Near Albany in Green County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
"English Settlement" Cemetery
Photographed by William J. Toman, September 6, 2010
1. "English Settlement" Cemetery Marker
This cemetery marks the gravesites of Welsh families, who began settling here in 1845. They purchased land from the federal government for $1.25 per acre and began establishing farms, building homes, and forming a tight knit community. "The Yankees call us the English Settlement," they wrote to relatives in Wales. By the 1860s, this settlement included 70 families with Welsh surnames. The settlement continued to grow and by 1873, Welsh land owners had acquired 8,680 acres in Albany and surrounding townships.
Area families built the non-denominational Allen Creek Union Church on this site in 1886, also donating land for this cemetery. Following Welsh tradition, a small lane ran through the cemetery and was called the "Devil's Highway," which brought fear to generations of local children.
Erected 2007 by the Wisconsin Historical Society. (Marker Number 517.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Wisconsin Historical Society series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1845.
Location. 42° 44.487′ N, 89° 24.49′ W. Marker is near Albany, Wisconsin, in Green County. It is on English Settlement
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest, on the Great Lakes, in the Corn Belt, and in the Driftless Area Bluff Country. 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 14 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Union Church (here, next to this marker); CCC Veterans Memorial Bridge (approx. 6.3 miles away); Lake Montesian (approx. 9.7 miles away); Nickolaus Gerber (approx. 9.7 miles away); Early Belleville / Library Park (approx. 10.3 miles away); Village of Cooksville / Village of Waucoma (approx. 10.9 miles away); St. Raphael's Frenchtown Cemetery (approx. 11.7 miles away); Lake Harriet School (approx. 13.3 miles away).
Photographed by Greta Schassler, December 7, 2024
2. "English Settlement" Cemetery Marker
Photographed by William J. Toman, September 6, 2010
3. "English Settlement" Cemetery Marker
This view of the marker, just to the left of the Union Church Marker, is along the "Devil's Highway" mentioned in the marker.
Photographed by Gary Sonnenberg, May 27, 2025
4. Devil's Highway from the road
The cemetery is fenced in but accessible.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 29, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 7, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 1,631 times since then and 42 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on September 7, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin. 2. submitted on December 7, 2024, by Greta Schassler of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 3. submitted on September 7, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin. 4. submitted on May 29, 2025, by Gary Sonnenberg of Waukesha, Wisconsin. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
