Abandoned Cemeteries

Decatur County, Iowa
What is an abandoned cemetery?

An abandoned cemetery is one that is located near the site of a present-day ghost town or on the site of a family homestead. If the cemetery was affiliated with a rural church, the cemetery becomes abandoned when the church closes its door. Sometimes an abandoned cemetery falls into a state of neglect because there is no longer any active and regular care.

A Pioneer Cemetery, as defined by the State of Iowa, is a cemetery having less then six burials during the last fifty years.
ABANDONED CEMETERIES:
Allen Scott Cemetery Cowles Cemetery Lewis Cemetery Newman/Doze Cemetery
Becker Cemetery Fugate Cemetery Madarasz Cemetery Sage Cemetery
Campbell Cemetery, Eden Twp Hamilton House Cemetery McDaniel Cemetery Waller Cemetery
Campbell Cemetery, Hamilton Twp Hatfield Cemetery Millsap/Grand River Cemetery West Cemetery
Chase Cemetery Hazen Cemetery Millsap/Indian Graveyard Westervelt Cemetery
Clinton Cemetery Kline Cemetery Mormon Trailside Cemetery White Oak Cemetery
      Winters Cemetery

Allen Scott Cemetery

Hamilton Township, Decatur Co., IA
Nearest town: Pleasanton
No tombstones

History: Allen Scott, one of the first settlers in Decatur County, was an Indian agent and operated a trading post, post office and mill near what is now Nine Eagles State Park. This cemetery was located near a grove of black locust trees and had several tombstones at one time. A road was built in the 1890's through the area and the cemetery destroyed.

Allen Scott, who lived in Section 19, buried several members of his family on what was later known as the Duncan Campbell farm. (See also Campbell Cemetery.)

Source: Slade Cemetery Book
Courtesy of Carla Rae Perks Lauttenbach

Becker Cemetery

New Buda Township, Decatur Co., IA
Nearest town: Davis City
No tombstones

History: The story goes that "Old Lady Becker" was buried in the trees across the stagecoach road from her house. There may have been another grave before hers. There are no tombstones, but a flat stone was found nearby. According to Becker family history, Anthony (Anton) Becker (born 1813, Germany) and his wife, Sybella (Sibilla, born 1823, Germany, but alive in 1895) along with Sybella's mother, Mrs. Theodore Klein, and Sybella's sister, Gertrude Scheifelbush, came to Decatur County in 1853 to live on the Becker farm located on the Iowa-Missouri line in New Buda Township. The "Old Lady Becker" could have been the mother, although names, places and dates of burials are unknown.

Source: Slade Cemetery Book
Courtesy of Carla Rae Perks Lauttenbach

Anton Becker was born about 1813 to 1814 at Koblenz, Germany, known as Prussia then. He married Anna Sybella Klein, birth about 1820/1824. They came to America June 13, 1853 on the Emblem to New Orleans, then up the Mississippi River to Burlington, Iowa, where they had been promised land. They settled in New Buda Township, near Davis City, in Decatur Co., Iowa. Their sons, Peter and Joseph, were listed on the Emblem ship's manifest with them. There was no listing of the sons on the 1854 Iowa State census so they must have died in the cholera epidemic. Son Francis Benedict Becker was born in 1856, and died in 1930, Daviess Co. MO. Another son, Willis Becker, was born after Francis.

Becker Family: First Generation in America, Chapter One.
Shared by Joe Henggeler, April 2023:

"I will first tell of the place where my parents were born. It was called Prussia, now called the Rhine Province. Both of my parents were born in a village called Wolsdorf. The town was a few miles distance from Siegburg, where they went to church. The houses in the village were built along the street and in the back of the houses were their farms, consisting of about four acres. My father's house was larger than some homes; also, they had English walnut trees, which usually brought extra income. They raised rye and flax; rye for bread and flax for cloth. Mother told me how they tended the flax before it was made into linen and hemp for dresses. They usually raised reuben (turnips) to feed the cow. Some years they raised a hog, but the government took all but the head and the back. They made butter and sold it to pay taxes. They plowed the four acres with their milk cow.

My father's name was Mathias Schiefelbusch. He was married to Catherine Weiss. Father served four years in the army and was an aide to the chaplain. He was in the cavalry, and he tended his and the chaplain's horses. After having served his required time in the army, my father decided to bring his wife and three small children to America. He had been promised land in Iowa; however, when they reached this destination, there was no land for them, and their money was gone. The Schiefelbusch family and several other families from Germany had come to the United States in a sailboat; they were seven weeks crossing the ocean. I do not know if they landed in New York or New Orleans; however, these families came to Burlington, Iowa. All of my father's family had contacted cholera on this difficult journey, and soon after they arrived in Burlington, his wife and two small boys died. Father's sister-in-law, Mary May, cared for the little daughter, Margaret, who had survived. Although his health was impaired from this disease, my father was able to obtain a job in a bank in Burlington, also he did plastering.

