Mitchell County Pioneer Cemetery
Restoration Project
(MCPCRP)
2003 Bi-Annual Newsletter
By: Neal Du Shane
3/16/03
The week of March 2nd was a week packed with meetings, presentations, research, field trips, phone calls and most importantly vast advances forward. Curt Younker didn’t even have to save my bacon (this time - must be slipping) J
FFA STUDENT SUPPORT:
Monday March 3rd, Vivian Du Shane and I met with Frank Kisley at the Osage High School to review the support we need from his students. Frank was in favor and supportive of our efforts and will assist us in any way possible during the school year.
Specific assistance was discussed for Larry Fox and Marlene Kershner at the Dudley and Iron Spring Cemeteries. These two locations are close enough that students can get to them and accomplish work tasks within 2 hours from the High School. Frank felt this was the time frame we need to work with for his student’s involvement.
If you have a project that could use these student, let Frank know by contacting him at the High School.
MITCHELL COUNTY CONSERVATION BOARD:
Held a meeting with Milt Owen to discuss support from his department. Milt also was present at our meeting on Wednesday night to bring the MCPCRP team up to speed on support they can provide and educate all of us on present conditions at these Pioneer Cemeteries. Milt will be working on the Gopher issues at the Farley Cemetery in April.
ADDITIONAL CEMETERY FOUND – EAST CEDAR TWP.
We met with Steve Ham and his wife to discuss his findings of a new cemetery location in the same section as Lohr Cemetery. Steve reports he has identified the location and will be getting us a GPS reading shortly. Steve is also in the process of researching this cemetery to try and determine who was buried there. Other than it showing on the 1911 Mitchell County Atlas little is known.
LOHR CEMETERY:
Steve Ham also reports his negotiations with the property owners at Lohr are getting close to being resolved.
On 3/13/03 Steve and a neighbor cleared the Lohr Site of all the debris and wind fall, to finally be able to see what was under all the rubble. As spring advances and the ground thaws, extensive probing and dowsing will be completed to determine exactly what is at this cemetery. Steve reports preliminary dowsing yielded possible graves inside the battered fence posts, and possibly two or three outside the post area.
Steve’s efforts are showing great rewards and allowing us to determine the extent of this cemetery. Up to this point almost nothing is known about those interred. It is reported that at one time, the long time neighbors remember seeing upright headstones at this site.
4-H SUPPORT:
Vivian Du Shane and I met with Neil Wubben and his Staff, to discuss their involvement with MCPCRP. Basically they will present to the individual 4-H groups our cause, see if any of the groups want to be involved with our project and provide them with our contact people. It is felt that there would be interest from the individual 4-H groups.
Make sure to contact Neil or one of his staff if you want to have them involved in one of your projects.
ISU STUDENT AVAILABILITY:
Larry Kershner reports that Neil Wubben called him and informed him that Wubben has an ISU student assigned to his office for the summer. Part of the student’s assignment is to put in 100 hours of community service, and Neil wanted to know if we could find enough work for this student to put in the 100 hours. Contact Larry Kershner or Neil Wubben regarding work assignments which you may have on your individual projects. This can be in the form of research, assistance at the cemetery, or other aspects of the project. This student can be of great assistance to us—let’s keep them busy with MCPCRP tasks.
LEO/CARDIFF:
Thanks to the Mitchell County Court House Staff I was able to locate several plot plans of various Ghost Towns in Mitchell County. I was able to locate the original plot of the city of Leo/Cardiff which was dreamed to be a fairly large community.
From past telephone conversations with Ed Smolik, Vivian Du Shane and I met with Ed at his home. At 98 "going on 99", Ed was able to provide a lot of information relating to this community. Where the streets were, how the old road cut through Leo and how the locations of the existing buildings relate to the plot plan.
One of the research questions was, "where was the alleged cemetery located?" Ed provided us with an approximate location. Edith Putnam and nephew, along with two additional historians, Larry Kershner, Dick Behr, and I, were able to physically locate the general area of this Cemetery. Once spring arrives, dowsing and probing hopefully will provide an exact location of this cemetery.
OSAGE ROTARY PRESENTATION:
On Tuesday March 4, 2003, thanks to Larry Kershner and with his support, I was able to show the Rotary members the Power Point Presentation on MCPCRP efforts. There were approximately 30 people in attendance, and we asked for their support. It seems that their interest is great, and our information is getting out to the business environment in Osage.
