Jasper Co. IAGenWeb

Prairie Belle Cemetery

A Pioneer Cemetery

7607 W 133 St S., Prairie City, Iowa
Map and Driving Directions

To get to this cemetery pull off highway 163 west of the grain bins.  It is difficult to see from the highway.

There is only one stone located in this small cemetery. The cemetery is located in the northeast corner of Section 6 of Des Moines Township across from what was known as Caldwell's Feed Mill. This cemetery has also been known as the Van Winkle Cemetery. A larger area is enclosed by a chain link fence. It is not mowed or kept up in any way. There may be other stones, but we tried to look closely and there doesn't appear to be any others. In the 1885 Atlas, the Prairie Bell School was Washington Township #9. The Prairie Bell stagecoach stop was 3/4 a mile south of the school.

The memorial was erected in 163 by Louise Masteller, great-granddaughter of Mary and Micajah VanWinkle.

Prairie Belle Pioneer Cemetery     Prairie Belle Pioneer Cemetery
Van Winkle Tomstone     Van Winkle Tombstone up close
Known Burials
Name Birth Death Notes
Van Winkle, Mary Phillips 1793 17 Apr 1868 74y 5m 8d   Mother
Van Winkle, Elizabeth Salee 1822 1871 Daughter
Van Winkle, Micajah 1792 1869 Father
Van Winkle, Rhoda Ann 1825 1869 Daughter
Carter, William Brayton 1854 1854 Infant grandson of M & M Van Winkle
Hanley, George W. 1809 1872  
Van Winkle, M.   17 Apr 1868 75y 5m 5d
Van Winkle, Michael   22 Jan 1868 76y 2m 17d
Van Winkle, George   13 Mar 1872 63y 1m 28d
Van Winkle, Rhoda A.   19 Apr 1869 43y 4m 4d

Source: Jasper County, Iowa Cemeteries: Des Moines Townships, compiled by Jasper County Genealogical Society; published by the Iowa Genealogical Society. Copyright 2004. Used with their permission.

To purchase a copy of this book, contact the Iowa Genealogical Society.

Return to: Cemetery Index  |  Des Moines Township Map
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