Now, I will tell you about my mother, Gertrude Klein. She came from Germany to Burlington, Iowa two years after my father had come here. They were acquainted in Germany, having been born in the same village. Mother's family, too, lived near the Rhine River, not far from the city of Bonn. Mother and I often had long conversations about the places and people she remembered in her native country. She told how they could look across the Rhine and see the "Drachensfeldts" (Dragon Fields); and how as children they played in a park around the tomb of Beethoven. Another place she remembered was called the Meuller Hoff, a big estate; where they had processions at Corpus Christi and other holidays. They would have picnics and do the Kermiss (a folk dance) and have other games. The older people would visit and drink beer. One of the persons Mother told me about was the Blind Schoemachker, who was the most wealthy man in the village. She would read the newspaper to him and many of the people in this little town would come to hear her read the news aloud.

My mother's father was named Theodore Klein. He had died when mother was thirteen years old from what must have been tuberculosis or asthma. He had served in the Alsace-Lorraine War, at the time of Napoleon. It was during this time his illness began, caused when swimming the Rhine River when it was full of ice.

In her girlhood, Mother had very poor health, but she had been told that a sea voyage would cure her. That is why she, her widowed mother and her sister, Aunt Becker (and her husband) came to this country. The group they came with landed in New Orleans and they came up the Mississippi River to St. Louis. They had been promised land in Iowa; so they came to this place called New Buda, which was in Decatur County, near Davis City.

However, my mother did not come to Iowa with this group; she remained in St. Louis to earn some money, plus her mother felt she could learn the language and customs of this new country in this city. She was given $5.00 from the original amount of money they had brought with them. She was employed in a hotel as a servant; it was also near a market place where the farmers brought their vegetables and produce each week to sell. She earned $1.00 per week. Earlier, on the boat coming from New Orleans to St. Louis, she had learned a few words of English. One of the passengers on the boat explained to her that her shoes looked so peculiar and that she should try to dress like other people in this new country as soon as she could obtain different clothing. Mother remained in St. Louis for two years before she came on to Burlington, Iowa, where she again met Mathias Schiefelbusch. When he asked to marry her, she first wrote her mother in New Buda to obtain her permission for this marriage. When she received a reply from her sister, Aunt Becker, it was the first she had learned that her mother had died the previous winter. She had been buried on Aunt Becker's place, near the Iowa-Missouri border.

My parents, Mathias and Gertrude, remained in Burlington for several years. It was here that Henry N. was born in 1856; Anna Marie in 1863; plus, Emma and Wilhimena (Minnie) and two children who died in infancy.

The Schiefelbusch family moved from Burlington to New Buda, Iowa, where Aunt and Uncle Becker still lived. The little town of New Buda was inhabited most entirely by folks from the "old country”. My parents had many good times with these people, many of whom they had known in Germany. Two girls, Clara and Belle, were born here.

The last move my parents made was to a farm in Northern Missouri, near Andover in Harrison County, where they worked very hard to make a living for their family. The youngest child, myself, Mary was born there. There was a log house on the farm, many of us remember this house which stood by the spring. However, the year they moved to this farm, they started building a new house. The lumber was hauled from Leon, Iowa and Father got the stones for the foundation from the old rock quarry on the farm. They "broke" most of the virgin land with an oxen team, which I remember.

My father donated ten acres of his land for a church and cemetery. Other families in this community worked very hard to build the church which had native walnut pillars and a walnut frame. Many of these families had loved ones buried in the cemetery. This beautiful little church, called St. Mary's, remained until about 1940. All of the records were removed to St. Columba Parish, Conception, Missouri, and several families have had their dead reburied at Leon, Iowa and other nearby cemeteries. Both Mathias and Gertrude Schiefelbusch and other Hagan, Hamilton, Stanley, etc., are buried in this little country cemetery.

My father died free of debt and proud of his American citizenship. Mother died several years after Father; her last years were spent very pleasantly and comfortably; however, she often said, had she known the hardships of her first years in America, she would not have come."

The ship EMBLEM from Antwerp to New Orleans had this passenger list
(it is dated 13 Jun 1853):
#    PASSENGER        AGE   IN-COUNTRY DESTINATION
#81   Anton BECKER       39          "Berlington"
#82   Sibilla BECKER +     33          "Berlington"
#83   Peter BECKER +         3           "Berlington"
#81   Joseph BECKER +    10 mos       "Berlington"
Prior to the above
#81   Gertrud SCHWIPPER + 53          "Berlington"     [Her maiden name; was married to Theodor KLEIN]
#82   Helena SCHWIPPER   20           "Berlington"     [Actually, this is Gertrud KLEIN who is dau. of Gertrud SCHWIPPER, her future husband is Mathias SCHIEFELBUSCH {he had arrived May 1849 to Burlington}]

Relatively soon after their Jun 1853 arrival to "Burlington" the BECKERs moved down to New Buda, Iowa. The mark + indicates they are likely buried in the Becker Cemetery.

Mary SCHIEFELBUSCH's family write up mentions Anton, Sibilla, Gertrud (her grandmother) and Helena (her mother).

Campbell Cemetery

Eden Township, Decatur Co., IA
Nearest town: Leon
Family plot, No tombstones

History: Caroline "Carrie" (Boyer) Campbell, wife of James Kidd Campbell, died at her home and wanted to be buried under the peach tree in the front yard (off the northeast corner of house). It was marked by a cement slab, "Caroline (Boyer) Campbell 1901."

In 1975 the house was torn down and burned and the land plowed. The cement slab was lost. Her husband was buried in the Leon Cemetery in 1931. There is a small, individual marker on the Campbell lot there: "In Memoriam Caroline Campbell 1863 - 1901". An additional W.P.A. listing is that of "Campbell, Carrie (Boyer) died 1906, aged 39".

