Near North Liberty in St. Joseph County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Porter (Rea) Cemetery
Photographed by Duane Hall, December 14, 2012
1. Porter (Rea) Cemetery Marker
This cemetery was officially created September 6, 1854 when Samuel Gard deeded land to trustees for a burial ground. Free African-American settlers from Huggart Settlement were buried here alongside their white neighbors, not segregated. Porter Cemetery Association was formed May 9, 1884 with both white and African-American charter members.
Cemetery has always been a neighborhood burial ground for members from churches of various denominations. It has been called Porter Rea for decades perhaps because both Porter and Rea families owned adjacent land. Although enclosed in Potato Creek State Park, it remains an active independent cemetery managed by Porter Cemetery Association.
Erected 2003 by Indiana Historical Bureau, Friends of Porter Rea, and Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana. (Marker Number 71.2003.1.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Cemeteries & Burial Sites. In addition, it is included in the Indiana Historical Bureau Markers series list. A significant historical date for this entry is May 9, 1895.
Location. 41° 32.913′ N, 86° 21.116′ W. Marker is near North Liberty, Indiana, in St. Joseph County. It can be reached from Pine Road half a mile north of
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Northern Indiana and in Greater South Bend. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. 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 9 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Springhouse (approx. 0.3 miles away); Farm Equipment (approx. half a mile away); Shuppert/Shupert Family (approx. 0.6 miles away); People Make the Difference (approx. one mile away); A Champion of Farmland to Parkland (approx. one mile away); Huggart Settlement (approx. 2.3 miles away); Indiana Territorial Line (approx. 6.9 miles away); Harold C. Urey (approx. 8.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in North Liberty.
Also see . . . IHB Annotations. The Indiana Historical Bureau provides annotations for the text of the marker on their website. (Submitted on February 6, 2013, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas.)
Photographed by Duane Hall, December 14, 2012
2. Porter (Rea) Cemetery Marker
Photographed by Duane Hall, December 14, 2012
3. Porter (Rea) Cemetery
Credits. This page was last revised on October 25, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 17, 2012, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. This page has been viewed 1,134 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 17, 2012, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
