouri rivers from Alton, Illinois. The fort was the first U.S. military install ...

, and as a result the Association decided to name its new cemetery after the fort. Within a few months, the Association had hired landscape architect Almerin Hotchkiss, who helped design

Green-Wood Cemetery Green-Wood Cemetery is a cemetery in the western portion of Brooklyn, New York City. The cemetery is located between South Slope/ Greenwood Heights, Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Borough Park, Kensington, and Sunset Park, and lies several blo ...

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, to begin drafting and implementing a master plan for Bellefontaine. Hotchkiss went on to serve as superintendent of the cemetery for the next 46 years; he designed most of Bellefontaine's roadways and landscaping, and oversaw maintenance of the grounds. During this time, the cemetery steadily acquired more land so as to provide room for future growth. By 1865, it had reached its present-day size of 314 acres. The first burial at Bellefontaine Cemetery took place on April 27, 1850, and the official dedication followed several weeks later. Bodies from older graveyards within the city of St. Louis were moved to Bellefontaine, including some from the cemetery by the Old Cathedral near the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...

. Bellefontaine was also the resting place for several victims of the 1855 Gasconade Bridge train disaster, the worst railroad disaster in Missouri history. Also interred at Bellefontaine are members of several notable brewing families, including the Anheusers, Buschs, Lemps, and Griesediecks. In 1909, the renowned St. Louis architectural firm

Eames and Young Eames and Young was an American architecture firm based in St. Louis, Missouri, active nationally, and responsible for several buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. History The principals were Thomas Crane Young, FAIA and Will ...

was commissioned to design a new chapel for the cemetery. The Hotchkiss Chapel, named for the cemetery's first architect, was completely renovated in 2009, and an indoor

columbarium A columbarium (; pl. columbaria) is a structure for the reverential and usually public storage of funerary urns, holding cremated remains of the deceased. The term can also mean the nesting boxes of pigeons. The term comes from the Latin "''colu ...

was added on to the back. The chapel is currently used for weddings and memorial services. Two new outdoor columbaria have also opened for inurnments; and a "green burial" natural interment section is pending. Cemetery patrons with traditional tastes for family lot group burials and private mausoleums can still obtain these memorialization options at this historic cemetery, which has the largest collection of private (family) mausoleums and sarcophagi in the State of Missouri, in a wide array of architecturally-acclaimed historical styles. Space for traditional casketed/vaulted ground burial exists within Bellefontaine's dedicated grounds for the next 200 years at present rates of usage.

Cemetery today

As of 2012 over 87,000 people have been buried at Bellefontaine Cemetery, and approximately 100 new burials take place each year. Bellefontaine remains a non-profit, non-denominational cemetery, and still holds over 100 acres of open, unused land. Some of this extra land has recently been converted into prairie and woodland. Bellefontaine contains over 14 miles of paved roads and, as an accredited arboretum, is home to over 180 species of trees and shrubs. A new lakeside garden and columbarium were completed in 2010, and other major landscaping projects are planned or in progress. The cemetery contains the graves of many prominent pioneers to the West, as well as businessmen, politicians, and generals who remain significant figures in the history of St. Louis and the United States. The oldest graves in the cemetery are located on pioneer

Edward Hempstead Edward Hempstead (June 3, 1780 – August 10, 1817) was an American lawyer, pioneer, and one of the early settlers in the new Louisiana Purchase in 1805. Born in New London, Connecticut, Hempstead was the delegate in the U.S. House for the Mi ...