Source: Slade Cemetery Book
Courtesy of Carla Rae Perks Lauttenbach

Campbell Cemetery

Hamilton Township, Decatur Co., IA
Nearest town: Pleasanton
No tombstones

History: A large area is mowed along the south side of the road, with lovely flowers. A large red boulder (4x6 foot) has a bronze plate (14x20 inches) on the west side of the boulder: "Campbell Memorial Garden".

A 1915 History reports that Allen Scott, an early settler in Hamilton Township, lived in Section 19. A wife and daughter, whom he had deserted in Indiana, visited him. They were frozen to death in a snowstorm after leaving his store and were buried in the orchard of what later was known as the Duncan Campbell farm.

Himena Hoffman's book reported that Allen Scott buried a little daughter who died of burns, near her grandfather and baby brother's graves near their home. At one time there were tombstones (names unknown) marking graves in this area.

W.P.A. Records for Campbell Cemetery:
NAME BORN DIED COMMENTS
Campbell, Duncan 29 Nov 1846
Lancaster, Ontario, Canada		 16 Mar 1922
Cedar Falls IA		 h/o Lida Hulse; Ordained Elder, RLDS Church; Gravestone at Hamilton Cemetery, Decatur Co., IA
Campbell, Aldia "Lida" 11 Aug 1848
Mentz, NY		 03 Jul 1900
Pleasanton, IA		 d/o of Herman & Elizabeth Hulse
Scott unknown unknown d/o Alan Scott
Scott unknown unknown s/o Alan Scott
Source: Slade Cemetery Book
Courtesy of Carla Rae Perks Lauttenbach

Chase Cemetery

Hamilton Township, Decatur Co., IA
Nearest town: Pleasanton
No tombstones

History: This cemetery is listed in the WPA Records as abandoned. There are no tombstones. On a map of Hamilton Township in 1894, the owner of land in Section 4 was Helen J. Chase although there is no known connection with her to this cemetery.

WPA Records state:

"Chase, ------ , (Father of Dick and Reuben) died 1860"

Source: Slade Cemetery Book
Courtesy of Carla Rae Perks Lauttenbach

Clinton Cemetery

Long Creek Township, Decatur Co., IA
Gravestone photos
Nearest town: Van Wert
Earliest burial (gravestone): Emily J., dau. of G.A. & L. Hamilton, d. 04 Feb 1858, AE 2y 11m 12 d
Last burial (gravestone): Olley, dau. of W.C. & M.A. Hunt, d. 03 Feb 1869, AE 21d

History: There was once an early community located in Section 22 called Clinton. (This was probably in the 1850's or 1860's.) There are no records of the settlement except for this small graveyard.

The cemetery was located on the top of a hill northeast of the William H. Hall home. The area is clearly defined but is unfenced and uncared for, with most of the stones fallen over.

Photograph courtesy of Nancee (McMurtrey) Seifert
NAMEBORN DIEDCOMMENTS
CRAFT, Mary Ann21 Feb 185814 Nov 1860"In Loving Memory"
dau. J. & M.A. CRAFTAE 2y 8m 24d
DeVORE, Williamunknown25 May 1863served with MO troops & Home Guards
Civil War VeteranAE 31yinjured during the war, died shortly after returning home
GIBSON, Dison181516 Apr 1865"In Loving Memory"
Civil War Veteran, Co. C, 3rd IA CalvaryAE 50y
GIPSON, Moses20 Mar 1863"In Loving Memory"
daughter of Alan ScottAE 28Y
GUY, J. A.unknownunknownhand-carved rocks surround the child's grave
HAMILTON, Emily J.23 Feb 185504 Feb 1858"In Loving Memory"
dau. of G.A. & L. HAMILTONAE 2y 11m 12d
HAMILTON, Generva04 Mar 186104 Mar 1861"In Loving Memory"
dau. of J. & L. HAMILTONAE 2m 15d
HAMILTON, John26 Apr 185905 Nov 1859"In Loving Memory"
son of G.A. & L. HAMILTONAE 6m 10d
HUNT, Olley13 Jan 186903 Feb 1869"In Loving Memory"
dau. of W.C. & M.A. HUNTAE 21d
PALMER, Infant13-Jan-0723-Jan-07no gravestone
child of John & Maggie (COLLINS) PALMERAE 10dfrom Courthouse Records
PALMER, J.unknownunknowna rock marks the gravesite
STAPP, Infant186110 Oct 1861"In Loving Memory"
child of M. & E.A. STAPP
VAUGHN, Anna W.18211864no gravestone
wife of J. D. VAUGHNAE 43yW.P.A. Records
VAUGHN, Clara M.unknown09 Feb 1867"In Loving Memory"
dau. of J.D. & M.A. VAUGHNAE 10m 21d
VAUGHN, Colonelunknown06 Nov 1863
son of J.D. & A.W. VAUGHNAE 3y
VAUGHN, Hiram S.184416 Apr 1864"In Loving Memory"
son of J.D. & A.W. VAUGHNAE 20y
Source: Slade Cemetery Book
Courtesy of Carla Rae Perks Lauttenbach

Cowles Cemetery

Hamilton Township, Decatur Co., IA
Gravestone Photos
Nearest town: Davis City
Family Plot: abandoned

Earliest burial (gravestone): Austin Cowles, d. 15 Jan 1872, AE 79y 8m 12d
Last burial (gravestone): Irena H. Cowles, died 4 May 1876 AE 68y 10m

History: Austin and Irena H. (Elliott) Cowles came to Hamilton Township in 1854 from Ohio. On a little hill not far from the west bank of Little River they built one of the first frame houses in the township. When Austin died he was buried on his own land as he had requested. A daughter, Helen, died at about 14 years of age, but there is no family information on the place of her burial. An infant grandchild (name unknown) was buried on this lot because the river was too high to cross to New Salem Cemetery. (The infant's parents, Henry Austin and Rosie Cowles, are buried in New Salem Cemetery.)

