Niles Union Cemetery
Niles Union Cemetery in Trumbull County Ohio got its start in 1806 and was originally known as Jack Oak Burying Ground. It would suffer major damage over a century later in 1985 when a rare, powerful tornado passed through the area.
The story of the Niles Union Cemetery is unlike any other cemetery in Trumbull County, as it is a phoenix, having risen from the ashes following great destruction. Originally known as the “Jack Oak Burying Ground'' for the type of trees which populated the grounds during the early 19th century, this cemetery got its start in 1806 when Hannah Heaton, the six year old daughter of James Heaton––Niles’ founding father, passed away and was buried in what is now the southeast corner of the cemetery. Initially only an acre in size, the first burials were largely confined to an area around Hannah’s grave. Members of the Heaton family made up the first few decades of burials, so much so that it’s said that in 1835 an unnamed settler upon examining the cemetery stated “why this township is all settled by Heatons, and they are all dead!” However, by the late 1830s, as the community of Niles grew bigger and more people filled in, the cemetery started to expand outwards upon the full acre of land with burials gradually fanning north towards Niles-Cortland Road and an undeveloped tract of land to the east. On March 28th, 1863, upon being deeded to Weathersfield Township by Oliver and Henry Kyle, the Jack Oak Burying Ground became the Niles Union Cemetery, and with this transaction, gained an additional 1.08 acres of land.