’s family lot and date as far back as 1816. Many of the wealthiest families at Bellefontaine are interred in ornate mausoleums which overlook the Mississippi River and draw from Classical, Romanesque, Gothic, and Egyptian architectural styles. Among the most notable mausoleums in the cemetery are: the

, designed for Charlotte Dickson Wainwright by the famed Chicago school architect

in 1892; the Busch Mausoleum, designed for Adolphus Busch and Lilly Anheuser by

Barnett, Haynes & Barnett Barnett, Haynes & Barnett was a prominent architectural firm based in St. Louis, Missouri. Their credits include many familiar St. Louis landmarks, especially a number related to the local Catholic church. Their best-known building is pr ...

in 1915; and the Brown Brothers Mausoleums, designed in 1910 by Isaac Taylor and in 1928 by Mauran, Russell and Crowell. There are also a number of large family plots in the cemetery, many of which are marked by tall

obelisk An obelisk (; from grc, ὀβελίσκος ; diminutive of ''obelos'', " spit, nail, pointed pillar") is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape or pyramidion at the top. Originally constructed by An ...

monuments with elaborate bases. Guided tours of the cemetery’s main historical and architectural highlights are available and are open to the public. Alternatively, visitors can obtain self-guided tour brochures at the cemetery office. The cemetery was listed on the

in 2014.

Notable burials

A–K

* Chris von der Ahe (1851–1913), entrepreneur and owner of the St. Louis Brown Stockings, which later became the

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...

* John R. Anderson (minister) (1818–1863), an American minister from St. Louis, Missouri, who fought against slavery and for education for his fellow African Americans. *

Eberhard Anheuser Eberhard Anheuser (27 September 1806–May 1880) was a German American soap and candle maker, as well as the father-in-law of Adolphus Busch, the founder of the Anheuser-Busch Company. Anheuser grew up in Kreuznach, where his parents operated ...

(1805–1880), father-in-law of

; president and CEO of Eberhard Anheuser and Company (predecessor of

Anheuser-Busch Anheuser-Busch Companies, LLC is an American brewing company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Since 2008, it has been wholly owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV ( AB InBev), now the world's largest brewing company, which owns multiple ...

) * George I. Barnett (1815–1898), prominent St. Louis architect *

Edward Bates Edward Bates (September 4, 1793 – March 25, 1869) was a lawyer and politician. He represented Missouri in the US House of Representatives and served as the U.S. Attorney General under President Abraham Lincoln. A member of the influential ...

(1793–1869),

United States Attorney General The United States attorney general (AG) is the head of the United States Department of Justice, and is the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government of the United States. The attorney general serves as the principal advisor to the p ...

under President

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

William Beaumont William Beaumont (November 21, 1785 – April 25, 1853) was a surgeon in the U.S. Army who became known as the "Father of Gastric Physiology" following his research on human digestion.

(1785–1853),

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...

surgeon, known as the "Father of

Gastric The stomach is a muscular, hollow organ in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and many other animals, including several invertebrates. The stomach has a dilated structure and functions as a vital organ in the digestive system. The stomach i ...

Physiology Physiology (; ) is the scientific study of functions and mechanisms in a living system. As a sub-discipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ systems, individual organs, cells, and biomolecules carry out the chemical ...

" due to his research on human digestion *

Robert Benecke Robert Benecke (January 25, 1835 – November 3, 1903) was a German-born American photographer, operating primarily out of St. Louis, Missouri, St. Louis in the latter half of the 19th century. Along with portraits, his works included photograp ...

(1835–1903), early St. Louis photographer * Thomas Hart Benton (1782–1858), prominent U.S. Senator (1821–1851) who championed western expansion and the

Homestead Act The Homestead Acts were several laws in the United States by which an applicant could acquire ownership of government land or the public domain, typically called a homestead. In all, more than of public land, or nearly 10 percent of t ...

Mary Odilia Berger Mother Mary Odilia Berger, S.S.M., (30 April 1823 – 17 October 1880) was a Germany, German-born Religious Sister who founded the Sisters of St. Mary in 1872 in St. Louis, Missouri, which established and still runs hospitals throughout the Midw ...

