Tombstones Set in Cement.  Four broken tombstones, found abandoned in high grass at the Rutland Cemetery, east of town, have been set in cement to prevent further deterioration.  Name plates were furnished by Lindhart Funeral Home, representing family names of those there, whose tombstones are gone.  Carl Vought did the cement work.  Elwood Hansen, whose relatives are buried there, set their stones in cement several years ago.  He has been helping with the restoration of the grounds – Republican June 2, 1976

 Old-timers in this area can recall several other forgotten early cemeteries, many of them beyond finding now, first neglected and then abandoned.

A century ago, the life expectancy of an adult was in the 40’s.  Many, many children died their first year, victims of epidemics, simple infections, pneumonia and diseases of all kinds, made so much worse by lack of medicine and medical knowledge that we have in abundance today.  There was seldom a doctor of any kind within a day’s ride.  Iowa winters were cruel and many deaths occurred during the long, cold months.

 He said, “Received your letter of inquiry and was pleased to know you can be numbered among the few of us who are interested in the early history of our cemeteries.  As you know, in the late 1850’s and early 60’s, there were few settlers in the county, scarcely any roads and transportation was very difficult, especially to those hard winters.

Therefore, often a burial was made on the settler’s own land and then came the tiny plots were the settlers buried their loved ones.  Those early settlements were clustered around Humboldt and Dakota City, Lotts Creek, and a small area in Delana Township, around what was then called Sumner.  Therefore, the earliest plots were located at Sumner, about 1857, where Allie Collins infant daughter of the Collins who plotted the cemetery near Rutland, was buried in 1858, near Livermore.  The burial plot one mile south of Dakota City, on part of what is now known as the old Herrick farm, was used by the people of Dakota City and a small settlement east of what is now Humboldt, having 30 to 35 bodies buried there.

As a boy of 10, I well remember this little plot and its white markers, as we kinds, in October, gathered hazel, hickory, walnut and butternuts in Peterson woods, adjacent to this cemetery.

Several years ago I visited the plot to find there was nothing left but a few broken and scattered slabs.  G. P. Ruse informed me he visited the area this last summer and all evidence of a burial ground was gone.  We of Humboldt County should regret, and do, that these early cemeteries have been neglected and lost.

This fine old gentleman, who cared so much, was laid to rest in 1967, in the beautiful Union Cemetery; a well cared for plot northwest of Humboldt.  His contribution to the historical findings in Humboldt County will long be read and cherished by future generations. 

Mrs. Carlson, who lives north o f Humboldt at the Rutland corner, has been instrumental in bringing about the restoration of any old, forgotten cemetery east of Rutland, not far from her farm.

 This spring, Mrs. Carlson and her neighbors, Harold and Anita Hinners, decided to take on the restoration of the Rutland Cemetery as a Rutland Bicentennial project, not only to improve its physical appearance but to actually restore its lost dignity by finding out who still lies buried there so an accurate history might be compiled for future historical value.  Anita has compiled an accounting of their activities since work began in April.  (The Amy Kirchhoff mentioned is Mrs. Carlson’s daughter.)  She and her husband, Norman, were instrumental in the restoration of the old schoolhouse that now has become a part of the Humboldt County Historical Museum complex in Dakota City.)  It is interesting to see how many contacts were made and how these contacts sometimes lead to unknown information, quite by accident.  The following account is the result of many hours at the court house, digging through old records.  It is also the result of personal contact with people who, often times, remember only a few details, leaving the inquirer with only part of what she needed and then, often, in question as to accuracy of a person’s memory.

This account has been written down as the information was compiled and may, in some instance, be inaccurate, but not intentionally so.  Often times no tow people remember the same incident in the same way, which leads to conflicting reports.  Anita has recorded information as it was told to her and to Anna Carlson in the following account.  Much of the research was done by Mrs. Carlson, over the past years, and many letters were written, by her, to persons believed to be relatives buried in the Rutland Cemetery.  The record begins April 11, 1976, and reads as follows:

 On March 16, 1976 I was checking through the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors notes from between 1873 and 1881.  We found in the records of the Court House that in Book 22, page 352 of the Humboldt County Recorder that there was a condemnation case from April 7, 1881 from the Rutland Cemetery Assn., to the Toledo and N. W. R. R. Company in checking the records were found that the cemetery received $50 damages for the case.  This is the first record that we could find that was in the name of the Rutland Cemetery and was the name of the railroad that completed their contract to put in the railroad.

December 12, 1873 was the patent (first deed to land) from the State of Iowa to the Des Moines Valley Railroad Company for ground located where the cemetery is.  The owners of the Myron Whipple farm before Myron’s family was D. A. Martin, November 28, 1868, and was sold to William R. Thomsen in 1872 then to Whipples later.  The cemetery is listed as a one acre plot.

