PHOTO BY INDIA KENNER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
HISTORY LESSON … Local historian Richard L. Cooley delivers his presentation “Investigating Louden Cemetery” at the Montpelier Public Library on February 26, 2026. Standing at the podium with his laptop and equipment, Cooley discusses the creation of Montpelier and the historic Louden Cemetery.
By: India Kenner
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
india@thevillagereporter.com
The presentation “Investigating Louden Cemetery” by local historian Richard L. Cooley took place on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at 6 p.m. in the Montpelier Public Library.
Cooley, a local historian and veteran, delivered an engaging and informative talk.
He used slides featuring historical maps, old newspaper clippings, photographs, plat diagrams, aerial overlays, and timelines to illustrate his points.
Attendees filled the library’s meeting room as he covered the cemetery’s founding and early history, including its platting in the mid-1800s with references to 1845 surveys by Jesse Tucker and J.K. Bryner.
He discussed pre-1850 burials, grave removals, and the challenges posed by the swampy lands near the site.
Cooley also explored the cemetery’s ties to the Underground Railroad, highlighting nearby stations and key figures such as Jacob Youse—a tanner whose farm served as a stop for escaped enslaved people heading to Canada—along with Henry Newman and connections to the Louden and Moses Louden farm area.
He shared information about notable individuals buried there and the hardships of pioneer life, including diseases such as cholera, typhoid, smallpox, and tuberculosis, among others. Cooley also highlighted specific family stories, such as the tragic early death of Celestia Arntz Hays in 1858.
The presentation also addressed well-known people and events connected to the site, including veteran grave mappings from the Civil War and other eras documented through Williams County Engineer’s Office aerials. Cooley shared early settler accounts, such as George Bible’s experiences with wildlife in the 1830s, along with unusual historical newspaper clippings.
These included an 1881 report of possible Indigenous remains found near the farm, a 1907 story about a church carpet theft, and accounts of 1970s community efforts to restore and clean the cemetery as reported in local papers like the Bryan Times and Daily Leader.
The talk blended archival documents—from sources such as the Bryan Press in 1940 and other historical newspapers—with contemporary visuals of the cemetery grounds, showing tombstones, landscapes, and overlays that bridged past and present.
Cooley emphasized the site’s role in Montpelier’s origins, noting that the town was reportedly named after Montpelier, Vermont, and highlighted its broader regional significance, including Underground Railroad routes in Superior and Jefferson townships.
Audience members appreciated the mix of education and storytelling. Cooley referenced his projected slides throughout, making the complex local history accessible to the audience.
The event highlighted past community efforts to maintain the cemetery, such as the 1974 Lions Club cleanup, and led to audience discussion about preservation.
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