, S.S.M (April 30, 1823 – October 17, 1880), Founder of the Sisters of St. Mary in 1872 in St. Louis, which established and still runs hospitals throughout the Midwestern United States. * Thekla M. Bernays (1856–1931), Women's suffrage's activist, author and lecturer. * Daniel Bissell (1768–1833) U.S. Army officer in

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States, United States of America and its Indigenous peoples of the Americas, indigenous allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom ...

and on the American Frontier * Horace Bixby (1826–1912), steamboat pilot and captain whose "cub pilot" was Mark Twain *

Francis Preston Blair, Jr. Francis Preston Blair Jr. (February 19, 1821 – July 8, 1875) was a United States Senator, a United States Congressman and a Union Major General during the Civil War. He represented Missouri in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, ...

(1821–1875),

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

general in the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

, politician * Susan Blow (1843–1916), educator, known as the "Mother of Kindergarten" * Benjamin Bonneville (1796–1876), French-born officer in the U.S. Army,

fur trapper Fur is a thick growth of hair that covers the skin of mammals. It consists of a combination of oily guard hair on top and thick underfur beneath. The guard hair keeps moisture from reaching the skin; the underfur acts as an insulating blanket ...

, and explorer in the American West *

James B. Bowlin James Butler Bowlin (January 16, 1804 – July 19, 1874) was a U.S. Representative from Missouri. Born in Spotsylvania County, Virginia near Fredericksburg, Bowlin took an apprenticeship to a trade but abandoned it to teach at a school. He rec ...

(1804–1874), U.S. Representative of Missouri *

Henry Clay Brockmeyer Henry Clay Brockmeyer (born Heinrich Conrad Brokmeyer, August 12, 1826 near Petershagen, Prussia – July 26, 1906 in St. Louis, Missouri) was a German-American poet, philosopher, and politician. Early life Brockmeyer was born Heinrich Conrad Br ...

(1826–1906), poet, politician, philosopher * Robert S. Brookings (1850–1932), businessman and philanthropist, founder of the

Brookings Institution The Brookings Institution, often stylized as simply Brookings, is an American research group founded in 1916. Located on Think Tank Row in Washington, D.C., the organization conducts research and education in the social sciences, primarily in e ...

, donor to

Washington University in St. Louis Washington University in St. Louis (WashU or WUSTL) is a private research university with its main campus in St. Louis County, and Clayton, Missouri. Founded in 1853, the university is named after George Washington. Washington University is r ...

Don Carlos Buell Don Carlos Buell (March 23, 1818November 19, 1898) was a United States Army officer who fought in the Seminole War, the Mexican–American War, and the American Civil War. Buell led Union armies in two great Civil War battles— Shiloh and Per ...

(1818–1898), U.S. Army general; led Union armies in the battles of Shiloh and Perryville * William Seward Burroughs (1857–1898), inventor of the

mechanical calculator A mechanical calculator, or calculating machine, is a mechanical device used to perform the basic operations of arithmetic automatically, or (historically) a simulation such as an analog computer or a slide rule. Most mechanical calculators we ...

and founder of

Burroughs Corporation The Burroughs Corporation was a major American manufacturer of business equipment. The company was founded in 1886 as the American Arithmometer Company. In 1986, it merged with Sperry UNIVAC to form Unisys. The company's history paralleled many ...

(1914–1997), author of novel ''

Naked Lunch ''Naked Lunch'' (sometimes ''The Naked Lunch'') is a 1959 novel by American writer William S. Burroughs. The book is structured as a series of loosely connected vignettes, intended by Burroughs to be read in any order. The reader follows the na ...

'', icon of Beat Generation *

(1838–1913), founder of Anheuser Busch Company ** wife Lilly Eberhard Anheuser (d. 1928) * Isidor Bush (1822–1898), intellectual, publisher,

viticulturalist Viticulture (from the Latin word for ''vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ran ...

* James Gay Butler (1840–1916), tobacco manufacturer, major supporter of

Lindenwood University Lindenwood University is a private university in St. Charles, Missouri. Founded in 1827 by George Champlin Sibley and Mary Easton Sibley as The Lindenwood School for Girls, it is the second-oldest higher-education institution west of the Mis ...