 Also in the Supervisors books we found that May 1871 it said the Des Moines Valley R. R. had “graded from Humboldt and thence to Rutland.”  Couldn’t quite figure that out as the land hadn’t been deeded to anyone yet.  Also in May 1875 on page32 of the Supervisors book that the first railroad was agreed on and would be a clap narrow gauge R.R. On page 37 Supervisors Book 2 it stated that they agreed to run a track and have a railroad in and have a depot in Rutland by January 1, 1877 by the Des Moines Valley R. R.  This company never fulfilled their obligations, so was not done at that time.  Page 179 it stated the Iowa Minnesota and North Pacific R. R. failed their contract.  On page 69 of their books it said their names and locations of the swampland would be given to the U. S. land office in Des Moines.  This land would be deducted from their taxes.  Humboldt County did not want to give them their swampland, so the deal with the railroad did not go through.

Also it was shown in the plat map of an earlier date, 1883 that on the south side of the road between Myron Whipple farm and he Warren Whipple farm was a schoolhouse that was the Union Independent School.

 Also in the supervisors books we found the name of the County surveyor who was T. Elwood Collins who platted the Rutland cemetery.  His name appeared on pages 82, 101, 67, 125 of this book.  There may have been more, but these were the ones I found on the pages I went through.  

 A county surveyor by the name of T. Elwood Collins was county surveyor from about 1872 to 1875 and was during these years the cemetery was plotted out by him.  He also laid out the plot for the cemetery by Livermore which is by the Ferris Hundertmarks.  There were no county churches at this time, but the Methodist Church in Rutland which started in 1872 was started.  St. Paul’s Methodist Church at North Maple Grove was started in 1898 and was located across from Bill Woods present farm.  Some of the burials from North Maple Grove were made at this cemetery.  The services were held in the homes.  The Baptist Church at Rutland was built in 1882 or 1883.

 The railroad must have gone through the cemetery since on April 7, 1881 a case was brought to be the Cemetery Association against the Toledo and Northwestern Railroad Company.  The cemetery received $50 damages.  So this would lead us to believe the cemetery had to be there before there was a railroad there.  The first railroad in the county came in 1879.  The road must have cut through the cemetery also. 

 In 1943 Amy Carlson, who is now Mrs. Norman Kirchhoff walked with her students from South Maple Grove School to study the cemetery for a history lesson.  The recorded names and dates of the remaining stones are as listed in the newspaper clipping in this record.

 The present trustees of the township are Floyd Blomker, Miles Holden, Roger Michelson, and Warren Whipple.  These are the remaining stones in the cemetery:

Rasmina K. Rasmussen - died December 1887.  It reads on the stone “Wife of Anders J. Anderson – Died at age 37 years.  His name was Andrew in this county and he is buried at Union Cemetery – died 1921.

Nielsine Andersen – One stone is spelled Nielsine and one is spelled Neilsine.  Her stone says born March 2, 1887, died August 20, 1887.  Elwood Hansen said this is the twin sister to his mother, Hannah, who is buried in Union Cemetery.  Nielsine is the daughter of Rasmina K. Rasmussen and Andrew J. Andersen.  They have checked the records for births, but can find no state or county records as Hannas date of birth is listed on her stone as 1878.  They think there might be a possibility Hoff and Elwood Hansen are the grandchildren of Rasmina K. Rasmussen Andersen.  Also Mrs. Tom (Hansen) Christensen said Rasmina was her grandfather’s sister.

Georgie Harrington – died 1889.  His stone was there in 1943, but could not locate it now.

 Alexander K. Creig who was 44 year old man, native of Scotland died in May 4, 1879.  Stone said 44 years, 5 months.

 James W. Creed – 15 years, 11 months, 25 days – died May 8, 1880.  In a Rutland Illustrated Humboldt Republican paper we coped from the original of Mrs. Myron Whipple a man from Rolfe named A. W. Creed ran a store between 1875 and 1880.  We believe this is probably a relative of this man.  He ran the store in Rutland for about 3 years and it said he went to a more populace center.

LaVerna May Worster – Sept 2, 1881, daughter of A. E. and N. E. Worster, 4 years, 8 months 2 days.

 Marie Larsen died at birth July 17, 1885.

 Hans P. Larsen – 8 months – July 28, 1887.  Marie and Hans were children of Peter and Marne (Mary) Larsen who lived in Section 4 of Rutland Township, where Carla and Gerald Pederson now live.  Anna Larsen, sister of Marie and Hans, married John Jensen.  Their sons were Leslie, Leonard and Albert, daughters, Hazel, Mrs. Erling (Link) Olson from Bode, Mrs. Jack (Mable) Russell in Des Moines, Evelyn, Mrs. Ozzie Halsrud from Humboldt and Doris Miller.  Hazel Olson and Albert Jensen would be a nephew and niece to Hans and Marie.

