Members of the Pioneer Cemetery Commission went to Berry Cemetery Thursday evening, April 25, 2013, to put up a sign at the sight of the cemetery. On earlier visits all we could find were three stones for the Berry children. On this visit, because the ground vegetation was not up yet, we discovered eight markers standing upright in rows near where the Berry children's markers were. We also saw perhaps four other stones which could also have been used to mark graves. All these additional markers were simply flat stones, perhaps removed from the creek bed nearby, and placed in the ground in an upright position. All of these grave markers are within an area of ground about five hundred square feet and all under the trees which surround the area. The lower right photo above shows a line of five stones beginning near the cemetery sign and running towards the camera.

Thie Farm Plot is located in the South East corner of Sec 27 Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Ia. To find the cemetery go North out of Burlington, Ia, on Highway US 61 from the corner of Mt. Pleasant and Roosevelt, go six miles turn West (at Franklin Hills School 1978) and go one half mile, turn North and the first house on the West side of the road turn into the Jerry Miller's farm (Route #1, Sperry).

Ask Mr. Miller permission to go to the burial plot. Go West for one fourth mile along the southern boundary fence, until you come to gate in the fence that has cement posts go about sixty feet more, then go straight North for one eighth mile. You will find the burial plot on the brow of a very high bank.

There are only three stones with names and they are lying flat on the ground. There are about 15 lime stone rocks sitting on edge, some are in rows, some flat on the ground. Mr. Miller said that Mr. Donald Thie who lives Southwest of him said that there were about sixty graves in this plot. He didn't think anyone knew who was buried there. Mr. Miller has lived here about seven years and had stumbled upon the burial plot by accident. He has done some researching as to who lived there and started the cemetery, he hasn't had much success to date. The plot was copied and checked by the Des Moines County Genealogical Society, Burlington, Ia. Oct 1978.