Soquel Cemetery
Timeline
1850s. Land for cemetery donated by John Daubenbiss and John Hames, pioneer settlers of Soquel.
1853. First burial: Frank S. Noble, aged six months.
1860s. Seven more graves added between 1861 and 1868.
1901. Soquel Burial Society formed to "stand by each other in carrying out a system of cheap burial for their dead. . . ."
1911. International Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) takes ownership of the cemetery.
1930s. Community pitches in to clean up cemetery each year on Decoration Day (now called Memorial Day).
1964. Cemetery purchased by Irvin M. Smith, D. D. Stitt, and Orpha B. Smith and becomes Soquel Cemetery, Inc.
2009. Irvin M. Smith dies.
2012. State of California revokes license for Soquel Cemetery, Inc.
2015. Temple Beth El negotiates unsuccessfully to purchase Soquel Cemetery from Soquel Cemetery Inc.
2016. March. County of Santa Cruz takes possession of cemetery because of unpaid taxes.
2016. May. County Board of Supervisors votes to sell cemetery at auction in July.
2016. July. Cemetery purchased by Temple Beth El of Aptos.
1853. First burial: Frank S. Noble, aged six months.
1860s. Seven more graves added between 1861 and 1868.
1901. Soquel Burial Society formed to "stand by each other in carrying out a system of cheap burial for their dead. . . ."
1911. International Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) takes ownership of the cemetery.
1930s. Community pitches in to clean up cemetery each year on Decoration Day (now called Memorial Day).
1964. Cemetery purchased by Irvin M. Smith, D. D. Stitt, and Orpha B. Smith and becomes Soquel Cemetery, Inc.
2009. Irvin M. Smith dies.
2012. State of California revokes license for Soquel Cemetery, Inc.
2015. Temple Beth El negotiates unsuccessfully to purchase Soquel Cemetery from Soquel Cemetery Inc.
2016. March. County of Santa Cruz takes possession of cemetery because of unpaid taxes.
2016. May. County Board of Supervisors votes to sell cemetery at auction in July.
2016. July. Cemetery purchased by Temple Beth El of Aptos.