Originally one acre of land was set aside as a cemetery. This now small area is high on a hill and appears to be abandoned. It is hard to see from the road; enclosed by an iron pipe 2 feet off the ground. Since a large, newer monument has both names on it and a broken old stone inside the enclosure with Irena's name, then the old unreadable stone outside the fence could be the original stone for Austin.

Photograph courtesy of Nancee (McMurtrey) Seifert
Cowles Cemetery interments:
NAMEBORN DIEDCOMMENTS
COWLES, Austin15 Jan 1872inside row
"Father"AE 79y 8m 12d
COWLES, Austin & Irena"They chose virtue as their truest guide, lived as Christians as Christians died."
2nd gravestone
COWLES, Irena H.04 May 1876original gravestone
wife of A. COWLESAE 68y 10m
unknownunknownunknownsite outside of pipe
stone is illegible
COWLES, Infantunknownunknown
child of Henry Austin & Rosie COWLES
COWLES, unknownunknownunknown
Source: Slade Cemetery Book
Courtesy of Carla Rae Perks Lauttenbach

Fugate Cemetery

Morgan Township, Decatur Co., IA
Nearest town: Lineville
No gravestones

History: The Fugate Cemetery is located along the river bluffs on a farm where the Fugates lived, later known as the Drake farm. There are eight graves in this abandoned cemetery along the north fence. There are no tombstones, but there are limestone rocks, taken out of the bluffs, used as markers.

Fugate Cemetery was discontinued when the Moore Cemetery was started just across the line in Missouri. Mrs. Keith Moore, owner of this land in 1974, stated that someone has been digging for relics there, mistakenly thinking it was an Indian burial ground.

Known interments at Fugate Cemetery:
NAMEBORN DIEDCOMMENTS
BRIGHT, Hannah Jane (HART)21 Nov 182824 Oct 1858W.P.A. Records
1st wife of Steven BRIGHTAugusta Co. VAMorgan Twp., Decatur Co. IA
MOORE, Mrs.1852
1st wife of Bobby MOORE
Source: Slade Cemetery Book
Courtesy of Carla Rae Perks Lauttenbach

Hamilton House Cemetery

Eden Township, Decatur Co., IA
Nearest town: Leon
No gravestones

History: There are reports of burials at the Hamilton House. Some say 1 or 2 or 4 burials, but all agree that one was a baby. Supposedly these were along the fence at the northwest corner of the house.

The A. Hamilton house was located about 1/2 mile east of Blockley, a community consisting of a post office, stockyard and tank along the railroad. Neither Blockley nor the railroad exist now. The Hamiltons would serve meals and provide lodging for those coming through by train. No one knows the names or dates of those buried there.

Source: Slade Cemetery Book
Courtesy of Carla Rae Perks Lauttenbach

Hatfield Cemetery

Eden Township, Decatur Co., IA
Nearest town: Leon
No tombstones

History: There is no evidence of this cemetery left to be seen. At one time there may have been 20 to 25 burials. Some tombstones were moved along side a wire fence; some ended up in ditches; others covered by farm land.

One man remembers seeing broken tombstones which he ran over while hauling hay from the field. Another man, Art Campbell, lived on this farm and said a former owner, Barney McDaniel, was probably the last burial (before 1894). He remembers the name GRAVES written on one stone. No one knows where the Hatfield name came from, except that there were Hatfields living southwest of the area and may have been buried there.

Source: Slade Cemetery Book
Courtesy of Carla Rae Perks Lauttenbach

Hazen (a.k.a. Old Funk) Cemetery

Grand River Township, Decatur Co., IA
Nearest town: Grand River
No tombstones

History: This old cemetery (also called Old Funk) is listed in the W.P.A. cemetery records. On a wagon trail south of Funk's Mill (built in 1853) a pioneer family was traveling through, and buried a child, the first burial.

In the early 1850's land was secured for a new cemetery one mile east of this one. 11 or 12 graves (and 7 or 8 stones), names and dates unknown, were moved to the newer Oak Hill Cemetery.

One man remembers that when he was a boy, someone showed him where the cemetery had been. No tombstones, but that the ground looked like grave spaces.

Not much is known about the name Hazen but a 10 year old boy, Charles L., son of J.F. & M.J. HAZEN, was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in 1876.

Source: Slade Cemetery Book
Courtesy of Carla Rae Perks Lauttenbach

Kline Cemetery

Franklin Township, Decatur Co., IA
Nearest town: Weldon
No tombstones

History: The land for this cemetery was given by John P. Kline who was the first settler in Weldon. Weldon was laid out in 1880. There was only one known burial on the land sometime between 1881 and 1885, the 3-year-old daughter of a Methodist minister, name unknown.

