South Manitou Island Cemetery

South Manitou Island Cemetery is a small burial ground in the island's interior and the island's main cemetery for descendants of early settlers. It’s a quiet history stop, best saved for a longer island day. From the village, follow Ohio Road about two miles north to reach it; the one-room schoolhouse is roughly a mile along the route. Plan on about four miles out and back, and check island access before setting out.

Aaron Sheridan became keeper of the South Manitou light in 1866. He and Julia farmed 80 acres near Lake Florence; after a new 104-foot tower was built, Julia became its first assistant keeper and the only woman officially to serve at that light. In March 1878, a boat carrying Aaron, Julia and their youngest son Robert capsized. All three drowned, and descendants placed gravestones for them here in 2006.

The cemetery connects to a community that gradually disappeared. Andrew Burdick, born on the island in 1889, served with the 339th Regiment in northern Russia during World War I and died of disease in Archangel in 1918, aged 28. Bertha Peth, remembered as the “Island Queen,” ran a small home store and gathered wild ginseng to sell. Ed and Esther Riker were the last permanent residents to leave, in 1972; they were buried near their son Ronald in 2005.