 Two boys, sons of Lars Peter and Marie Jacobsen Jensen from North Maple Gove, Section 5, were buried here and later moved to Union Cemetery where they are located west from the caretakers building.  They were both named Hans.  The first one was born in 1881 and died 1888.  The second was born 1890 and died 1891.  One died from diphtheria.  These were brothers to Lillie Jensen Christensen and Walter Jensen (Don Jensen’s father)

 This would mean that there were still burials in the Rutland Township Cemetery in 1891.  There were several more removals from this cemetery.  Some to Union and some to Fort dodge cemeteries.  There have been no burials or removals for at least 60 years.

 Hedy Schultz Sorensen told us her great grandfather Petersen from Denmark is buried in the northwest corner but had no stone on his grave.  He lived with relative when he came from Denmark.  They were the Jim Johnson parents who live where Dale Erickson’s farm …. Hedy Sorensen’s great-grandfather was Jeppe Petersen.  He had a daughter born in Als, Denmark.

 In April 1968 Elwood Hansen, Milford Hoff and Earl Knieriem cemented the stones of Rasmina and Neilsine in the northeast corner of the cemetery.

 Sandy Smith from Canada who was a great uncle of Mrs. William Lanning on her mother’s side was buried in this cemetery.  She had no records of the dates, but there was a stone a few years ago when they visited the cemetery.  Mr. Smith was a farmer near Unique and was from Scotland.

 Mrs. Esther Curry’s grandparents, Orlando Godden’s had three little boys buried in our Rutland Township Cemetery.  Mrs. Curry remembers as a small girl having these little boys moved to Union Cemetery which would have been about 1900.

 Mrs. Curry was born in 1894.  Her mother was born in 1872.  One little boy August 19, 1873, one 1874.  Her uncle, Ivan, was born August 1875, and a boy died as a tiny baby in 1877.  One of these first little boys lived one year and one lived two years.

 This cemetery had set idle for several years until the FFA boys of Humboldt High School and their teacher; Mr. Milan Petras cleaned it up and planted white pine and cedar evergreens and honeysuckle bushes as a tribute to the Civil War dead of a century ago.  This was in 1962.

 Jens Simonsen mowed this for several years until 1970 when he moved to town.

 March 10. 1976—talked to Elwood Hansen and his wife at Anna’s.  Plan to locate the stones in the front center where the footing is for the Creed stone.  Talked with Floyd to see if we could burn off the cemetery.  He said it would be alright and to contact Deanna Ludwig of the Fire Department, which we did that night.

 March 18, 1976—Went to auditors office to read the records of the County Supervisors hoping to find out a little about the cemetery and railroad running to Rutland.  Did not find where the cemetery was given title to the land.  It was registered to a D. A. Martin November 28, 1868 and was sold to William R. Thomsen in 1872.  So would probably been when Mr. Thomsen owned the land the cemetery was started.  In 1881 the railroad had a case with the cemetery.  Cemetery received $50 damages.

 Went to the Bicentennial meeting to see if they would like to help with the cemetery project in Rutland.  Garnie Hood said he could probably mow the cemetery with his tractor mower he had just gotten at a sale.  This is a rotary mower that fits under the tractor.  The Bicentennial committee agreed to burn it some Saturday and then to rake it having wieners for the children and coffee.  Floyd told me he had trustees minutes back to the 1860’s.  Mrs. Ernest Tellier offered some peonies for the cemetery.

 March 17, 1976 – Went on Cancer drive and Mrs. Myron Whipple gave me a 1905 Humboldt paper with story of Rutland.  In this story I found a Mr. Creed from Rolfe lived in Rutland a few years running a store there.  His name was A. W. Creed.  We are surmising this would be the same family as James W. Creed, whose stone is in our cemetery, Scott Mason said hw would furnish two or three plaques and markers for those not having stones and names we knew of Harold talked to Floyd and asked for a new gate and told him the cement would be about a 4’ x 8’ area.

 March 20, 1976 –Anna Called and said Albert Jensen had talked to Laurel Worster and this might be a relative as they vaguely remember having someone tell of a relative that might be there.

 March 21, -- Elwood Hansen and Harold pulled out three honeysuckle and knocked over the burned evergreen at the cemetery.  Elwood found the other half….footing northwest of the Creed’s footing.  Anna said the Harrington stone was little northwest of the Creed’s and the stone was there in 1943 when Amy wrote her story.  Janell Laruitsen and Elwood offered gates for $20 for the cemetery.  Janell has a 14’ gate and Elwood’s is a 9’ gate.