CHRISTIAN WOMENS ASSOCIATION PRESENTATION:
Larry Kershner, Vivian Du Shane and I had the honor of attending this evening meeting on Tuesday March 4, 2003. Approximately 35 people witnessed the MCPCRP Power Point Presentation. Many questions were asked and information relating to past cemeteries was exchanged. As with all of our presentations, the general public isn’t aware that these conditions exist, nor do they know of these old abandoned pioneer cemeteries.
OSCAR PETERSON CEMETERY: (West Cedar Twp)
I Drove to this Cemetery and documented it’s location with a GPS reading. In addition we are starting to gather documented information with the assistance of Marilyn O’Connor and the Court House Staff.
We have not proceeded with any type of restoration here until the issues with the existing land owner can be resolved to the satisfaction of all involved.
Contrary to what is being expounded by the previous landowner, there is documentation coming forward that verifies the existence to this cemetery. Research continues, hopefully we can overcome the concerns of the existing landowner and be able to restore this site.
OTRANTO TOWNSHIP:
With the assistance of Larry Kershner, Vivian Du Shane and I met with Mr. & Mrs. Loren Meyer at their home in Otranto Township. Discussion revolved around the Otranto Trustees’ assistance at the Farley Cemetery in Mona. We reviewed the To-Do List with them and discussed various alternatives that Otranto Township can provide.
We were also able to bring the Meyer’s up to date on MCPCRP goals, objectives and purpose.
Loren assured us we have a commitment from the trustees to provide $500 per year for three years to help defray some of our expenses at Farley Cemetery.
More importantly, Loren felt he can provide us assistance with equipment, materials, and volunteers to accomplish the Farley Cemetery restoration. Loren indicated their church group has performed work on Pleasant Hill Cemetery and they know how to perform the work needed.
Loren asked that we provide him a contact person within MCPCRP to be his Go-To person for questions and scheduling issues. Merri Cross of Riceville will be that person for this project.
IRON SPRING CEMETERY: (on River Road)
Marlene & Larry Kershner report this site is ready for some work with assistance from either the FFA or 4-H. They report this project will be started this spring, with a couple of good days they should have this cleaned up and ready for probing and dowsing. Additional historical, anecdotal information has surfaced—it seems Elizabeth’s father, the Cap. had a taste for the grape and wanted to share it with the community. In those days, you had to do what you had to do! Keep this type of information coming, its great to find out information that presumably had been lost (ahem . . . misplaced).
DUDLEY CEMETERY: (316th & Hickory)
Vivian Du Shane and I visited the Dudley Cemetery and the general area of Dudley. A plot plan has been obtained from the Court House, of the Ghost Town of Dudley. Monica Lonergan of Austin, MN , was contacted and information exchanged. Vivian Du Shane has been in contact with residents who are reported to have a plot plan of the cemetery at Dudley.
Jody Staff was contacted regarding the actual physical location of the Ghost Town of Dudley. From the plot plan it looks to have been west of Rock Creek and south of the present day 316th St.—which would have put the community south of the Mill, and the School; the cemetery would have been northeast of the platted community, up on the hill. More research continues.
Larry Fox reports that Dudley Cemetery Restoration is on his top priority list for this spring. Larry will be contacting Frank Kisley to obtain assistance from the FFA students.
While at this location we noticed debris from overhead wire trimming in the ditch. Heartland Power Co-op in St. Ansgar was contacted to remove the debris and Cheryl Jahnel reports the County will be notified and hopeful one of these sources will remove the tree trimming debris. Larry Fox’s goal is to mow the ditch to help identify this cemetery. We should see nothing but branches, weeds, and dust flying at this location as Larry is fresh from a winter hibernation in Texas. Go Get Em . . . "Sun Tanned Larry"
FARLEY CEMETERY: (Mona, IA)
Made a couple of stops here (this location has a hold on me) before we met with the Otranto Trustees. One of my goals was trying to determine the size of the original cemetery. The plot plan recorded at the Court House listed it as 200’ X 194’.
The best I can determine, it’s currently about half the size as originally plotted. We have been told by various sources; the former property owner used this field for crops, and would simply move the headstones inward when plowing and hitting one. It’s unlikely we can ever identify the original location of the headstones and will make notation to this fact.
It was very rewarding to see our efforts in November 2002—still standing and in the best shape it’s been in for decades. Nothing has been accomplished here since last November but our plans for spring and summer are finalized with this site being one of our top restoration priorities for 2003.
MCPCRP MEETING:
Wednesday March 5, 2002 at the Osage Library we held an update meeting. Presentations included the MCPCRP Power Point Presentation given by Larry Kershner. Milt Owen provided us with an update from his Department.
