Cemetery Histories

Trester Cemetery The Trester Cemetery in Section 25 of Madison township was names after James and Anna Trester who had seven children and located in that part of Madison township in the 1850’s. Two of the early burials were an infant daughter who died in 1858 and William Trester, a son of William Perry & Sarah Anna Trester was buried there in 1855. Ruth, a daughter of Thomas Nicholson was buried there in 1869, at the age of 65 years. She was an aunt of Mrs. Ada Bunker of Winterset. The cemetery is not used at this time, and some of the tombstone dates are difficult to read, but inscriptions that could be identified are as follows: James Trester, a great-grandfather of Mrs. Lucille Wright, died in 1867, at the age of 45 years; his wife died in 1882 at the age of 59. Nora, a two year old daughter of M. & N. Gabbert, died in 1874; Mary Gabbert died in 1884; Nancy Jane White died in 1867, and Jellie Skates died in 1890. One stone with the name George Gafner, son of J. F. and Mary Gafner, who was lost for five days, and was found dead in October 1878.

Union Chapel North Cemetery

		Union Chapel South Cemetery - The Union Chapel South Cemetery is located in Section 7 of South township, and was given on May 11, 1861 by Thomas Runkle and M. C. and Mary DeBord. Some of the early settlers buried there are members of the Runkles, Brassfield, Guilliam and Moore families. The first church near the cemetery burned down and in 1891, a new church was built. However, the church did not have many members and in 1951 it was sold to Ralph and Jack Hammans and was dismantled and moved. The deed of this cemetery was filed at the recorder’s office by W. E. and Emma Freeman and G. R. and Stena M. Freeman on December 14, 1905 and September 6, 1906.

Viney Cemetery Land in Section 27 of South township was deeded on January 12, 1907 by R. G. and Angeline Viney.

Welty Cemetery		The Welty cemetery, on a bluff south of Middle river, in Section 14 of Webster township was given by the heirs of Peter Welty, March 31, 1891, and was recorded in the court house that it should be used for public burying grounds. The deed was signed by Martha E. and Miles H. Hart, John A. and Ida Welty, Mary Welty (widow of Peter), Caroline and Andrew M. Hart, Emanual M. and Elizabeth J. Welty. It is not on one of the main roads but is well kept. Other families there include the Schnellbachers, Wisslers and Krells. The cemetery is directly west behind the Oak Grove Church but a deep creek and steep ravine prevent access from that direction.

West Branch Cemetery - No information

Wight Cemetery The Wight Cemetery is named for some of the early settlers of Webster Township, and the land in Section 15 of Webster Township, was deeded by James and Mary Wight on May 3, 1890. They reserved seven rods of land for their own family and requested a six barbed wire fence be maintained around the cemetery. Some of the early burials, as recorded on the stones, are as follows: Susan Ettien, wife of John Ettien, Oct. 2, 1851, at the age of 61 years; Daughter of D. & E. Howard, Jan. 4, 1859, and another daughter, 4 years of age, July 4, 1964; Dicey Wight, Nov. 17, 1886, and her husband, George Wight, April 26, 1866; Mahala, wife of George Hart, Jan. 27, 1858; Forest Lee, son of J. E. and H. M. Wight, Oct. 2, 1866; Sarah, wife of P. R. Cunningham, July 4, 1864, aged 39 years; Mrs. P. S. Newman, Oct. 15, 1869, age 22 years; and Phillip Ettien, June 2, 1874, aged 74 years.

Wintermantle/Lotz Cemetery The Wintermantle cemetery is located six and a half miles west of Winterset on the West Star road. It is strictly a private cemetery and the earliest graves are not marked, but the earliest stone marked is dated 1871. The cemetery is quite small in size, only about one-half and acre. This cemetery is on virgin prairie sod; in the late summer it is beautiful with native scariosa and other low, grassy flowers that are seldom seen. The nearest surviving relative is Mrs. Mary Lotz of Winterset. Coordinator's note: Mary Lotz passed away on 03 Jan 1958 and is buried in the Winterset Cemetery. There are only five graves marked and they are as follows: John J. Wintermantle, 1827, 1894, Caroline, his wife, 1834, 1871. Harriet, wife of D. Barber, died October 3, 1873, aged 21 years. Charles Smith, died February 6, 1894, aged 34 years, 6 months, 17 days. Prudence, wife of W. A. Taylor, died August 6, 1873, aged 53 yers 9 months, 6 days. Its inscription below the dates is as follows: “Dearest mother, rest in quiet sleep, While friends in sorrow o’re thee weep.”

Worthing Cemetery- No information

Worthington Cemetery The Worthington cemetery is in Section 32, Madison township and some of the early settlers of that part of the township are buried there. The deed for the cemetery was given May 28, 1874 by Burrel T. and Missouri Woosley. John Todd is said to have settled in that part of the township in 1850 and shortly thereafter he was followed by George T. Nichols and Leroy Anderson. William H Clampitt was buried there July 15, 1859. Some of the families buried there are the Nichols, Browns, Whitenacks, McBrides, Clagues, Duffs, Hays, Oldhams, Klingmans, Clampitts, Fritz, Clements and Seerlys.

Young Cemetery - No information