Mitchell County Pioneer Cemetery
Restoration Project

DUDLEY CEMETERY

 

Larry Fox of Osage looks at a grave marker in the neglected cemetery from the old town site of Dudley. As site coordinator, Foxis planning, and will seek volunteers for, a restoration effort in thespring.

We have been able to start investigating Dudley Cemetery, and haveacquired the following photos of the Dudley Cemetery from Jody Staff.

  1. Photo #1 138Kb
  2. Photo #2 164kb (Original of inset to right)
  3. Photo #3 95Kb
  4. Photo #4 95Kb

 

4/14/03; from Monica Lonergan - Austin, MN          "Robert and Livona Dudley were the parents of 10 children. Robert died in 1871. Buried in the Dudley Cemetery and moved to Nora Springs. His wife died in 1872. So the Dudley's were living at Dudley (?) at the time of Fannie's death.     Don't know if she is still there or in Nora Springs.     Fannie Dudley B&D. 1864. dau. Of Robert Bennett Dudley & Livona Jane Childs. Probably buried at Dudley.     Elmer Ellsworth Skinner, son of Samuel Skinner and Martha Dudley Skinner. Buried in Dudley Cemetery died as an infant (approx 15 monthsold) a guess - born 1860 or 1861."

 

The Conner Stone

We've discovered a very well preserved stone from the Dudley Cemetery.   Carol Herrickhas been saving it from damage, inside her home, for forty years.As you can see, 40 years indoors has kept the stone in excellent shape.

As you can see, the tombstone is a beautiful one.Carol Herrick (pictured to the right, with the stone) said that the littlegirl was her maternal grandfather's sister.   So that would make her Carol'sgreat aunt.   To see the full photo of Carol Herrick, click here.Click here for a full picture of just thetombstone (or, click on the small thumbnail above.)

The inscription reads as shown below. Herrick, who will be 80 this fall, does claim that she pulled the stone
FLORENCE A.Dau ofJesse & MaryCONNERDIEDSept. 7, 1866Aged1yr. 8 ms& 12 ds
from the Dudley Cemetery for fear that it would be destroyed.   Shesaid at one time she did have much more on Dudley history, including familyhistories, but said all that was lost in 1999 when she moved from herrural farm home into Osage.

"Let's hope that someone opens a box someday, and voila, all thathistory comes into the light again." -- Kersh

Dudley Update -- May 3, 2003:

We had a cool and blustery, but sometimes sunny day to work at Dudley.Although not shown, Jody Staff was hauling a load of brush, and Larry'swife was AWOL at the time, and Larry was snoozing in the "high" grass. Merri Cross arrived with us and she did some probing for headstones.

These are the only photos I got on this day, at Dudley, because I hadto get back to town to catch a scheduled phone call and do some other things.

That's Norm Troge working in the left photo. -- Larry Kerschner

Click on the thumbnail photos to see the full size versions. Bothare about 175 Kbytes each.

 

Dudley May 4th Report

Neal Du Shane filed this report on the work yesterday at Dudley. Itincludes six great photographs and captions telling about the work on May 3rdat the Dudley cemetery -- The Lebbeas Barnes marker. Clickhere to go to the report.

 

 

Persons interested in volunteering to assist with these projects should contact Neal.

Contact information:

Neal Du Shane, MCPCRP Coordinator

Kermit Kittleson, Webization

UPDATED: Sept. 1, 2003