Marker Logo
THE HISTORICAL
MARKER DATABASE
“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
Wheaton in DuPage County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
 

Wheaton Cemetery

Historic Wheaton

 
 
Wheaton Cemetery Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, September 19, 2025
1. Wheaton Cemetery Marker
Inscription. Wheaton Cemetery provides the final resting place for many individuals with ties to Wheaton. The Wheaton Cemetery Association formally incorporated February 14, 1857 by a special act of legislature. In 1861 the original three acre tract of land for the cemetery was acquired from Jesse C. Wheaton, by a combination of purchase and donation.

As you make your way through the grounds, the history of Wheaton reveals itself in a tapestry of names, reminders of those who enriched our community through the years. Among those buried in these grounds are Wheaton's founding fathers: Erastus Gary (1806-1887), Jesse C. Wheaton (1813-1895), and Warren L. Wheaton (1812-1903). Artistic sculpted monuments create a beautiful mιmorial park as well as an enduring tribute to those buried here. The stately gray structure is the Gary Mausoleum, constructed by Elbert H. Gary in 1912 of granite from Barre, Vermont. The earliest section of monuments can be found in the front portion of the grounds, on and around the rise.

Wheaton Cemetery continues to serve the community, by providing an opportunity to remember those who have gone before us.

Established
Paid Advertisement
Click or scan to see
this page online
as a Wheaton Historic Site in 1993

 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: ArchitectureArts, Letters, MusicCemeteries & Burial SitesSettlements & Settlers. A significant historical date for this entry is February 14, 1857.
 
Location. 41° 51.126′ N, 88° 6.72′ W. Marker is in Wheaton, Illinois, in DuPage County. It is on Warrenville Road north of Merrill Drive, on the right when traveling north. The marker is inside the cemetery, in front of the Gary Mausoleum. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1209 Warrenville Road, Wheaton IL 60189, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Chicago. It is also in the American Midwest and on the Great Lakes. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Marcellus E. Jones (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Memorial to the Unknown Dead of the Civil War
Wheaton Cemetery Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, September 19, 2025
2. Wheaton Cemetery Marker
The marker is in front of the Gary Mausoleum.
(about 400 feet away); Veterans Memorial (about 400 feet away); Warren L. Wheaton Home Site (approx. 0.7 miles away); Marcellus E. Jones House (approx. 0.8 miles away); May Theilgaard Watts (approx. 0.8 miles away); Helen Turner (approx. 0.9 miles away); Wheaton's Original Ten Blocks (approx. 0.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Wheaton.
 
Regarding Wheaton Cemetery. Erastus Gary's son, Elbert, was a co-founder of U.S. Steel and is the namesake of Gary, Indiana. He is buried in the family mausoleum near this sign.
 
Also see . . .
1. Wheaton Cemetery history.
Excerpt: "The Gary Mausoleum was erected in 1912 of granite from Barre, Vermont, by Judge Elbert H. Gary, a son of Erastus Gary, to serve as a resting place for the Gary family. In 1926 the policy of the Association was changed to provide a trust fund for perpetual care through gifts, surplus, and the allocation of a part of the sales price of lots. A part of this trust fund was created by a gift from Elbert Gary, then President of the United States Steel Corporation."
(Submitted on September 20, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.) 

2. History of Wheaton.
Front entrance into Wheaton Cemetery image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, September 19, 2025
3. Front entrance into Wheaton Cemetery
From the City of Wheaton website.
Excerpt: "A glimpse into Wheaton’s history begins with its founders: Erastus Gary, Jesse Wheaton, and Warren Wheaton. The trio traveled west from New England and claimed hundreds of acres of land in northeastern Illinois in 1837 and 1838. There, they began to lay important cornerstones for what would become the City of Wheaton."
(Submitted on September 20, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.) 

3. Wheaton Cemetery on Find a Grave. (Submitted on September 20, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
 
Erastus Gary image. Click for full size.
Courtesy of the City of Wheaton
4. Erastus Gary
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on September 22, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 20, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 94 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 20, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.
m=284715

CeraNet Cloud Computing sponsors the Historical Marker Database.
This website earns income from purchases you make after using our links to Amazon.com. We appreciate your support.
Paid Advertisement
Jul. 8, 2026