A fence surrounding the grave was knocked down and a cement slab placed over the grave, which was fairly close to the road on the west side. The slab, which had no inscription, cannot be found. It was last seen in the 1930's.

Weldon and LeRoy are the only 2 communities in the county without a cemetery close to the city. Once before Weldon had set aside another section of land south of the Weldon school for a cemetery. Old Mrs. Ruffcorn was buried there, but when no one else used this cemetery, her body was moved after 2 years to the Green Bay Cemetery in Clarke County. The land was returned to farmland.

Source: Slade Cemetery Book
Courtesy of Carla Rae Perks Lauttenbach

Lewis Cemetery

Franklin Township, Decatur Co., IA
Nearest town: Leon
No tombstones

History: Two stillborn girls of John Frank and Alice LEWIS were buried on the west side of the house about 1900. In 1993, Larry VANDERFLUTE lived in this house. The grandson of John and Alice, Bill GARDNER and wife, Katy, told about these burials. His address in 1993 was: Box 274, Granby, CO 80446.

Source: Slade Cemetery Book
Courtesy of Carla Rae Perks Lauttenbach

Madarasz Cemetery

Richland Township, Decatur Co., IA
Nearest town: Grand River
No tombstones

History: This abandoned small family cemetery is not visible today, but was near the east side of the road in the SE 1/4 of Section 36. It had four graves of which two were babies. Once there were small stones, a lilac bush and a fence.

Ladislaus MADARASZ was born in Hungary, September 22, 1811 and became Secretary of State in Hungary. His first wife died in 1843 and he came to New Buda in Decatur County in 1851. Second wife, Sibila OSOLOCK, who was born in Germany in 1836, were married in Decatur County before 1862. They bought 340 acres of land in Section 36. Their oldest daughter (Note from Janet KOZLAY: "Bela is a common boy's name in Hungary", possibly this should read oldest son), Bela L. MADARASZ, was a school teacher born in 1862 and died in 1886 and was buried in the Munyon Cemetery located one mile to the east.

It is presumed that the burials are Ladislaus and Sibila MADARASZ and two of their children, although no death records or dates can be found.

UPDATE, July of 1915: We have been informed that Ladislaus Madarasz was interred at Goodhope Cemetery, Douglas County, Missouri, which is located near where he was residing upon his death. His daughter, Hermina "Mina" (Madarasz) Bray is also interred at Goodhope Cemetery.

Source: Slade Cemetery Book
Courtesy of Carla Rae Perks Lauttenbach

McDaniel Cemetery

Eden Township, Decatur Co., IA
Nearest town: Leon
Family plot, No tombstones

History: Daniel McDANIEL and his 2nd wife, Mary Jane (KINDRED) McDANIEL, buried 2 infant daughters (one was named Fannie) on their own 40-acre farm. When Mary Jane died in 1888 she was buried next to her children.

Daniel McDANIEL was buried next to his wife in May 1901. Daniel's first wife, Mahalia, was buried in Eden (Meek) Cemetery.

Bad roads may have been the reason for burying on the farm instead of Eden Cemetery.

There were never any tombstones, but the burial plot used to be enclosed by a rail fence, now gone. Only a tree remains to mark the plot.

W.P.A. Tombstone listing: McDANIEL, Daniel, age 60 Died 1901. However, the Decatur County Courthouse lists: "Daniel McDANIEL 66 years. Died May 22, 1903 in Eden Township - buried on farm."

Source: Slade Cemetery Book
Courtesy of Carla Rae Perks Lauttenbach

Millsap Cemetery

Grand River Township, Decatur Co., IA
Nearest town: Grand River
No tombstones

History: There are no tombstones left in this cemetery. James and Eliza Hanna MILLSAP came to Decatur County in 1851 and owned this land. Some of the family burials on this land were moved to other cemeteries, although some graves were left undisturbed.

One stone was found near a creek about 1948 by Lorine WARRICK, present owner of the land, but it cannot be found now. Someone also remembered broken stones about 1900.

One of the burials was a 10-year-old Negro boy of a neighboring family, Duane THOMPSON.

On a 1904 map, the main east/west road (now gone) ran close by this cemetery.

WPA Records state:
1. "No Vets"
2. John W. MILLSAP AE 49y d. 1884 "Millsap Cemetery, Decatur Township

Source: Slade Cemetery Book
Courtesy of Carla Rae Perks Lauttenbach

Millsap Child and Indian Graveyard

Decatur Township, Decatur Co., IA
Nearest town: Decatur City
No tombstones

History: There was an Indian Graveyard on a rise above the banks of the river, south of what was soon to be Woodmansee Cemetery.

Joseph MILLSAP, who came to Decatur County in 1850, married Mary Ann MILLER, a Terre Haute girl, in 1851. Their second child, Columbus MILLSAP (1857 - 1861) died in an accident at the age of 4 years and he was buried in or near the Indian graveyard, back a short distance from what is now the Moses YODER, Jr. house. The little boy may have been the second person to die in the Woodmansee Valley.