* Given Campbell (1835–1906), Confederate officer who led the final escape of Jefferson Davis in the last days of the Civil War * Robert Campbell (1804–1879), frontiersman, banker, real estate mogul, steamboat owner * Virginia Kyle Campbell (1822–1882), socialite, wife of Robert Campbell *

William Chauvenet William Chauvenet (24 May 1820 in Milford, Pennsylvania – 13 December 1870 in St. Paul, Minnesota) was a professor of mathematics, astronomy, navigation, and surveying who was instrumental in the establishment of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapo ...

(1820–1870), scholar, educator *

(1770–1838), explorer of

Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase (french: Vente de la Louisiane, translation=Sale of Louisiana) was the acquisition of the territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. In return for fifteen million dollars, or app ...

territory * Norman Jay Coleman (1827–1911), first

United States Secretary of Agriculture The United States secretary of agriculture is the head of the United States Department of Agriculture. The position carries similar responsibilities to those of agriculture ministers in other governments. The department includes several organi ...

Alban Jasper Conant Alban Jasper Conant (September 24, 1821 – February 3, 1915) was a painter best known for painting the first portrait of Abraham Lincoln. Personal life Conant was born on September 23, 1821, in Chelsea, Vermont, to Caleb and Sally () Conant. ...

(1821–1915), artist, author, educator; best known for his "Smiling Lincoln" portraits * Phoebe Wilson Couzins (1842–1913), pioneer suffragette, one of the first female lawyers in the United States *

Ned Cuthbert Edgar Edward Cuthbert (June 20, 1845 – February 6, 1905) was an American professional baseball outfielder. Career Cuthbert's baseball career began in 1865 with the Keystone Club of Philadelphia. After two seasons as a second baseman and outfi ...

(1845–1905),

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...

player *

Forrest C. Donnell Forrest Carl Donnell (August 20, 1884March 3, 1980) was an American attorney and politician who served as a United States Senate, United States senator and the List of governors of Missouri, 40th governor of Missouri. Early life Donnell was bor ...

(1884–1980), U.S. Senator, 40th Governor of the State of Missouri * James Eads (1820–1887), engineer who constructed bridges, railroads, and ironclad warships *

Albert Gallatin Edwards Albert Gallatin Edwards (October 15, 1812 – April 19, 1892) was an Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Treasury under President of the United States Abraham Lincoln and founder of brokerage firm A. G. Edwards. Edwards was born in Kentucky in 1812 a ...

(1812–1892), Assistant Secretary of the

U.S. Treasury The Department of the Treasury (USDT) is the national treasury and finance department of the federal government of the United States, where it serves as an executive department. The department oversees the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and t ...

under

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

and founder of brokerage firm

A. G. Edwards A.G. Edwards, Inc. was an American financial services holding company; its principal wholly owned subsidiary was A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc., which operated as a full-service securities broker-dealer in the United States and Europe. The firm was ...

Charles Henry Galloway Charles Henry Galloway (December 21, 1871 – March 9, 1931) was a St. Louis, Missouri church and concert organist, choral conductor, educator, and composer. At tall, Galloway was a large man with a commanding presence. His hands were so large, ...

(1871–1931), church and concert organist, conductor, and music educator *

William Greenleaf Eliot William Greenleaf Eliot (August 5, 1811 – January 23, 1887) was an American educator, Unitarian minister, and civic leader in Missouri. He is most notable for founding Washington University in St. Louis, and also contributed to the foundi ...

(1811–1887), Unitarian minister and civic leader * George Engelmann (1809–1884), botanist * Sarkis Erganian (1870–1950),

Ottoman Armenian Armenians in the Ottoman Empire (or Ottoman Armenians) mostly belonged to either the Armenian Apostolic Church or the Armenian Catholic Church. They were part of the Armenian millet until the Tanzimat reforms in the nineteenth century equa ...

painter * Bernard G. Farrar Jr. (1831–1916), Union Army colonel in the Civil War *

Thomas Clement Fletcher Thomas Clement Fletcher (January 21, 1827March 25, 1899) was the 18th Governor of Missouri during the latter stages of the American Civil War and the early part of Reconstruction. He was the first Missouri governor to be born in the state. The ...

