Toledo State Hospital Cemeteries

04/11/2024

Silent Voices Speak: I was reminded of another story while attending a presentation last week on the early history of land and Native American tribes that lived here. A book on Ottawa County Native American history was circulating, so I looked through until I found a section about Victoria Cadaract (Kataract) of the Chippewa tribe. She was the grandmother of Katie, who is buried in the TSH Old Cemetery, #1633. Her mother Rose, died shortly after Katie was born, and according to a newspaper article, "It is known that "Indians have severe tempers... and evidently, Kate's was uncontrollable." She was admitted to the Ottawa County infirmary at the age of 16, and lived there for the next 57 years. She was described as being a favorite of the visitors to the County Home, due to her "friendliness and kindness." At the age of 73 she was admitted to Toledo State Hospital, where she died two years later in 1945. I've seen multiple references to her Grandmother Victoria being the last of the Chippewas in Ottawa County, and I always argue that point, as Katie resided there long after her grandmother had passed. But it wasn't unusual at the time for those admitted to public, county or state care facilities to be dismissed and forgotten. But we remember you Katie!

Photos include Katie at TSH, her burial marker, and Victoria standing outside of her home in Ottawa County.

04/11/2024

A friend reminded me recently of the Ceely Rose story (thanks Rebecca) which I share below from History in Stone site. Ceely spent years at then Toledo Asylum for the Insane before being transferred to Lima State Hospital, where she died and was buried.

In 1896, a case of love misunderstood in the seemingly misnamed Pleasant Valley area of Ohio led to the tragic murder of 3 innocent people. A young woman named Ceely Rose was the catalyst and culprit for these murders. By today's standards, she was severely learning disabled and could not do many tasks on her own. While she matured physically, she remained mentally immature. Nearly everyone made fun of her.

With the onset of physical maturity, she naturally fell in love with a local farmer named Guy Berry, who was one of the few people who treated her with any degree of respect. However, she did not understand that he was just being kind to her, and did not love her or want to marry her. Ceely began telling everyone that would listen that she and Guy were soon to be married! Guy did not want to hurt Ceely's feelings, so he told her that they could not be married because Ceely's family did not approve of him. This revelation sent Ceely into a rage that would prove to be deadly.

Accounts differ, but Ceely either soaked fly paper in water and poured it over cottage cheese, or she laced coffee with rat poison. Either way, she killer her father (David Rose), mother (Rebecca Rose), and brother (Walter Rose). Mr. Rose succumbed almost immediately, on June 30th. Walter lingered for a few weeks and later died on July 4th. Apparently, Mrs. Rose figured out what Ceely had done, and tried to protect her from authorities, but Ceely gave her another dose of arsenic and she died on July 19th.

Ceely eventually confessed to a neighbor, after being heartbroken when Guy Berry left town to avoid blame and scrutiny. She spent the rest of her life in a mental institution, and died at the age of 83. Ceely is buried on the grounds of the Lima State Mental Hospital (or so I have heard).

The Rose Home can be found on the grounds of Malabar Farm State Park, and the Rose family was laid to rest in a small cemetery just up the road, called Pleasant Valley Cemetery.

01/11/2024

A few photos of postcards likely dating back from the early 1900's

09/24/2023

Pics from today’s memorial bench dedication at the TSH New Cemetery on UT Health Science Campus. Thank you, Susan
Conda for your donation that made this possible.

09/22/2023

Interesting story about an archeological dig at the Eastern State Hospital Cemetery in Kentucky

https://bio.as.uky.edu/uk-archaeologists-excavate-eastern-state-hospital-0?fbclid=IwAR0QmcUzFyimiEple63wFfPjsop8TqadXL_CNGuAntRA3gb_dyvf6zhFgQY_aem_AUbUnkV4h_6ntHVeu7q-n_yW_TsGtkOeQNgwPTRLJkvBGFJoQ0Bbfr4ZjL1oXP8yivE&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

by Erin Holaday Ziegler A former chemistry student digs with small tools, the size of those a dentist might use, next to an aspiring business titan from another life, who lightly brushes away dirt clods with almost maternal care. "Sometimes I'll be working, and three or four hours will fly by," the....

09/20/2023

The public is invited to attend a brief program and reception as we dedicate a memorial bench in the TSH New Cemetery on the UT Health Science Campus. The bench, donated by Susan Conda, is a beautiful addition in the cemetery, and a restful place for reflection. Please join us at 2pm. Easiest way there is via East Medical Loop off of Arlington (entrance closest to the train tracks).

09/14/2023

TSH cemetery presentation this Saturday at St. Michael’s School hall at 10am. Public is invited. A portion of the presentation will concentrate on Polish representation in the cemeteries.

09/02/2023

A generous donor has provided support to allow us to create this lovely place to sit, relax and enjoy the cool breeze in the Toledo State Hospital New Cemetery, located at UTMC. We will hold a dedication of the bench on September 23rd at 2pm. The New Cemetery is located across from parking lot #43. All are welcome. You may enter the campus from either Glendale or the entrance that parallels the train track off of Arlington.

05/28/2023

I’m not familiar with this “performance”, but I have read the book, and am
personally familiar with the premise from years of working within the state hospital system. The suitcases were brought to Willard State Hospital in New York by patients at their admission. They were stored for decades and never opened. Each holds personal effects that tells a story of life before admission. These tales are powerful and moving, and may be similar to issues that might have caused similar changes in our own, a family
member’s, or a friend’s behavior. But back then, without the services and treatments that are available to us today, could have resulted in decades of hospitalization. People who were different, or who exhibited behaviors that were then unacceptable in a
polite society, were often removed from society and sent to poor houses, asylums, sanitariums or jails. I encourage you to attend one of these performances, or to find the book.

05/18/2023

My apologies for the late notice, but we have delayed our May 20th annual memorial program this year until a later date. We ran into too many conflicting events with organizations that were important to include. We will, however, be present at 11:00 on Saturday to set up our annual Mental Health Month flag display of “I Am Forgotten No More” flags. We place close to 2,000 flags to represent each person buried in the two TSH Cemeteries. If you’d like to help, please respond in the comments.

04/22/2023

We are currently planning for our 2023 TSH Cemetery Memorial Program, to be held May 20th at 11:00am starting in the Old Cemetery behind Bowsher HS. This year we will honor the veterans buried there, over 80 are currently known. We will also highlight government burial markers that were provided for 12 of our civil war veterans whose graves have not yet been found. They are being installed in an area around the American flag until such time that they can be placed at individual burial sites. We will also be dedicating a lovely new bench in the New Cemetery on UTMC campus, donated by a friend of the TSH Memory Project. Lots happening! And all are welcome as this program is open to the public. Please come! Reception will follow. Send message if you have questions or would like to help with preparations. Extra hands would be appreciated while installing the veterans markers!