Bynum Cemetery is located in Teton County about 187 km north of Helena. In 2010 the population was 31, since then Girlie had two litters of kittens.
Bynum Cemetery is 3 acres more or less and has 141 known interments. Interestingly, the cemetery map located near the entrance shows approximately 796 plots. According to the information posted also on the map indicates many of the original grave marker were of wood and have since turned to dust.
The cemetery is mostly prairie with a few shrubs. It is fenced around the perimeter with an entrance gate at the end of a dirt road.
The oldest remaining headstone is:
Victoria Zgoda who was born October 17, Oct 1906 and passed away on December 21, 1914. She was only 8 years old. Her parents; Joseph and Anna Zgoda are also interred in the Bynum Cemetery.
Bynum Cemetery History
As the community of Bynum began to develop during the late 1880s, there became a need for a final resting place for those whose journey had ended. A centrally located place was needed. A portion of ground that was originally part of a Desert Land Claim owned by Rasmus Fagerlie in 1906 seemed a likely prospect. It had been sold in 1910 to Thomas and Sara Peyton of Minnesota who in turn sold it to the Northern Land Company headquartered in Lewiston, Montana on October 12, 1912.
This parcel, the NW Comer of lot 1, section 31, township 26 N, ranger 5 W, was chosen as the site. Chas. A. Franks and E.B. Noble together with the Northern Land Company reached some type of understanding whereby establishment of the cemetery proceeded. J. H. Burnett was hired to survey the site on September 15, 1915, and finished his job on September 25, 1915, reporting two acres, however, some documentation recorded this as three acres more or less.
Residents in and around Bynum agreed to pay one dollar to defray expenses of operating the Bynum Cemetery Association. By December 16, 1915, fifty five dollars had been collected. The following day December 17, 1915, the first election of trustee was held with six men, A. J. Umcke, Joe Zgoda, W.W. Watson, K.C. Stonehouse, A.C. Sander, and E.B. Noble elected, Chas. A. Franks was the president of the Bynum Cemetery Association and E.B. Noble became the secretary. The Bynum Cemetery Association was authorized to do business by the Department of the Secretary of State, State of Montana, December 24, 1915, by filling and recording in the Teton County office.
Hedges, trees. and irises were planted to grace the resting place of many Teton County pioneers, just when or by whom is uncertain. A newspaper article of 1916 stated be nicely landscaped”.
For some reason in 1916 there was a movement to relocate the graves in the Bynum Cemetery to another area. Mrs. Lydia Lewis spoke against this when she decided not to move her son’s grave for if she did, she felt, there would be no Bynum Cemetery.
The cemetery was apparently not moved as thirty-five years later. In the summer of 1949, the Northern Land Company, a Montana. made out a quit claim deed to the Bynum Cemetery Association signed by the surviving director of the corporation giving that parcel of lot 1. NW corner, three acres, more or less.
Finally, on November 12. 1975, another quit claim deed was drawn up between the Bynum Cemetery Association and Teton County Cemetery District for an undivided one half interest in in lot 1, NW corner. three acres, more or less signed by Walter J. Campbell chairman, David F. Puckett, secretary, Michael J. Campbell, William Johnson and Hal Jenson.
The same prairie wind of long ago caresses and buffets and whispers through this cemetery. Wood markers from possible sites have vanished long ago. The oldest headstone of that of Victoria Zgoda, 1914, stalwartly stands in summer sun and winter snows New headstones appear, for life is fleeting. but a cemetery stays forever and marks the passage of time.
Transcription from sign about the history of Bynum Cemetery