(1827–1899), 18th Governor of the State of Missouri, issued the proclamation abolishing slavery in the state * Della May Fox (1870–1913), actress, singer *

David R. Francis David Rowland Francis (October 1, 1850January 15, 1927) was an American politician and diplomat. He served in various positions including Mayor of St. Louis, the 27th Governor of Missouri, and United States Secretary of the Interior. He was the ...

(1850–1927), statesman,

United States Secretary of the Interior The United States secretary of the interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior. The secretary and the Department of the Interior are responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land along with natur ...

, governor of Missouri, mayor of St. Louis, ambassador to Russia, president of the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair *

Hamilton Rowan Gamble Hamilton Rowan Gamble (November 29, 1798 – January 31, 1864) was an American jurist and politician who served as the Chief Justice of the Missouri Supreme Court at the time of the Dred Scott case in 1852. Although his colleagues voted to over ...

(1798–1864), 16th Governor of the State of Missouri during the Civil War, chief justice of the

Missouri Supreme Court The Supreme Court of Missouri is the highest court in the state of Missouri. It was established in 1820 and is located at 207 West High Street in Jefferson City, Missouri. Missouri voters have approved changes in the state's constitution to give ...

at the time of the

Dred Scott Decision ''Dred Scott v. Sandford'', 60 U.S. (19 How.) 393 (1857), was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that held the U.S. Constitution did not extend American citizenship to people of black African descent, enslaved or free; th ...

in 1852 *

Frederick D. Gardner Frederick Dozier Gardner (November 6, 1869December 18, 1933), an American businessman and politician from St. Louis, Missouri, served as the 34th Governor of Missouri from 1917 to 1921. Political career Gardner was born in Hickman, Kentucky; hi ...

(1869–1933), 34th Governor of the State of Missouri and St. Louis funeral director and coffin manufacturer * Edward James Gay (1816–1889),

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

of Louisiana * Jessie Gaynor (1863–1921), composer of children's music * Fitz W. Guerin (1846–1903), Medal of Honor recipient in the American Civil War * Rebecca N. Hazard (1826–1912), first president of the American Woman's Suffrage Association (1826) to reside west of the Mississippi River *

(1780–1817), lawyer, pioneer, delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives for

Missouri Territory The Territory of Missouri was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from June 4, 1812, until August 10, 1821. In 1819, the Territory of Arkansas was created from a portion of its southern area. In 1821, a southea ...

(1812–1814) *

James Eads How James Eads How (1874 - 1930) was an American organizer of the hobo community in the early 20th century. He was heir of a wealthy St. Louis family but chose to live as a hobo and to help the homeless migrant workers. The newspapers often referred ...

(1874–1930), son of wealthy St. Louis family, known as the "Millionaire Hobo" * Benjamin Howard (1760–1814), first governor of

, brigadier general in the

Bill Joyce (baseball) William Michael Joyce (September 22, 1867 – May 8, 1941) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He was a third baseman over parts of eight seasons with the Brooklyn Ward's Wonders (of the Players' League), Boston Reds (of t ...

(1865–1941), professional

player and manager * Stephen W. Kearny (1794–1848), officer in the U.S. Army; played a significant role in the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...

and the conquest of

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

George Kessler George Edward Kessler (July 16, 1862 – March 20, 1923) was an American pioneer city planner and landscape architect. Over the course of his forty-one year career, George E. Kessler completed over 200 projects and prepared plans for 26 comm ...

(1862–1923), landscape architect and city planner

L–Z

Albert Bond Lambert Albert Bond Lambert (December 6, 1875 – November 12, 1946) was an American golfer who competed in the 1900 Summer Olympics and in the 1904 Summer Olympics. He was also a prominent St. Louis aviator and benefactor of aviation. Early life He ...

(1875–1946), businessman, aviator,

Olympic Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece b ...

athlete; namesake of

Lambert–St. Louis International Airport St. Louis Lambert International Airport is the primary commercial airport serving metropolitan St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Commonly referred to as Lambert Field or simply Lambert, it is the largest and busiest airport in the state o ...

