On June 27, 2026, Oakwood Cemetery will commemorate 200 years since its first burial, Catherine Clark. What began as a family cemetery grew into something much greater: a resting place for some of Wyandotte’s mayors, legislators, former slaves, sailors, and countless military men.

Over the years, time has taken its toll. Some headstones have been damaged or lost, and others never had one due to hardship. Yet, thanks to the meticulous records kept by Henry Thon, we are fortunate to have records for some of those laid to rest within Oakwood’s historic grounds.

Among them are Daniel Haight, Jacob Kunza, Charles Kurt Von Renner, and Michael Doyle, four veterans whose stories had been nearly forgotten. For years, there was no place to stop and pay respects to these men – until now. Earlier this month, the headstones for Daniel Haight, Jacob Kunza, and Charles Von Renner were delivered.

Daniel M. Haight was born on February 5, 1840, in Syracuse, New York, to Phoebe and Melvin Haight. Daniel served with Company I of the 4th Michigan Infantry during the Civil War. On July 2, 1863, he and his regiment were sent to plug a critical gap in the Union line at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Twenty-two Downriver soldiers, including Daniel, entered the battle and all of them were captured, killed or wounded.

On June 30, 1864, Daniel mustered out when his term of service expired. After returning to Wyandotte, he married Olive Abbott and worked various jobs, including mill foreman and deputy customs collector at the Port of Wyandotte. He was also a proud member of the A.W. Brindle G.A.R. Post and the National Union. In 1902, Daniel suffered paralysis and lost the ability to speak. Daniel passed away on March 8, 1902, at the age of 62.

Jacob Kunza was born in Switzerland around 1813. On January 22, 1863, Jacob mustered into Company C of the 9th Michigan Cavalry. His unit saw extensive action in Tennessee, including battles at Knoxville, Morristown, Russellville, Bean’s Station, and Rutledge. On July 21, 1865, Jacob mustered out of service in Lexington, North Carolina.

After the war, Jacob returned home to his wife Susannah and their son Samuel. The family lived at 226 Oak Street in Wyandotte. A retired merchant, Jacob later worked at one of Wyandotte’s many confectionery shops. He passed away on March 14, 1882, at age 69. Unlike the other men, Jacob had a headstone. His stone was discovered last year, though only his name remained legible.

Charles Kurt Von Renner was born on June 27, 1842, in Germany. Charles enlisted on September 4, 1861, in Company E of the 9th Michigan Infantry at Saginaw City. He fought in numerous battles, including Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Kennesaw, and Wilderness, where he was struck by a bullet that remained lodged in his body for life.

On September 15, 1865, he mustered out of service in Nashville, Tennessee. After returning to Michigan, Charles married Emma Buckler. It is uncertain what happened to Emma but in 1892, Charles married Elizabeth Steinburg. Between both marriages, he fathered nine children. Charles passed away on June 2, 1905.

Michael J. Doyle was born in Stafford Springs, Connecticut, around 1887, Michael lost his mother at a young age and lived with his father Daniel and aunt Hannah. On February 25, 1917, at age 34, he enlisted as an engineer in World War I. His enlistment record described him as 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 125 pounds.

After his service, Michael briefly returned to Connecticut before moving to Wyandotte, Michigan, seeking new opportunities. Sadly, his time here was short. On October 28, 1922, Michael was killed in a tragic accident in Sibley, Michigan.

According to Chief of Police and Spanish-American War veteran James Kimball, Michael was laid to rest on “November 6, 1922, in Oakwood Cemetery, in a section set aside for paupers. without a mark placed over his grave to indicate he was a veteran of the American Expeditionary Forces…without even a prayer, other than the one the undertaker might have offered for his soul, his body, garbed in the clothing he wore when taken to the undertaker’s room, placed in a cheap coffin, was lowered into the grave, buried by the county.”

Not a single person attended his burial. The event weighed heavily on Chief Kimball, who wrote to his fellow veterans: “You may not have known him, you may not have fought shoulder to shoulder with him. But you did fight with him somewhere on the battlefields of France – and that made him your Buddy. But did you honor him as such?... Boys, you have something to answer for. Think it over.”

Now, 103 years later, it is my honor to share that Michael J. Doyle will finally receive his headstone in the coming weeks, a long-overdue tribute to a man who served his country and deserved to be remembered.

As we approach the 200th anniversary of Oakwood Cemetery, we are reminded that these grounds hold not just the names etched in stone, but the stories of lives lived with courage, sacrifice and resilience. For two centuries, Oakwood has been a silent witness to Wyandotte’s history, a resting place for pioneers, public servants and patriots.

Today, we ensure that those who were once forgotten are forgotten no more. Daniel Haight, Jacob Kunza, Charles Von Renner, and Michael Doyle each served their nation with honor, and through the efforts of our community, they will now be remembered with dignity. Their new headstones stand as symbols of gratitude and as reminders of the duty we share, to preserve memory, to honor service and to never let time erase the names of those who gave so much.