BEYOND THE GRAVE A

HIDDEN TREASURES BEYOND THE GRAVE

WHO’S BURIED IN THE WOODBRIDGE MASONIC CEMETERY?

BY NORA HESTON TARTE

You need special permission to visit the Woodbridge Masonic Cemetery most days of the week. Looked after by the Woodbridge Masonic Lodge #131, visits are by appointment only except for on Saturdays and Sundays when the gate is open from 8 AM-3 PM. In a lot of ways, this adds more mystery and perhaps a bit of eeriness of the Woodbridge graveyard. In reality, the rule exists due to extensive vandalism over the years.

Before you visit, it helps to know some of the spooky or just plain weird stories behind the deaths of the cemetery’s permanent residents. For example, one man, John Greer, lost his life at 68 when his mule dragged him across his property in 1907, causing a skull fracture when he hit his head on a tree stump.

Another man, Frank Bishopberger, died at 25 years old in 1906 when he fainted while driving a wagon pulled by four horses. He fell from the wagon and was crushed by its front wheel. Dr. Cyrus Henry Ober died in 1861 after mistaking poison for wine.

The cemetery’s most notable resident is Jeremiah Woods, the founder (along with Alexander McQueen) of the town of Woodbridge. In 1858, Jeremiah constructed a wooden bridge along the Mokelumne River named Wood’s Bridge, which is how the town eventually got its name.

What many do not know is the story of how Jeremiah died. In 1864, at age 43, a man killed Jeremiah’s dog because it bit him. Seeking revenge, Jeremiah assaulted the man at a local saloon to avenge his dog’s death. In selfdefense, the man stabbed and killed Jeremiah, who bled out within 15 minutes of the event.

One of the most mysterious stories hidden inside of the cemetery is the death of Harold Lage. The former soldier who fought in WWI with the 23rd Engineer Battalion lived in Stockton and worked as an automobile salesman. In 1926 he was on a test drive with a customer and disappeared, four days before Christmas at 28 years old. He was later found murdered and the man who did it was tried, found guilty, and hung at Folsom Prison.

This is just the beginning of the tales showcased in the Woodbridge Cemetery. Additional details can be found at FindAGrave.com.

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT: Woodbridge Masonic Lodge No. 131 1040 E. Augusta St., Woodbridge Facebook.com/Woodbridgelodge131 (through messenger)