Frederick William Lehmann Frederick William Lehmann (February 28, 1853 – September 12, 1931) was a prominent American lawyer, politician, United States Solicitor General, and rare book collector. Biography He was born February 28, 1853 in Prussia. His father Friedr ...

(1853–1931), prominent lawyer, statesman,

United States Solicitor General The solicitor general of the United States is the fourth-highest-ranking official in the United States Department of Justice. Elizabeth Prelogar has been serving in the role since October 28, 2021. The United States solicitor general represent ...

, rare book collector *

(1951–2021), nationwide radio show host, Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, inductee to the National Radio Hall of Fame and the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame. *

Theodore Link Theodore C. Link, FAIA, (March 17, 1850 – November 12, 1923) was a German-born American architect and newspaper publisher. He designed buildings for the 1904 World's Fair, Louisiana State University, and the Mississippi State Capitol. Early ...

(1850–1923), architect of

St. Louis Union Station St. Louis Union Station is a National Historic Landmark train station in St. Louis, Missouri. At its 1894 opening, the station was the largest in the world that had tracks and passenger service areas all on one level. Traffic peaked at 100,000 ...

Manuel Lisa Manuel Lisa, also known as Manuel de Lisa (September 8, 1772 in New Orleans Louisiana (New Spain) – August 12, 1820 in St. Louis, Missouri), was a Spanish citizen and later, became an American citizen who, while living on the western frontier, ...

(1772–1820), fur trader and explorer *

Richard Barnes Mason Richard Barnes Mason (January 16, 1797July 25, 1850) was an American military officer who was a career officer in the United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is on ...

(1797–1850), U.S. Army officer, fifth military governor of California before it became a

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

*William Massie (1829–1910), riverboat captain famous for living with the bullet that killed

Wild Bill Hickok James Butler Hickok (May 27, 1837August 2, 1876), better known as "Wild Bill" Hickok, was a folk hero of the American Old West known for his life on the frontier as a soldier, scout, lawman, gambler, showman, and actor, and for his involvement ...

lodged in his wrist. *

James Smith McDonnell James Smith "Mac" McDonnell (April 9, 1899 – August 22, 1980) was an American aviator, engineer, and businessman. He was an aviation pioneer and founder of McDonnell Aircraft Corporation, later McDonnell Douglas, and the James S. McDonn ...

(1899–1980), founder of

McDonnell Aircraft The McDonnell Aircraft Corporation was an American aerospace manufacturer based in St. Louis, Missouri. The company was founded on July 6, 1939, by James Smith McDonnell, and was best known for its military fighters, including the F-4 Phantom I ...

Corporation *

John McNeil John McNeil (February 14, 1813 – June 8, 1891) was a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was most noted for his role in the Palmyra Massacre and other acts of alleged brutality, as well as his participation in the Batt ...

(1813–1891), Union Army general in the Civil War * Mary Meachum (1801–1869), and her husband,

John Berry Meachum John Berry Meachum (1789–1854) was an American pastor, businessman, educator and founder of the First African Baptist Church in St. Louis, the oldest black church west of the Mississippi River. At a time when it was illegal in the city to teac ...

(1789–1854), American abolitionists *

James F. Merton James F. Merton (October 7, 1845 – January 9, 1900) was a United States Navy sailor who received the Medal of Honor for actions during the Korean Expedition in 1871. Landsman Merton was severely wounded during the seizure of the forts. Medal ...

(1845–1900),

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...

recipient for actions during the 1871

United States expedition to Korea The United States expedition to Korea, known in Korea as the ''Shinmiyangyo'' () or simply the Korean Expedition, was the first American military action in Korea and took place predominantly on and around Ganghwa Island in 1871. The reason fo ...

. * John Miller (1781–1846), Fourth Governor of the State of Missouri *

Virginia Minor Virginia Louisa Minor (March 27, 1824 – August 14, 1894) was an American women's suffrage activist. She is best remembered as the plaintiff in '' Minor v. Happersett'', an 1875 United States Supreme Court case in which Minor unsuccessfully arg ...