 March 26 – Called Floyd and he asked how much cement would be, a 4’ x 8’ from Crofts would take about ¾ of a yard of cement at the cost of $31 per yard, plus a $6 delivery charge.  Also told Floyd about Janell’s gate which is a 14’ gate.  He has to check with other trustees.  Talked to Willard Hart and be checked with the County Attorney Lee and under 1975 Code Sec. 359.30, 359.33 and 359.34.  He said the trustees would be the ones to decide how far we could go with the project.  Called Floyd and told him.  Florine Hood called and asked Harold and I to go to the Bicentennial meeting in Des Moines April 6, since we are helping the Rutland group with the cemetery and their project.  Marilyn Dodgen came to Anna’s this afternoon and we are going to put an article in the paper to see if anyone has any information on the cemetery.

 March 30 –Called Floyd and he contacted Miles Holden and he gave us the go ahead on the cemetery.  Went to the Bicentennial meeting at Rutland.  Randy said he would get some help and burn off the cemetery when it was dry.  Harold and I were put on the Board for Bicentennial Committee, since we are working with the cemetery project.

 Saturn April 3, --We raked at the cemetery, pulled out some burned trees and did general clean up work.  It was a cold, windy day.  Those helping were Joan Hinners, Robin Boughery, Wade Hinners, Scott Ludwig, Rod Ludwig, Julie Hinners, Mrs. Ron Fridlfson, Deanna Ludwig, Dean Ludwig, David Hoover, Joel Tille, Jolene Tille, Harold Hinners, Anita Hinners, Mable Ericksen, Anna Carlson, Joseph D. Tille, Arlene Tille, Warren Whipple and Marj Whipple.  Anna. Marj Whipple and I brought doughnuts, cookies and coffee and pop.  Marilyn Dodgen came out and took a picture of the workers to put in the Humboldt paper.  After we finished at the cemetery in the afternoon the kids came up to our place and had hot dogs and pop.  All the rubbish from the cemetery Warren Whipple told us we could put on his pile in the field since it was too windy to burn today.  Elwood Hansen and Carl Vought were workers to help clean up the cemetery, though not on Saturday when we all raked.

 April 5, --Carl Vought and Harold Hinners went to the cemetery to prepare placing the stones permanently in concrete.  The Croft truck came out to pour the ready mix.  Anna Carlson and I went down to the Lindhart Funeral Home to get the markers for the ones we knew were buried there but the stones were gone.  Scott Mason told us they would donate the markers.  They did a beautiful job of making the markers for Georgie Harrington, died 1889, Hansen baby boy, Anderson baby; and Mr. Peterson; All Others Unknown, God Bless Them.

 The stone of James W. Creed is in its original place with the old footing at the base of his headstone in the newly poured concrete.  The footing is directly ahead of his headstone.

 Also the footing of the Larsen babies which was located a little north and west of the Rasmussen and Andersen graves, Carl and Harold put down into the ground, with the remaining part of the headstone showing above the ground to mark the place of burial.  Carl Vought worked at the cemetery this afternoon and started the old stumps north of the honeysuckle on …. He was cutting little trees and burning the stumps they could clean out...volunteer trees behind the honeysuckle hedge.

….working the cemetery.  Marilyn Dodgen called for me to identify the pictures for the paper she had taken the day we raked the cemetery.  Talked to Mrs. Tellier and she could donate some peonies to plant by the new cement later this week.

 April 6, -- Carl Vought went down and spent some time at the cemetery burning stumps yet and digging out little trees.  Harold and I went to Des Moines with Garnie Hoods to the Bicentennial Wagon Train, program at the fairgrounds and reception at the capital given by Governor Ray.  Marilyn Dodgen came to take Carl’s picture while he was working at the cemetery.

 April 7, --West stump was burned so Harold and Carl spent the morning pulling trees with Harold’s tractor behind the honeysuckle hedge.  Burned some more on the east stump.  Has a ways to go yet.  Really looks nice where they cleared the ground.

 April 8 –Mrs. Tellier dug some red peonies and she and her husband with the help of Carl Vought planted them about two feet back from the cement platform.   They planted 8 clumps of peonies.

 April 9 – Went into Humboldt tonight and went into Anthony’s and talked to Lois Saathoff.  She told me that either some of her father’s or mother’s people were buried in the Rutland Cemetery, but she would have no way of knowing who they would have been.  Mrs. Saathoff lives in Rolfe and works at Anthony’s in Humboldt. I told Anna this and she said Lois is related to the Bairs and she thought this would have her mother’s father’s sisters; some of the Bair relatives said they had moved them to Fort Dodge to another cemetery for reburial.

 Anna Carlson and Elizabeth Vought both say there used to be lots of stones in the cemetery and especially in the southwest corner of the cemetery.