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on the west side of the road is a small hill. The hill is a short distance from the road.
The hill was a pioneer burial ground. It was located on the Soloman W. Dakins farm. It is possible that one body remains buried there in 1956. Manly E. Dakins states that he understood from family sources that four persons were buried on the hill. It is a known fact that only three bodies were moved to the Zearing Cemetery after it was established. If a fourth body was buried on the hill it is probable that the person's identity will never be known.
The three known burials were :
Rebecca Guthrie—died, August, 1876Kate Cahill Dakins—died, May 11, 1881John Belden—died, June 20, 1881
Another pioneer burial ground can be located in 1956 by going to the Lincoln township line at the northwest corner of Section 3, Sherman township. Travel approximately one-half mile south on the west side of Section 3, Sherman township. The burials were made in the field on the east side of the road, near the road. There is no evidence of a burial ground there in 1956. It is the opinion of pioneer residents that the bodies were never removed.
Anna Barnard Harrison told us that the location described above was in the yard of a farm where a family by the name of Ingalls lived. The spelling of the name has been taken from a letter written by George Barnard in which he listed the pioneer residents of Sherman township. The Ingalls family buried one or more of their children there.
Anna described the pioneer Ingalls farm as a place having a fine grove of trees. Picnics and tent meetings were held in the grove. The trees and buildings have been gone for many years. The only building in the vicinity in 1956 is a corn crib owned by Belle Shaw Horst. The crib is located south of the burial ground.
Little Frankie James Sparrow was buried in the yard of his father's farm in Section 2, Sherman township.
There is a story of graves on the Harry Wolford farm in Section 13, Lincoln township. We have been unable to prove the story.
After the founding of Zearing in 1881, the need for a community cemetery gradually became acute. Several years after the founding, Soloman W. Dakins donated the land for a community cemetery. In 1956, the cemetery borders the town of Zearing on the north. It is located at the north end of Pearl Street.
The first records of the Zearing Cemetery are as difficult to interpret as the bulk of pioneer records are. Albert F. Rahfeldt said that he was certain that Henry Orthmann was the first person buried in the Zearing Cemetery. For the sum of $25, Albert F. Rahfeldt and Fred Cerka moved Henry's body from the Illinois