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Members of the Jefferson County Genealogical Society compiled indexes to the various cemeteries in 1985. Updates were conducted between 2002 and 2009. Activities included walking fifteen of the cemeteries and noting the gravestones and inscriptions. As part of the update every effort has been made to locate Sexton records for the cemeteries. When found, information from these records has been added to the index.

JCGS maintains records on the follow Jefferson County cemeteries. Click on the links below for cemetery information, maps and records.

In addition, there are two active cemeteries for which JCGS does not keep records: Lutheran Church Columbarium (website: gracelutheran.us) and Saint Paul’s Columbarium (website: www.stpaulspt.org)

Other Cemeteries: The following cemeteries have been referenced in Jefferson County over the years, but no longer exist. No records for them survive.

Chinese Burial Grounds

Location: Port Townsend Adjacent to the north boundary of Laurel Grove Cemetery

Comments: The Chinese section of the County Cemetery was used for temporary burials from 1871 to 1918 until funds were available to send the deceased back home. The burial area may have become a part of the County Cemetery about 1893. It is overgrown and not maintained.

Cooper Family Cemetery AKA Watson Family Cemetery

Comments: Private family cemetery, established before 1910, but some reports suggest it existed in the 1800s. The property was originally purchased by Walter G. Watson from Pope and Talbot and was earlier known as the Watson Family graveyard. Some bodies were moved to Forest Hill Cemetery when it opened. Abandoned, location uncertain.

Fort Townsend Cemetery

Location: Port Townsend, Ft. Townsend State Park, on the west shore of Port Townsend Bay, about 3 miles southwest of Port Townsend on State Highway 20. The cemetery is in the woods southwest of the Ranger’s house.

Comments: Fort Townsend was established in 1856 as a place where settlers might find sanctuary in cases of Indian attack or other necessity. It is reported that the bodies were exhumed in 1898 and taken to the San Francisco National Cemetery, including burials from American Camp in the San Juan Islands which had been moved to Fort Townsend earlier.

Marine Cemetery

Comments: Between 1913 and February 1924 approximately 60 deaths occurred with burial noted as “Marine Cemetery.” The deceased were males, foreign born. Most of the deaths occurred at the Marine Hospital, a few at St. John’s Hospital, and one aboard a Chilean ship. Burials may have started before 1913. After 1924 those dying at the Marine Hospital were interred at Redmen Cemetery. The location of the “Marine Cemetery” has not been positively established. One source said that the “Marine Cemetery” consisted of plots at Redmen Cemetery.

Port Ludlow Cemetery

Comments: This cemetery is reported to have existed during the 1800s. Some bodies were moved to Forest Hill Cemetery when it opened. Abandoned, location uncertain but supposed to be on the hill above Port Ludlow to the north.

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