Fallis Cemetery

In 1780, Isaac Fallis was born. He was married twice and buried between his wives when he died on Mar. 9, 1858. In 1787, another man, Austin Webb, Sr., was born. He married Elizabeth and had three children, Theodore, Mary, and William. Elizabeth died Aug.5, 1848; Austin died several years later on May 12, 1859.

What do these people have in common? They are all buried in Fallis Cemetery on Little Sugarcreek Road.

Fallis Cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in Sugarcreek Township. It is believed to have been a family plot, since many of the gravestones bear the family name Fallis, and the oldest gravestone (possibly the first person buried there) is that of a Fallis (Jacob Fallis, died August 10, 1824). It is considered an unusual cemetery because it is not in association with any church, while most cemeteries are. It is not certain when the cemetery was founded, although it is believed to have been the 1800s. The oldest deed found for the property was dated May 3, 1875.

Fallis Cemetery, backed by tall, shade-providing trees and brush, must have been a beautiful place to visit at one time. However over the course of time and through the efforts of vandals, the gravestones have greatly deteriorated, making them difficult or impossible to read. In addition, it's not uncommon to find trash or other such items in the brush surrounding the cemetery.

History is not hard to find in Sugarcreek Township, but sometimes it is hard to get to. This is the case with Fallis Cemetery, because of it's location at the top of a hill and due to limited parking. Sugarcreek Township would like to take an active role in upgrading, restoring, and cleaning up Fallis Cemetery. We are in need of any materials, time, labor or ideas that could be contributed to this project. With your help, Fallis Cemetery can again be another beautiful, historic part of Sugarcreek Township. Please feel free to email Cara Tilford or call at (937) 848-8426 with your ideas or questions.

Sugarcreek Township would like to thank Joanne Caffrey of the historical museum, Donna Mastin of the Winters Library and all those who helped in gathering information regarding this article.

Recently we received an inquiry from Stan Follis, a direct decendant of the Fallis family. More information can be found on the Fallis Cemetery website.