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Weston Cemetery
Cemetery Sexton: Ronald W. DeMoss
Address: 509 W. Lincoln St
Hours of Operation: Mon-Fri 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Number of Employees: 3 Full-time
Number of Burials: 7500 known
email - westoncem@rensselaer.tv
Weston Cemetery is a beautiful, tree-filled cemetery with the oldest sections on rolling hills encompassing the highest point of ground within the city limits. It is a traditional cemetery with burials facing east and monuments (headstones) being allowed and encouraged. The cemetery is bordered by Brookside Park on the north and the Iroquois River on the south. It consists of 25.7 acres at present with approximately 7500 burials. A bridge spans Maxwell Creek dividing the cemetery into what is called the "old section" and the "new section". There are currently about 500 unsold spaces in the cemetery. A new addition of 16 acres has been developed and opened in 2002. This new section, Weston North Cemetery has 8400 burial spaces and has increased the overall land mass to approximately 42 acres.

Steeped in local history and the oldest continuously operating facility in Rensselaer, Weston Cemetery is the third oldest cemetery of the 58 recorded cemeteries in Jasper County. The first known burial occurred on June 22, 1841 (just five years after the first settlers appeared in what is now Rensselaer). The owner of the original section of the cemetery, Dr. Henry Weston, gave the land to the City of Rensselaer in 1868. At the time the city platted the cemetery (1873) there were already about 200 recorded burials. In 1943, L.A Bostwick platted the oldest and previously unplatted section of the cemetery and recorded the data found on tombstones at that time. His records show 25 burials in the 1840's, 93 in the 1850's, 82 in the 1860's and 14 in the 1870's prior to city platting. There are another 20+ suspected burials during this period with no dates on the markers and perhaps another 30+ with no markers found. Veteran burials encompass all wars beginning with the War of 1812 and military ranks from General (Two) to private and seaman.

The cemetery has been added to numerous times, through purchases or gifts to arrive at its present size. A board of trustees governed the cemetery until the 1980's at which time the board was dissolved and the city assumed full responsibility of the cemetery operations.

Weston Cemetery employees are responsible for burials, lot sales, maintenance of grounds, foundations, enforcement of rules and regulations of the City of Rensselaer (those which pertain to the cemetery), and all other aspects consistent with the operation of a cemetery including genealogical assistance.

Weston Cemetery is pleasant to the eyes and a comfortable place to visit. Many individuals choose to stroll, walk and jog through the cemetery on a daily basis. All the roads are paved and parking is available.
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