Iowa County Cemetery Stones and History 1844-1975 (manuscript) by Pauline Lillie

                    Hixon Cemetery
                      or Dayton Cono History by Pauline Lillie        p.1


Location
Section 6, Marengo township 81 Range 11 north west of town of Marengo
on gravel road F. 15 (1975); Or 212 town of Koszta cross Iowa River 
north, first road east, past the Brick School House, up in field, enter-
ance from next farm house yard. May be seen from the school house 
looking north east to top of timberline.

History
Copied in June 3, 1961, then some places were showing signs of day 
lillies taking over. Visited again May 16, 1970 (my last) with a grand-
daughter (80 yrs.) of Robert Furnace who wanted to see where he was 
buried. Cemetery is of early settlers who came in the 40s, and 50s, 
Their relationship extends south across the Iowa River toward and in-
cluding area of Koszta, many are buried over there. These early settlers 
were all ready intermarried before coming, as one reads their biograph-
ies, the immigration continued. Wm. Foster in 1843, the Stephens 1844, 
Craigs, 1843, Adams and so on, with marsh moving on; Original land enter-
ies grants most of the names in the cemetery. Others may be found in 
Luzern, and Belle Plaine cemeteries of Benton County. Few married in-
to families east, further than that of the Athey Cemetery. Altho 
there are a number of cemeteries along the bluffs, east.

It is called Dayton, because a town was laid out on a most beautiful 
tract according to Iowa History- The land surrounded by county unsur-
passed for productiveness, and loveliness by William Greenlee wrote 
of June 27, 1857. It was located in SW quarter of Section 1, town-
ship 81 Range 11, and named Dayton in Honor of Will Dayton who was 
the nominee of the Republican party for Vice President of the United 
States with John C. Fremont in year 1856. At one time this place 
bore promise of becoming quite a town. The post office was kept here 
for a long tim, but now there is nothing (1881) to show that there 
ever was a town.

According to the History (1881) at that time there were about
200 graves. Some probably never had stones, or else removed or cover-
ed over. One would be that of Alexander Hutson who died in 1875. 
There never was a church here but early settlers worshiped in homes, 
school houses, but most went to Koszta. Altho Rev. Kellog a Meth-
odist Protestant minister held public religious services for the 
neighborhood at Robert Furnace, and all were bare foot. S. T. Coats 
was the constable, and a minister of sorts, and platted the town.

Legal Description
From Book 1 page 450 Deeds Iowa County Recorder; Refers to Right of 
Way contrc [sic] of Ebenezer S. Brown and Wife & Isiah Hixon and wife to 
Trustees of Cono Township. (For the purpose of ingress and egress to 
the Dayton Cemetery in said township a strip of land 15 feet wide 
across and through the respection pieces of land of which were ours 
and we possessed and said strip of land described as follows: Commenc-
ing at a point in the Centre of the public highway leading from Marengo


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                                                                      p. 2
                    HIXON CEMETERY or Dayton Cono 
                    continued - history


to Belle Plaine, about 50 rods east of Section line where said Road 
crosses the section line, between Section 6, Twp. 81 Range 11 and 
Section one township 81 Range 12. Then north about one hundred and 
two rods to the half Section line between the NW¼, and SW¼ of Sect-
tion township 81 Range 11. Thence east on south side of said half 
section line nineteen rods and twelve feet and thence in a north 
easterly direction about twenty rods till it stirkes the north 
west corner of cemetery here afore described and the said Isiah 
Hixon and his wife, also grants to said trustees and their success-
ors in office for the use of said cemetery for turning and hitching 
and hitching purposes a parcel of land described as follows; Commenc-
ing at NW corner of said cemetery thence west five rods thence south 
five rods, thence east five rods, then north to place of beginning. 
That we have individually conveyed and Martha J. Brown, and E.B. 
Hixon wives of Ebenezer I Brown and Isiah Hixon relinquich [sic] right of 
dower. Conveyed and signed the 30th, day of October 1883, Witness 
A.H. Simpson. The 1900 Atlas shows this land from the road up to 
the cemetery.

J. G. Macy to Trustees Cono township : Sold for $ 1,00 to Cono 
Township trustees conveyed title to them for burial ground described 
as: Commencing at the SE corner of SW¼ of Section 6, township 81 
Range 11, west thence west 12 rods thence 14 rods, thence east 12 
rods, thence south 14 rods to the place of beginning. One acre and 
8 rods; Signed John G. Macy and Mary A. Macy dated July 2, 1858; 
Notarized by J.G. Bausman J.P. July 2, 1858: filed in Recorders 
June 4, 1863 by J.E. House deputy; Book 12 Page 283 Iowa County Rec-
orders book of deeds.

Condition
Since some of the timber on the north and west are being removed 
and put into cultivation weeds are appearing. Many years ago some 
trees fell in the cemetery, the township trustees removed, most-
If the day lillies were sprayed it would help. Now many stones are 
down under the native grass, how many difficult to say. Also am 
told that people have gone in and shot some of the stones, probably 
done by hunters.

Remarks
If only the cemetery could stay as it was in 1970: Since one reaches 
this cemetery going through a farm yard, lovely pasture of cows, with 
nice pond, oak trees, surrounded by timber. When leaving in 1970 as
we shut the gate, looking back the setting sun fell on the many daisies 
blooming in the native grass, planted by hands in early years, and being 
undistrubed multiplied. Off in the distance we could hear the pheasant 
call, the baby calf cry, could hear the last songs of many birds, of the 
blue bird, or red bird, the thrush and others, so it was almost breath 
taking. Yet the whisper in the trees seem to be of ghosts past, and we 
wondered if they were trying to tell us something, or was it that we 
were attempting to penetrate the past into their lives, or was it -


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                                                                      p.3
                    HIXON CEMETERY - Dayton Cono 
                    continued- History

some who were could feel forgotten, so we left. Even though 
it was such an out of the way place, it was easy to understand why 
the first settlers picked this, for their final resting place.

Recommends
Nothing would be effective, because no one would participate
in the work: A spray of the day lillies; If weeds appear
cut the grass; Or move the stones to another abandoned cemetery 
near a road, and care for both of them.

Of Interest
Warren Hixon buried here was known as the Worlds Greatest Horse 
Breeder of Belgium- Clydesdale ; Royalty from all over the world 
came to his place. He employed a number of farm hands to take 
care of both the horses and farm.

Was a very wealthy man.


Researched by Pauline Lillie Ladora, Iowa


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