Dell Ruse (Feasel) Cemetery

The OES visited Dell Ruse (Feasel) Cemetery on November 8, 2009. Located on a small hill near the intersection of Hines and Refugee Roads, the cemetery was often mistakenly called Dell Rose Cemetery. It was most likely established around 1822, when a Conrad Feasel was buried there, according to family records. During our visit, the entire hill was overgrown with brush, making it difficult to determine the exact location of the cemetery. After a bit of searching, we discovered a few remnants of tombstone about 350 feet northwest of the intersection. The remnants were scattered about and were obviously not in their original locations. No inscriptions could be read on any of the remaining tombstones. After a bit of a search, we found out why the cemetery was in such horrible shape. Dell Ruse Cemetery had been relocated.

According to newspaper articles in 1996, Dell Ruse Cemetery was set to be relocated by Homewood Corp., who had bought the land to build homes as part of their Turnberry Farms subdivision. Homewood was unaware they had purchased a cemetery when the site was purchased from a farmer. Only after a standard archaeological survey did they discover the cemetery. Even though Homewood never planned to build on the site, they wanted to move the cemetery’s fourteen known burials to a “more appropriate” resting place…a mass grave at Violet Township Cemetery. A marker noting any names that could be located would be erected at the new gravesite. Articles indicated that Feasel was the only family name legible on any of the remaining tombstones at the time. We couldn’t find any other references for Dell Ruse Cemetery, but did notice a book published in 1996 about the cemetery’s relocation. We have since visited Violet Township Cemetery and located the marker for the relocated graves near the rear of the cemetery. As of 2015, we have heard rumors of a new residential development to be located at the site. We’ll make sure to update this page if the residential development moves forward.

It is also interesting to note that while we walked along the trail in Portman Park near the cemetery, we came across what appeared to be tombstone-shaped fence posts. We weren’t quite sure what to make of them, so they are included in the photos below.

Location Information: Removed Cemetery [Overgrown]

Dell Ruse (Feasel) Cemetery was located near the intersection of Hines and Refugee Roads; Fairfield County.

Photographs