Merri Cross, Vivian Du Shane, Steve Ham, Marilyn O’Connor, Deb Kuehne, Cheryl Jahnel and Marlene Kershner presented their projects, bringing all the staff up to speed and what assistance each needs, as well as progress on each project. Larry Fox was absent do to a prior commitment of being forced to lie in the Texas sun for the winter (we have pictures).
SAPIC Grant funding and support was discussed.
Discussion on future fund raising, management, goals, projects and involvement was discussed and resolved.
A "50/50" scheme was devised in an effort to generate fundsfor our non-existent general fund. $12.00 was generated, thanks to all thatparticipated. We now have a balance of $12.00 to fund our efforts. As oneparticipant put it "Don’t spend it all in one place".
Updated data sheets and other information were handed out.
OSAGE LIBRARY – PRESS-NEWS:
In the 1957 issues of the Press-News there were a series of articles written on Mitchell County Cemeteries during that year. If memory serves me correctly, there were eight articles written on different cemeteries. The Osage Library has old copies of the Press-News as does the Press-News. Check them out, interesting reading.
EDEN CEMETERY: (South of Meroa, IA)
Deb Kuehne is in the process of getting the data base completed at this cemetery, with the assistance of Marilyn O’Connor. Deb wants to finish this so the data can be posted on the Mitchell County IaGenWeb web page on the internet.
LIBERTY CEMETERY: (Little Cedar, IA)
Deb Kuehne volunteered to complete the data at this cemetery. Neal Du Shane has started a data base containing the names of those interred, along with their lots numbers. Birth and Death dates and inscriptions on the headstone will then be added to the database by Deb.
RIVERSIDE: (Riceville)
Marilyn O’Conner has provided information to Deb Kuehne. Kermit Kettleson of IaGenWeb then transformed the word document to Excel format, and Deb will be working on getting this information gathered, and posted on the Mitchell County IaGenWeb web page.
OLD NEWBURG CEMETERY:
Is currently on hold until further notice.
UNION VALLEY CEMETERY: (South West of Orchard, IA)
I fulfilled my goal to walk to this site from the dead end road west of Orchard, on Friday March 7th 2003; it turned out to be a sunny (notice, I didn’t say warm) day. I parked the vehicle and walked the fence lines to this location. It’s approximately a half mile walk, one way. I discovered what I term as a possible road that could have been used as the stagecoach road from Orchard to the Ghost Town of Watertown. It drops down from the upper hill to the fields in the river bottom and is approximately 400’ north of the lone headstone of George Moore, who passed away in 1863.
Analysis of historical writings indicates that this cemetery once occupied one acre. With the exception of the lone headstone of George Moore, nothing is identifiable any longer.
Dave Brunner of Osage has indicated he knows where the mantle for the cemetery is located, but at this point I have been unable to find it after four trips to this site.
I stopped at the Pat Rogers home, she indicated her husband and a few neighbors intend to speak to Harry Nolt (current property owner) and see if he will give them permission to cross his land and install a fence around the George Moore headstone to help preserve it. Go Pat Go!
PIONEER CEMETERY SPRING CLEAN-UP DAY:
May 3rd and/or May 10th, 2003 have been selected as the publication date(s) for community support and assistance to help MCPCRP clean-up these pioneer cemeteries.
Larry Kershner will be supporting this effort through publicity in the Press-News.
Merri Cross will be the Project Coordinator for Farley Cemetery,
Larry Fox for Dudley Cemetery,
Steve Ham for Lohr Cemetery,
Marlene Kershner for Iron Spring Cemetery
Cheryl Jahnel for Union Valley and Holbrook Corner/Nelson Cemeteries.
Participants need to provide: baggies, rakes, shovels, looping shears, chain saws, skid loader, cloth straps (for lifting headstones with skid loader), dimensional lumber suitable for prying headstones, paper, pencils, chalk, spray water bottles,
GENERAL INFORMATION:
While at the Court House I found Plot Plans, and made copies, of: Glendale, Otranto, Leo/Cardiff, Newburg, Dudley and Jenkins Center. All are currently ghost towns in Mitchell County. But the dreams of the founders of these towns can be seen in their plot plans—sad that they never developed as intended. If you have the time, the Court House is a gold mine of historic information. But I digress!
Confidence is felt by all of the MCPCRP staff, that our goals and purpose will be achieved in the next couple of years.
If you would like to get involved with this extremely rewarding project please contact any of the above Coordinators or contact.
Contact information:
Neal Du Shane
1224 Canvasback Court
Fort Collins, CO 80525-8835
1-970-227-3512 (cell)
n.j.dushane@comcast.net