JEFFERSON-GOAR CEMETERY

This is a cemetery in Section 26 of Jefferson Township that was deeded to the township, by Jacob and Nancy Reigle, April 15, 1863. They had settled in Jefferson Township in 1850, and two of their children, Melinda and Ben, one aged 20 and the other 22 were buried there in 1861 and 1862. The Jefferson Evangelical and United Brethren church was organized and built near the cemetery in 1904, and services are still held in the church. The grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the early settlers are now the cemetery trustees They have an endowment fund that helps with the maintenance of the cemetery, which is used by descendants of the early families. A rail fence was built around the cemetery in 1870.

Another family that located in Jefferson township in the early ‘50’s were Stanislaus and Theresa Baur, natives of Germany, who first located in Michigan, but arrived in this county, July 4, 1853, and settled on a farm in Section 34. One child died in 1856, and four of their children died with diphtheria in one month in the early 1860’s, and are buried in this Jefferson township cemetery. The only child who lived during the epidemic was George Baur, the father of Bob Baur, who still resides in Jefferson township.

F. Wm. L. Schoen, and his wife, the former Dora Lorenze, also natives of Germany, located in section 36 of Jefferson township, July 6, 1852, and this family and their children were buried in the cemetery.

Gottlieb and Frances Burger, also natives of Germany, came to the United States in 1848 and settled in Section 34 of Jefferson township in 1859 where they raised a family of seven children. Albert and Roy Burger, grandsons, still reside in Jefferson township. 

Coordinator's Note: Per a descendant, Frances was Gottlieb's second wife, married in 1850. Five of the seven mentioned children were from her first marriage.

Another German family who came to Madison County and located in Section 35 of Jefferson township in the early days, were George and Katherine Mueller. In pioneer days, George Mueller served as an undertaker for the neighborhood, for those who had deaths in their families. Mrs. E. W. Mueller and son George now reside there. Perhaps some of the oldest men buried there in 1866, were Hugh T. Ballentine, who came here at the age of 85 years, and died soon after his arrival.

Ira C. Walker and his bride, Lucy Edmonston Walker settled in Jefferson township in 1854, and among his children were Mrs. Agnes Crumbaker, Mrs. A. D. Fletcher and Seth Walker who resided in this county all their lives, and some are buried in this early cemetery.

Two sons of Harvey Lee, aged 7 and 8 were buried in the cemetery in 1860. Later, Lee township was named after this man, and four of his descendents recently sent donations from far away states to help maintain the cemetery.

The trustees of this cemetery which was started in 1919, are Floyd Reigle, a great-grandson of the original donors of the land, Merritt Baur, Albert Burger, Willis Fletcher and Mrs, E. W. (Georgia) Mueller.

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Source: The Winterset Madisonian - Centennial Edition

              Winterset, Iowa

              July 18, 1956

              Page 7, Column 4  (page 52 in on-line version)

                  continued on Page 8  (page 49 in on-line version)

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