Saar Pioneer Cemetery

Kent, WA—Active 1873-1949

Saar Cemetery—A Short History

In 1873, valley pioneer Peter Saar faced the sad necessity of burying his wife Margaret.  He laid her to rest on a small hill that was part of their homestead.  There was no organized burial ground in the valley. (Later recollections say it was because of flooding, but apparently not true!)

Gradually, neighbors asked permission to lay their loved ones to rest, and so began Saar Pioneer Cemetery.  Family names that can be read include Saar, Willis, Shinn, Guiberson, Burke, Wilson, Iddings, Liesinger, Clark, and Smith, some familiar as street names around town.

Peter Saar sold his property in 1882 to Mary L. Meeker, reserving the one-acre cemetery site.

Ownership then passed to John Nelson, again reserving the one-acre site.  King County Auditor records of December 1887 declare that Peter Saar sold the cemetery to John Nelson for $1.00 in gold coin. Nelson, in turn, sold the site to the Trustees of the (then) Methodist Episcopal Church of Kent, T. M. Alvord, William Clark, and S. P. Willis.

Active use of the cemetery ended with the burial of Chris Hanson in 1949. The “King County Historical Sites Survey” dated 1977 indicated that 200 gravestones were in the cemetery.

(from “Saar Pioneer Cemetery,” pg. 18)  “…in 1979 there are approximately 88 markers; in 1981 and 1990 there are approximately 100 graves; and in 2004 there are only 83 markers and 11 empty headstones bases.” (“Saar Pioneer Cemetery” pg 19)

The site was mostly neglected and forgotten.  It was also difficult to access, although the estate of John Nelson directed that access be maintained.  For some time, that was possible by means of old Panther Lake Road and South 208th Street.

A Kent News-Journal article from June 27, 1962, reads, “…there are few individuals who make their way past a fence, through pasture along the edges of the swampy lowland, to climb the hill and part the tall meadow grass to locate the graves of those long dead.” (“Saar Pioneer Cemetery”, pg. 335).

By 1973, the four lanes of  South 212th just at the edge of the hill provided access but brought vulnerability to trespass, garbage, and vandalism. Sometimes, the rampant blackberries seemed to provide a bit of protection.

In the years since, Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, volunteers from a variety of organizations, Kent United Methodist Church members, and the South King Country Genealogical Society have worked time and again to clear the brush, weeds, and debris.

The Genealogical Society led by Karen Bouton has been especially diligent in clearing the site, restoring headstones and markers, and researching the information for their book “A History of Saar Pioneer Cemetery and Its Inhabitants.”  With grants from 4Culture of King County, they have erected a memorial to all those whose graves are unmarked.  Grants have also been received from the Muckleshoot Charity Fund and King County for restoration and maintenance.  To honor and remember men who served in the Civil War and then came to settle in the valley, new markers were arranged through the Veterans’ Administration.

Saar Pioneer Cemetery is now a City of Kent Historical Landmark.

Call or Email Before Accessing the Cemetery

The site is currently kept locked because of vandalism, except for visits that are arranged in advance. Please contact the church office at 253-852-3900 or general@kentmethodist.com if you would like a tour or to access the site.