Mitchell County Press-News August 19, 2004
By Larry Kershner
Maintaining Integrity of Pioneer Cemeteries
Work has continued to be done to improve the state of three formerly-deteriorating pioneer cemeteries in Mitchell County--Dudley, Lohr and Mona cemeteries
The Mitchell County Pioneer Cemetery Restoration Project has been working for three years to identify, research, document and restore the dignity of over two dozen burial sites used by pioneer families or former town sites in the county.
At Dudley
The Osage FFA recently assisted the Mitchell County Pioneer Cemetery Restoration Project by erecting a monument at the Dudley Cemetery site. The stone was designed by Dale Hemingson. The FFA students built a concrete base around the stone.
Job well done: L-R Whitney Chambers, Jessa Johanns, Marcus Ruehlow, Ryan Ketelsen, Al Ruehlow and Shaun Hoffman, not pictured is Andy Johnson. Click here to see large (320 Kb) version.
Osage resident Larry Fox organized the initial restoration effort of the long-neglected site, with assistance from several other area residents and MCPCRP members.
The Dudley monument is the first of its kind to be erected. The Dudley Cemetery marker can be easily seen from the road, located in East Cedar Township, section 17, along Hickory Ave (just north of 316th St.).
At Lohr
Click here to see large (110 Kb) version of photo.The hard-to-find Lohr Family Cemetery in section 15 of East Cedar Township, Jan, Jamie and Sarah Ham recently landscaped and mowed the site which was restored by Steve Ham and Bob Hollatz. Ham and Hollatz cleared fallen logs, re-established the family burial site's boundaries, built a new fence and have done extensive research of those interred at the site.
At Mona
Loren Meyer, Otranto township trustee has undertaken the maintenance of the old Mona cemetery, just south of the town.
Click here to see large (148 Kb) version of this photo.He recently did some maintenance and is preparing soon to do some monument repairs.
Webization by Kermit Kittleson, 8/30/2004