Source: Slade Cemetery Book
Courtesy of Carla Rae Perks Lauttenbach

Mormon Trailside Cemetery

Garden Grove Township, Decatur Co., IA
Nearest town: Garden Grove
No tombstones

History: On April 24, 1846 the Mormons settled Garden Grove to form a stopover settlement for thousands of Mormons moving west. Their cemetery, 1/4 mile west of town, was no doubt the first in Garden Grove Township. According to an account from the book, Discovering Historic Iowa, 1975 edition by the Iowa Dept. of Public Instruction, the cemetery contained 6 graves and the 16 foot square area was surrounded by a picket fence until about 1910. After that the cemetery was neglected and the grave markers disappeared. The Mormons left in 1852.

There are no stones now, although 2 small lot markers with initials "E" and "C" were located. There is no fence, but one man remembered it being enclosed by a barbed wire fence. Another reported that there might have been up to 100 burials made here.

There are several reports on what happened to the tombstones that were once located here. Some of the stories are as follows:
  • That about 1925, two men in a car with Utah license plates loaded a stone into their car and drove away -- supposedly it was the marker for a sister who was 7 or 8 years old when she died.
  • That markers were put in a ditch north of the water tower on the east side of the present mile-line road.
  • That tombstones were moved to line a cave in Wayne County.
  • Other stones used to build a basement for a house in Leon on the west side of Highway 69.
According to the Mormon Trek West by Joseph E. Brown, 1980, "The dead were buried in a small wooded cemetery at Garden Grove; the funeral ceremonies were brief, because the pioneers worked long days in preparing their wagons for the continued march ahead."

This cemetery land was made into a Trailside Historical Park, April, 1968 and was dedicated by the Mormons and the Decatur County Conservation Board July 15, 1973 when the Mormons erected a large granite memorial stone which reads:

"The Latter-Day Saints at Garden Grove."

It now has a small shelter house and picnic table and a breath-taking view from this hill in all directions.

Mormon Cemetery Interments, W.P.A. Records:
  • BENNION, John, born 09 Nov 1786, Hawarden, Wales; died 1846, AE 50y
    son of William & Elizabeth (IBALL) BENNION; husband of Elizabeth ROBERT
  • CAMPBELL, Ann (Mrs. Wm.), died 25 Aug 1851, AE 57y
Deaths occurring in Garden Grove according to the private journal of Elder Orson PRATT:
  • BENT, Elder Samuel, President of Garden Grove, b. 19 Jul 1778, Barre, MA; d. 16 Aug 1846, Garden Grove; Son of Joel BENT; Married 1805 Mary HILBOURNE
  • BENT, Mary (HILBOURNE), b. 1785, Vermont; d. 16 Aug 1846, Garden Grove
  • EDWARDS, William, d. 12 May 1846 of bilious fever
  • THOMAS, Samuel, d. 2 May 1846 of consumption
From Hosea STOUT'S Journal:
  • STOUT, Hyrum (or Hirum), d. 9 May 1846 of whooping cough and black canker (scurvy). AE 18m
From The Gathering of Zion, The Story of the Mormon Trail by Wallace STEGNER, 1964:

"On May 4, William HUNTINGTON noted that William EDWARDS had gone out out of his head and was thought dangerous."

Additional information received from Karla GUNZENHAUSER, Garden Grove, Iowa: "The Mormon Cemetery west of Garden Grove probably contained about 140 graves. This information is based on using "wires" to find areas of disturbed ground. The Mormons left Garden Grove in May, 1851. This is probably due to the fact they had made rope out of hemp, and were called west with the rope to prepare ferries for the greater calling to the west of all Mormons still in Iowa in 1852."

Source: Slade Cemetery Book
Courtesy of Carla Rae Perks Lauttenbach
The inscription on the memorial plaque reads as follows:

THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS
AT GARDEN GROVE
Early in 1846 thousands of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) left their homes in Nauvoo, Illinois, bound for the Great Basin in the Rocky Mountains.

Moving Westward across Iowa, their advance company made camp here April 25, 1846, calling the site Garden Grove.

Within two weeks, 359 men under the leadership of President Brigham Young cleared 300 acres of land, planted crops, built log houses, and cut 10,000 surplus rails for fencing and enough logs to build 40 additional houses.

Garden Grove thus became a stopover for the many emigrant wagon trains and handcart croups that followed later. Death overtook some, however, these were buried here.

Refreshed by their stop at this place, the Mormon pioneers went on to the Rockies where they founded cities and towns and made the desert to "Blossom as the Rose."

Newman (a.k.a. Doze) Cemetery

Garden Grove Township, Decatur Co., IA
Nearest town: Garden Grove
No tombstones

History: This unmarked grave was a single burial in a pasture. Ruth A. NEWMAN was the daughter of Lyman B. and Elizabeth (MEAD) CHASE whose farm home was located in Section 17 where this grave was located. Ruth became gravely ill. Evidently sensing her numbered days, she said as she looked out a window ... "If I die bury me over there under that oak tree in the green pasture." According to History of Decatur County (CHASE biography, p. 662) she died in her 19th year, and left a husband and one son.

About 1955, this land was bulldozed and the tombstone was found and placed along a fence. Today the marker cannot be located.

W.P.A. Cemetery records show a Doze Cemetery in Section 17, but no one has ever heard of a Doze Cemetery. (Victor DOZE was elected a judge of Garden Grove Township in July 1850 and may have owned this land at one time.) The name of the woman buried here has also been called "OSBORN".

W.P.A. Records state:

NEWMAN, Ruth CHASE, d. 186_ AE 23. Doze Cemetery on Chas. ROE farm, Garden Grove Twp.