(1824–1894),

women's suffrage Women's suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to grant women the right to vot ...

activist * Charles Nagel (1849–1940), U.S. Representative, last

United States Secretary of Commerce and Labor The United States Department of Commerce and Labor was a short-lived Cabinet department of the United States government, which was concerned with fostering and supervising big business. Origins and establishment Calls in the United States for ...

, co-founder of the

United States Chamber of Commerce The United States Chamber of Commerce (USCC) is the largest lobbying group in the United States, representing over three million businesses and organizations. The group was founded in April 1912 out of local chambers of commerce at the urgin ...

* Henry D. O'Brien (1842–1902), American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient *

John O'Fallon John O'Fallon (November 17, 1791 – December 17, 1865) was a businessman, philanthropist, and military officer, a nephew of the explorer William Clark. During the 19th century he rose to become the wealthiest person in St. Louis, Missouri. The ...

(1791–1865), railroad executive, philanthropist, namesake of

O'Fallon, Missouri O'Fallon ( ) is a city located along Interstates 64 and 70 between Lake St. Louis and St. Peters in St. Charles County, Missouri, United States. It is part of the St. Louis metropolitan statistical area. As of the 2020 census, O'Fallon had ...

and

O'Fallon, Illinois O'Fallon is a city in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. The 2020 census listed the population at 32,289. The city is the second largest city in the Metro-East region and Southern Illinois. It sits from Scott Air Force Base and from ...

, nephew of William Clark *

Parrish Sisters Williamina Parrish (September 9, 1879 – January 3, 1941) and Grace Parrish (August 21, 1881 – March 9, 1954) were respected photographers who worked together as The Parrish Sisters at the beginning of the twentieth century. Williamina "Will" ...

, Williamina (1879–1941) and Grace Parrish (1882–1954), respected photographers who worked in team as The Parrish Sisters; also members of the early 20th century artistic group

The Potters A potter is someone who makes pottery. Potter may also refer to: Places United States *Potter, originally a section on the Alaska Railroad, currently a neighborhood of Anchorage, Alaska, US * Potter, Arkansas * Potter, Nebraska *Potters, New Jer ...

John Mason Peck John Mason Peck (1789–1858) was an American Baptist missionary to the western frontier of the United States, especially in Missouri and Illinois. A prominent anti-slavery advocate of his day, Peck also founded many educational institutions a ...

(1789–1858), Baptist missionary, educator and journalist * Hannah D. Pittman (1840–1919), author of the first American comic opera. * Truston Polk (1811–1876),

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

(1857–1862) & 12th Governor of the State of Missouri * John Pope (1822–1892), Union Army general in the Civil War, known for his defeat at the Second Battle of Bull Run *

Sterling Price Major-General Sterling "Old Pap" Price (September 14, 1809 – September 29, 1867) was a senior officer of the Confederate States Army who commanded infantry in the Western and Trans-Mississippi theaters of the American Civil War. Prior to ...

(1809–1867), Confederate Army

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...

during the Civil War, U.S. Army

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

during the

, 11th Governor of the State of Missouri * John G. Priest (1822–1900), real estate dealer, philanthropist, first St. Louis Veiled Prophet * James McIlvaine Riley (1849–1911), co-founder of Sigma Nu International Fraternity *

Caroline Risque Caroline Everett Risque Janis (August 20, 1883 – April 9, 1952) was an American painter, sculptor and a member of the early 20th-century artistic group ''The Potters (artists group), The Potters''. Early life Caroline Risque was the daughter ...

(1883–1952), American painter and sculptor, member of

Irma S. Rombauer Irma S. Rombauer (October 30, 1877 – October 14, 1962) was an American cookbook author, best known for ''The Joy of Cooking'' (1931), one of the world's most widely read cookbooks. Following Irma Rombauer's death, periodic revisions of the book ...

