YubaRoots.com
YUBA COUNTY CEMETERIES
Cabbage Patch Cemetery
Photo by Colleen Driscoll, © Mar. 2005
Apr. 8, 2008 - The above photo was copied from this site by "Beca" and placed on findagrave.com, WITHOUT PERMISSION, with her taking credit for it. "Beca" also appears to have copied data from this site on the burials, including my own notes on this page. findagrave.com has been contacted to take action on this issue.
by Harry S. Hamilton
Notes from on-site visit 28 March 2001
No iron picket fence. No elaborate metal sign gracefully arching over a tall gate. No marble monuments and no tearful angels overlooking the final resting place of loved ones. In fact, there is nothing at all to indicate that a cemetery is there. But no more fitting place, under spreading oaks, overlooking the creek, could ever be found for pioneers to Yuba County.
The Cabbage Patch/Waldo Cemetery is in the Spenceville Wildlife and Recreation Area managed by the California Department of Fish and Game. Stage passengers named the town after the cabbage patch two settlers planted in 1852. In 1898, when applying for a post office the town’s people felt a more dignified name was needed. Waldo was chosen to honor Captain William Waldo, an early explorer of the area who once raised a relief party to travel over the mountains to the Humboldt Sink to rescue sick and stranded miners. Later he would make an unsuccessful bid for governor. At one time the town boasted a hotel, blacksmith, saloon, stage stop, and school. Shortly after World War II began, the Army bought the land and created Camp Beale, a tank training center. They bulldozed the entire town and laid cement slabs over the graves at the little cemetery overlooking Dry Creek.
The cemetery came into being as a result of cholera epidemic which struck a wagon train camped on one of the ridges near Cabbage Patch. There are seventeen graves covered over by concrete slabs approximately 3 feet by six feet in a plot about 50 feet by 100 feet. Most of the graves have only a piece of stone set into the concrete at head of each. Only three graves are marked with names. These are clearly "stamped" into the concrete markers.
Abraham and Ellen are my great great great grandparents. Census records indicate they were originally from Tennessee and Virginia. We believe they migrated to Barry County, Missouri in the early 1830s. In 1857, they sold their land, and with their children and grandchildren, came to California, settling in Yolo County. In 1860, Abraham and Ellen came to Cabbage Patch and operated the stage coach station and hotel until 1863.
Ida Murphy, whose family home was located nearby was quoted in a 1974 History of the Town of Wheatland, CA, that there had been at least 16 people buried there, including:
(Note from Kathy: Mrs. Tracy is found as Annie Tracy, 1813 – 27 Jun 1890, born in New York. Her causes of death are listed as stomach/bowel inflammation and paralysis of the nervous system.)
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| Abraham Hambleton - an early Cabbage Patch settler. Enlarge |
Ellen Hambleton, Abraham's wife. Enlarge |
Ben Hambleton, Abraham's and Ellen's sixth child. Enlarge |
To locate:
Highway 20 East to Smartsville.
Right hand turn towards Beale AFB. This turn is just beyond the California Division of Forestry Office.
Go 1 mile then turn left on Smartville Road headed to Beale AFB (go uphill).
Travel 4.4 miles and turn left on Waldo Road. When I was there, this gravel road was marked with a road sign.
Travel 1.9 miles. You will go past a "home-made" shooting range on your left before coming to a metal trestle bridge.
Cross the bridge, turn left and go about 100 yards.
The cemetery is on the left hand side of the road, across a pasture, and under old oak trees. This is uphill from the road, but is actually on the high banks of Dry Creek.
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