Additional information from Karla GUNZENHAUSER of Garden Grove, Iowa: "The Doze and Newman Cemeteries are the same cemetery. The Doze or Newman cemetery is on land that was first owned by Victor DOZE. It was the first piece of land sold in Decatur County by the U. S. Government. It was purchased in 1849.

Source: Slade Cemetery Book
Courtesy of Carla Rae Perks Lauttenbach

Sage Cemetery

Grand River Township, Decatur Co., IA
Nearest town: Grand River
No tombstones

History: The Sage Cemetery is listed in WPA cemetery records although no section number was given nor tombstones listed.

Supposedly two children (names unknown) were buried on the farm in the northwest part of Section 16. This land belonged to James SAGE and his wife, Martha, who came to Decatur County in 1869. They are buried in Elk Cemetery along with an infant son who died in 1872.

Source: Slade Cemetery Book
Courtesy of Carla Rae Perks Lauttenbach

Waller Cemetery

Decatur Township, Decatur Co., IA
Nearest town: Decatur City
No tombstones

History: Catherine (SMITH) WALLER and Rev. Thomas WALLER (married 10 Dec 1842 in Green Co. IA) bought this land in 1854. Catherine died of a broken neck after falling down steps. She was buried, December 1860, in the orchard next to her 2 or possibly 3 children who had died of diphtheria. The plot is located south 1/2 mile of Highway 2, south of Keith WILLIAMS house (HAMANN Ranch). It is enclosed by an iron pipe fence. Keith WILLIAMS said, in 1979, that the plot would be maintained.

W.P.A. Records state:

WALLER, Elizabeth (Mrs. Thos.) died 1860, age 30.

Source: Slade Cemetery Book
Courtesy of Carla Rae Perks Lauttenbach

West Cemetery

Long Creek Township, Decatur Co., IA
Nearest town: Van Wert
Earliest tombstone burial: 27 Jan 1865
Last tombstone burial: 13 Jul 1893

History: This is a pioneer family plot with only 3 gravestones. William & Elizabeth WEST came to Decatur County in 1854 from Ohio. The small area (10' x 10') is enclosed with a rusty iron fence & gate; overgrown with day lilies and weeds. The cemetery is very close to the road.

On some county maps, 2 cemeteries are shown (one north, and one south of the road). As far as we know, there is only the one cemetery on the north side of the road. The road was changed several years ago and may have been marked twice at that time.

One Decatur County woman remembers that when a girl, her older brothers would take her by this cemetery which they called "slaves cemetery" to scare her. There are reports that there were 2 black people buried here.

Known West Cemetery interments:
  • WEST, Elizabeth, wife of William WEST, d. 13 Jul 1893, AE 70y 6m 21d
  • WEST, William, husb. of Elizabeth WEST, d. 11 Jun 1881, AE 63y 2m 13d
  • WEST, Lincoln, son of W. & E. WEST, d. 27 Jan 1865, AE 1y 6d
    stone was found propped against mother's stone
Source: Slade Cemetery Book
Courtesy of Carla Rae Perks Lauttenbach

Westervelt Cemetery

Richland Township, Decatur Co., IA
Nearest town: Grand River
Earliest tombstone burial: 25 May 1862
Last tombstone burial: 24 July 1882

History: This abandoned burial plot has only three tombstones left in an unfenced area of pastureland. There is no road. The land was owned by Theron WESTERVELT and his wife, Angeline, who came from Ohio in 1853. Four of their children are buried here.

There are reports of 12 burials made here between 1861 and 1882, and any other tombstones at these burials have since disappeared. When the Westerville Cemetery to the southeast was started, burials were made there and the old Westervelt Cemetery abandoned.

Children of Theron and Angeline WESTERVELT:
  • Westervelt, Annette, AE 11m, 18d, died 02 May 1868
  • Westervelt, Genevra, AE 11m 14d, died May 1871
  • Westervelt, Fremont, AE 1y 2m 9d, died 05 May 1862
  • Westervelt, Henryette, AE 1y 3m, 15d, died 23 Mar 1866
Known burials:
  • Brown, Charlie R., AE 10y 13d, died 11 Mar 1877, s/o E. & D.
  • Carrell, Ira A., AE 5m 3d, died 24 Jul 1882, s/o E. & A.
Known burials, no tombstones:
  • Bailey, Christopher Shipman, 06 Mar 1857 - 18 Dec 1861, s/o Jacob H. & Rebecca (Shipman), source family information
  • Bailey, John Avastus, 27 Dec 1858 - May 1871, s/o Jacob H. & Rebecca (Shipman), source family information
  • Bailey, Mary Arminta, 05 Jun 1864 - 22 Jun 1865, d/o Jacob H. & Rebecca (Shipman), source family information
  • McConnell, James, died 1870, source WPA Records
  • McConnell, Mary, died 1870, source WPA Records
Source: Slade Cemetery Book
Courtesy of Carla Rae Perks Lauttenbach

White Oak Cemetery

Morgan Township, Decatur Co., IA

Photograph courtesy of Nancee (McMurtrey) Seifert
Nearest town: Lineville
Earliest tombstone burial: 21 Oct 1865
Last tombstone burial: 1926
View Gravestone Photos

History: The WASSON family were early settlers in Decatur County. The mother, Sarah, died in 1867. Her son, Miles A. WASSON selected 1000 acres in 1843.

