Beaver Center (previously known as Lear) was a small village on the corner to the north. It consisted of a general store, post office, creamery and a few houses. The Beaver Center School was located a mile south of the village and was used as a church also. The cemetery was located between the two. Before the parishioners started gathering here for their services about 1885, they would attend church services at Pleasant Valley Reformed Church about 5 miles NW of this location. The minister from that church would come and hold services for them in the school. By 1902 they had built a church in Stout, 2 miles to the NE. This cemetery was plowed under by a farmer who wanted to gain more farmland. The county reclaimed the land within weeks and the area became a responsibility of the township. At one time the gravestones which were recovered were stacked in a corner of the area, but they have since disappeared. Some reclaimed by family descendants. The county has built a memorial to those buried here with their names on the wall. --written and contributed by Jean Sietsema


The surnames listed on the marker are Anderson, Behrends, Bienger*, Goldhoorn, Hoffwasen, Johnson, Nelson, Reiter, and Schmidt.

*It is most likely this name should be Bunger.

Headstone Photos at GPP

WPA Records from the 1930s

Name Maiden
Name
Birth Date Death Date Aged Grave Obit GPP WPA Bio Marker Inscription Military Other
Information
Parents
Anderson, Andrew     G       Anderson, Andrew E.
Anderson, Andrew E.     G      
Anderson, Ema C.   1884 1885   G W     1yr, 9mo, 14dys Hans & Ingeborg nee Nelson Anderson
Anderson, Emma     G       Anderson, Andrew E.
Behrends, Everett K.   16 Feb 1907 16 Feb 1907 000y 00m 00d   G W       Behrends, Klaas & Margaretha nee Wolters
Behrends, Warntje K.   06 Dec 1905 03 Feb 1907 001y 01m 28d   G W       Behrends, Klaas & Margaretha nee Wolters
Bienger     G      
Boyd, Ray   30 Jun 1885 31 Dec 1887 002y 06m 01d        
Bunger, infant          
Goldhoorn, Siebentje A. Kampen 10 Nov 1832 16 Feb 1902 069y 03m 06d   G W     w/o Eilert
Halfwassen, Peter Harms   18 Jan 1857 12 Sep 1916 059y 07m 25d   O G       Harm P. & Hilke D. nee Freeseman Halfwassen
Johnson, Eke G.   13 Jun 1889 18 Nov 1894 005y 05m 05d   G W       Johnson, G. B. & A.
Johnson, Grace     G      
Nelson, Mr.     G      
Nelson, Stine   01 Feb 1836 14 Jul 1899 063y 05m 13d   G W      
Reiter, Anton   1889   G       Reiter, Ubbe E. & Ettje E. nee Vust
Reiter, Effie   1881 Nov 1884   G       Reiter, Ubbe E. & Ettje E. nee Vust
Schmidt, infant     G      
Stohr, Geerd E. "George"   11 Sep 1842 05 Jun 1915 072y 08m 25d   O       Stöhr, Egge G. & Luckelina nee Stuhr

--Sources: Grundy County Birth/Marriage/Death Records, Obituaries, Newspapers, Rick Gersema genealogy data