Portland Township Cemetery

Located in Portland Township, Northeast corner of Section 21, in Kossuth County, Iowa.

The first burial grounds were in the northwest quarter of section 21, several were buried there, before any regular cemetery was procured. One of the Gordon children that died is believed to be the first to be buried there. The Tom Gordon family consisted of some of the early settlers in 1863 in the northwest quarter of section 21 with the “Buffalo” flowing along the east side of their tract. The present cemetery on the northeast corner of the northeast quarter of section 21 was procured in 1879. (First burial noted on one of the stones was 1868) In January 1879 an association was formed and incorporated. Those active in the organization to maintain a cemetery were: J.H. Grover, John Wood, H.A. Smith, John Chapin, S.V.R. Mann, J.B. Jain, Tom Gallion, M.H. Milles, Ludwig Anker, E.S. Streator, Ben Smith, D.J. Davison, E. Tallman, J.D. McDonald, R.E. Davison, Wm McDonald and G.C. Allen.

This cemetery was walked, recorded and verified Summer of 2002.

By Letty Hurlburt.