The first marked burial in White Oak Cemetery was a 4-year-old daughter of her 2nd son, Joseph Delp WASSON. The land probably belonged to the WASSON family.

There are many oak trees in the area.

On a 1904 map, the cemetery is on the south side of the road. Since then the road was angled and the cemetery is on the north. It is newly fenced.

Known interments at White Oak Cemetery:
NameRow# Stone#Birth DeathComments
Unknown
Bardwell, Infant29 Jun 192501 Jul 1925Age 3d; no gravestone; from courthouse records
Chiles, Ida May338m 29d22 Aug 1873d/o M.D.; gravestone surname is Childs
Chiles, James3618d03 Feb 1880
Chiles, Jennie3415 Jan 188015 Jan 1880
Chiles, Margaret D.35-22 Jan 1880stone is broken
Duley, John W.211y 6m 14d03 Aug 1888s/o U. & M.E.
Hammond, Della F.521y 6d06 Nov 1873d/o B.F. & L.C.
Kindren, Minnie4m 18d12 Apr 1882no gravestone, from courthouse records
Locke, Leonard1119091911
Locke, Mary E.18661926WPA Records 1866-01 Jul 1926
Locke, Pearl1218931911
Locke, Thomas1318641921
Mapes, E.70y 7m19 Oct 1879
Mapes, E.F.3215 Aug 183419 Jan 1868Age 33y 5m 4d; s/o E. & S.
Mapes, Sarah3173y 8d20 Jan 1880
Polland, Mary87y 3m 4d13 Dec 1885w/o W.H.
Polland, Ruth224m 4d15 Aug 1894d/o Sarah
Shobe, Mary E.4252y 10m 3d13 Nov 1897w/o C.C.
Wasson, Ann M.514y 17d21 Oct 1865d/o J.D. & M.E.
Wasson, Sarah5372y 1m 3d11 Jun 1867w/o Wm.
Wilkie, Eunity4153y 2m 11d12 Apr 1869w/o T.
NOTE: There are several stone/rock markers in this cemetery.

Source: Slade Cemetery Book
Courtesy of Carla Rae Perks Lauttenbach

Winters Cemetery

Garden Grove Township, Decatur Co., IA

Photographs courtesy of Nancee (McMurtrey) Seifert
Gravestone Photos
Nearest town: Garden Grove
Earliest tombstone burial: Mary C. dau of Wm. R. & E. HENSLEY d. 26 Jul 1853 AE (broken) y 2m Last tombstone burial: Henry W. SPARLING 1839 - 1919

History: The Rev. Daniel WINTERS came to Garden Grove in the fall of 1849. He was the minister of Missionary Baptist Church (Gospel Ridge). He gave the land for a cemetery and a church (which was never built) on a hilltop sloping east.

In 1932 Dan McBROOM, age 10, was killed by a falling large tombstone while he and a cousin were playing around it. He is buried at Metier Cemetery near his father.

The area of Winters Cemetery is large, but only a few stones.

Known interments at Winters Cemetery:
Name Row#Stone# Birth Death Comments
Unknown
Darnielle, Henry B. --gravestone is broken, illegible
Helmick, Leah 49y 11m 27d23 Dec 1864nee Graham; w/o Cornelius- 1809-1894, Caneyville Cem, Cedar Vale KS
Hensley, Elizabeth32 79y 4m 2d11 Jan 1899nee Osbourn; b. Scott Co, VA; w/o Wm K.
Hensley, John E. 6y 11m 18d10 Nov 1856s/o Wm K & E
Hensley, Mary C.23 _y 2m _d26 Jul 1853d/o Wm K & E; broken stone
Hensley, Minnie Belle 05 Sep 186820 Nov 1897Age 26y 2m 15d; nee Lemons; b. NC; w/o Arthur
Hensley, William K.32 27 Feb 181528 Jun 1898Age 83y 5m 1d; b. Estillville VA
Sparling, Alexander 12 Apr 182929 Aug 1907Age 76y 8m 18d; b. Lawrence Co OH; no gravestone, info from WPA Records
Sparling, Anna25 27 Sep 180617 Sep 1893Age 86y 11m 20d; d/o Jacob & Nancy Hepler; b. Lawrence Co OH; w/o Henry; repaired broken stone
Sparling, Elbert G.27 21 Aug 188216 Mar 1898Age 15y 6m 24d; s/o H.W. & J.J.; d. LeRoy IA
Sparling, Elmira May26 19 Sep 187703 Mar 1897Age 19y 5m 14d; d/o H.W. & J.J.; b. Decatur Co IA
Sparling, Henry24 71y 9m 22d23 Jul 1874h/o A.
Sparling, Henry W.28 18381919
Sparling, Infant22 04 Oct 187104 Oct 1871s/o H.W. & J.J.
Sparling, Joanna J.28 184704 May 1917nee Trullinger; w/o Henry W.
Sparling, John21 22y 10m 2d30 Sep 1853
Winters, Daniel11 180511 Jul 1886Rev; Age 80y 9m
Winters, Rebecca12 68y 11m 4d29 Apr 1872nee Lambert; w/o Daniel
Source: Slade Cemetery Book
Courtesy of Carla Rae Perks Lauttenbach
updated 10/10/2020
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