(1877–1962), author of ''

The Joy of Cooking ''Joy of Cooking'', often known as "''The Joy of Cooking''", is one of the United States' most-published cookbooks. It has been in print continuously since 1936 and has sold more than 20 million copies. It was published privately during 1931 b ...

'' *

Henry Miller Shreve Henry Miller Shreve (October 21, 1785 – March 6, 1851) was the American inventor and steamboat captain who opened the Mississippi, Ohio, and Red rivers to steamboat navigation. Shreveport, Louisiana, is named in his honor. Shreve was also instr ...

(1785–1851), steamboat pioneer, inventor, and namesake of Shreveport, Louisiana *

Luther Ely Smith Luther Ely Smith (June 11, 1873 – April 2, 1951) was a St. Louis, Missouri lawyer and civic booster. He has been described by the National Park Service as the "father of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial," which was renamed as the Ga ...

(1873–1951), founder of

Gateway Arch National Park Gateway Arch National Park is an American national park located in St. Louis, Missouri, near the starting point of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The memorial was established to commemorate: *the Louisiana Purchase and subsequent westward mo ...

Theodore Spiering Theodore Bernays Spiering (September 5, 1871 – August 11, 1925) was an American violinist, conductor and teacher. Spiering was born in Old North St. Louis, Missouri, where at age five he took his first lessons in violin from his father, co ...

(1871–1925), violinist, conductor, and teacher *

Sara Teasdale Sara Teasdale (August 8, 1884January 29, 1933) was an American lyric poet. She was born Sarah Trevor Teasdale in St. Louis, Missouri, and used the name Sara Teasdale Filsinger after her marriage in 1914. In 1918 she won a Pulitzer Prize for he ...

(1884–1933), Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and member of

Augustus Thomas Augustus Thomas (January 8, 1857 – August 12, 1934) was an American playwright. Biography Born in St. Louis, Missouri and son of a doctor, Thomas worked a number of jobs including as a page in the 41st Congress, studying law, and gaining some ...

(1857–1934), playwright * M. Louise Thomas (1851–1947), founder of Lenox Hall, St. Louis * John H. Tice (1809–1883), weather predictor, writer, and educator * Susan Paul Vashon (1838–1912), educator, abolitionist and clubwoman *

George Graham Vest George Graham Vest (December 6, 1830August 9, 1904) was a U.S. politician. Born in Frankfort, Kentucky, he was known for his skills in oration and debate. Vest, a lawyer as well as a politician, served as a Missouri Congressman, a Confederate ...

(1830–1904), U.S. Senator, Confederate Congressman, U.S. Congressman from Missouri *

Ellis Wainwright Ellis Wainwright (August 3, 1850 – November 6, 1924) was an American capitalist, brewer, art collector and socialite from St. Louis, Missouri. He was President of the St. Louis Brewing Company and Director of the St. Louis and Suburban Company ...

(1850–1924), businessman; famous for the

Wainwright Building The Wainwright Building (also known as the Wainwright State Office Building) is a 10-story, terra cotta office building at 709 Chestnut Street in downtown St. Louis, Missouri. The Wainwright Building is considered to be one of the first aestheti ...

in downtown St. Louis; buried in

's 1892

with his wife, Charlotte *

Rosa Kershaw Walker Rosa Kershaw Walker (, Kershaw; after first marriage, Turnbull; after second marriage, Walker; literary initials, R. K. Walker; 1840s – May 7, 1909) was an American author, journalist, and newspaper editor of the long nineteenth century. She was ...

(1840s-1909), author, journalist, editor

References

External links

Bellefontaine Cemetery Website

Bellefontaine Cemetery
Find a Grave {{Louis Sullivan History of St. Louis Cemeteries in St. Louis Cemeteries on the National Register of Historic Places in Missouri 1849 establishments in Missouri National Register of Historic Places in St. Louis Rural cemeteries Tourist attractions in St. Louis Buildings and structures in St. Louis

History

Cemetery today

Notable burials

A–K

L–Z

See also

References

Further reading

External links