Cass Co. IAGenWeb

WIOTA FRANKLIN LUTHERAN CEMETERY
in Franklin Township, Section 35

First Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery is also known as the Franklin Lutheran and Franklin Township Cemetery. The cemetery is located in the S. W. ¼ of section 35 in Franklin Township. It contains 2 acres. There was a church originally built on the grounds, but a new church was built cross the road, (in Union Township), and the old church was torn down. The land was given to the church by William Sandhorst on August 19, 1882. Many of the births and deaths are written on the stones in German. Lots are sold only to members of the church and formers members. There is a perpetual care fund managed by a board from the church which provides the maintenance costs. Maria Janssen, March 1882, and Johann Sandhorst, April, 1884, were early burials. According to the History of Cass County, in 1893, the Henry Borchers family, just west of the church came down with smallpox. A negro peddler working the area, having had the disease and being immune, stayed with the family. When a death occurred, he notified a neighbor, who secured a casket. He then prepared the corpse and got it to the cemetery for burial. The father, two sons and a daughter died while the mother and one daughter survived. The negro was held in high esteem. Members of the Genealogy Society first recorded this cemetery in July of 1977 at which time there were recorded 4458 graves. On April 16, 1986 Bernice Ihrke and Delbert and Edna Christensen updated the records. The cemetery was walked in October-Nevember, 2012, by Carolyn DeLay and Mary Hoegh, and all stones recorded and photographed for preservation. Updated to December 1, 2012 with an Addendum for later burials.

Carolyn DeLay   December 2012