Cemetery

Historical Information

Section 30 Spring Township Cemetery
In 1882, action was taken in regard to the cemetery on the land of W. M. Morse. This was located in the NE corner of NW ¼ of NE ¼ of Section 30 in Spring township.
This land was evidently used as a cemetery previous to that time as Mrs. S. W. Woodworth, Cherokee tells us her brother, John McCulla, first born of the J. McCulla family was buried there in 1875 at the age of about one year.

According to the record book, two cemeteries were established, the other was on Section 32. This was necessary for the Little Sioux River divided the two areas.

The cemetery in Sec. 30 was on the land of W. M. Morse. Early in 1883, the minutes report “The bill of Wm. Crooks for $34.78, money expended in procuring a deed to a lot for a cemetery was allowed.
On motion, 1 ¼ mills on the dollar was levied on all taxable property of Spring township as a cemetery fund. On motion, Wm. Crooks was appointed to have the cemetery surveyed, plowed, seeded and move the fence on the lines and finish fencing the same with a four-board fence.”

In 1884, the following expenditures were recorded for the cemetery that is now rampant with weeds, thickets and poison ivy” for ½ bushel of bluegrass seed - $1.13, paid to I.D. Reher for plowing cemetery - $1.50.

In 1884, the board of trustees met at the cemetery to let the contract to fence the cemetery. “Bids were received and contract let to E.W. Parker for $40.50; township to furnish all material. Posts to be set six feet long, four boards high with the joints broke, an upright strip on each post and a cap board on top. A double gate composed of five-foot gates, the whole to e completed in a good and workmanship manner, said E. E. Parker to draw all material from Cherokee. Old fence sold to W. M. Morse for $10.25.” F. A. Foster reported in the minutes of that November meeting.

First mention in the books on the cemetery established in Section 32 is datelined, April 25, 1887. At this meeting the following specifications for a fence were approved. “Fence to be five galvanized wires, first wire to be 10 inches from ground, second space six inches, third space eight inches, fourth space 11 inches and fifth space thirteen inches. Posts to be of white oak, set 36 ½ feet apart. Two 12-foot 4 x 4 braces at each corner and also each side of the gate. Gate to be five foot wide, gate to be made frame of dressed studding with pickets nailed on usual distance apart. Whole gate to be painted two coats of lead and oil”.

Contract was let to A. M. Dunn for $35.00 for fencing cemetery. Plowing, seeding and otherwise improving the lot.

There are several graves in this cemetery also, but no record of who might have been buried in this cemetery could be found. (Source: Former Cherokee County Historical Society scrapbook. Hand dated 1963)
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Section 30 - Purple flowered thistles, poison ivy, plum thickets compounded by a labyrinth of underbrush or setting in lonely splendor under a giant evergreen a few of the graves that were marked by stones can be found in the Spring township cemetery established in the early day of settlement in that region. This stone separated from its base had on front: Nathan Haynes who did in February of 1882 and on the side, this Inscription: Addie, daughter of N. C. Haynes, died October of 1881. Cemetery is located in Section 30 on west side of the diagonal road south of the blacktop going east out of Larrabee. (This citing goes with the previous cemetery story in 1963)

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SPRING TOWNSHIP CEMETERY HISTORY
Mrs. John N. Snidecor of Los Angeles Tells of Platting of Cemetery in 1870.
Los Angeles Calif.; Editor Cherokee Evening Times: -
Dear Sir: My attention has been called to the article in your paper of Nov. 23rd last about the Spring township cemetery and I feel compelled to write you what I know of the matter, though it may be a little late. In May 1870, Mr. Snidecor and I moved from Marshall County, Iowa to Cherokee County to settle on a homestead in Spring township. In December, 1870, a little daughter was born to us. She lived but a few brief days. No cemetery had, at that time, been located anywhere near us. I felt averse to burying the little body out on the bleak prairie, even on our own homestead. So, the neighbors met at our home to confer on the matter. Wm. Crocks, W.W. (illegible), W. M. Morse, Dr. E. W. Parker, J.(illegible) and a few others were present. After much kindly talk, W. M. Morse familiarly called “Wick”, donated a piece of ground for a (illegible) cemetery, and (rest of sentence is illegible).

I cannot speak (part of sentence is illegible) school grounds (illegible) for later on, but I taught (illegible) school several years and (illegible) taught in the old log school house near the “Ed Parker” homestead.
I am sending you a copy of the Cherokee Weekly Times, Feb 1, 188? With an article making a clear statement of the affair up to that (illegible) I am sure it is correct for I (illegible) look up the facts and wrote them myself. We moved into the town of Cherokee in 1885 and came to California in 1908.

W. M. Morse passed away some time ago somewhere in the west. Also, Mr. Crooks, Dr. F. W. Parker and W. W. (illegible) are living in Pasadena. Respectfully yours, Mrs. John N. Snidecor, (house # illegible) Mariposa Ave., Los Angeles, California.

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SPRINGTON CEMETERY
It is well known that in December 1870, Wick Morse gave one-half acre of land to the public for a cemetery on the condition that it be fenced and a row of trees planted about it, with condition was carried out in the (illegible). But when the people having performed their part of the agreement, expected the need to be forthcoming, Mr. Morse (illegible) taken unto himself a gentle bride, refused, point blank, to give any.

Time passed on, interments occurred as occasion required, until some twenty had found their last resting place there. All was quiet save the occasional outbursts from the former owners and a renewed assurance that they would never give a deed nor let the matter rest till the last body was removed. But there is a time when forbearance ceases to be a virtue and that time arrived when in March, 1882, Mr. M. being at a neighbors, whose child had just died, advised them not to bury in that yard, as it was only a pauper’s burying ground, and they should fence it inside their pasture anyhow in the spring, thus deterring the family from laying the child beside its own relatives. This was followed in the spring by Mr. M., actually driving the posts for his pasture fence within the limits of the cemetery. The indignation and scorn of the people were thoroughly aroused. The trustees of Spring township Messrs. Crook, (illegible and Johnson (illegible) met and took measures for condemning one acre of ground. The matter was carried before the court of Cherokee, November last, Judge (illegible) presiding, granted the township a deed for (illegible) acre of ground.
(Next Paragraph illegible)
Yours, (illegible
January 27, 188?

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All was not smooth sailing in our early settlement years. The neighborhood could easily split over the establishment of a cemetery. The following items is taken from Feb 1, 1883 news papers and concerns a cemetery in Spring Township.

Again and again during the past few months, questions have been asked throughout the county of Cherokee and southern O’Brien, what has been done about the graveyard that Wick Morse and his wife have so long been contending about?

Several families living remote from the cemetery have buried one or more of their family members there. They and the public demand an understanding of the matter and if you will grant me space in a column for a statement of the same, I will be as brief as possible.

It is well known here that in 1870 Wick Morse gave one half acre of land to the public for a cemetery on one condition that it be fenced and a row of trees planted about it. The conditions were carried out in due time. The people having performed their duties as per agreement expected a deed to be forthcoming.
Mr. Morse who in the meantime had taken unto himself a gentle bride, refused point blank to give any. Time passed on, interments occurred as occasion required until some 20 had found their last resting place there.

All was quiet, save occasional outburst from former owners and renewed assurances that they would never give a deed or let the matter rest until the last body was removed.

But there is a time when forbearance ceases to be a virtue and that time arrived in March 1882 when Mrs. Morse being at a neighbors whose child had just died advised them not to bury it in the graveyard as it was only a pauper’s burying place and they should fence it inside their pasture anyhow in the spring, thus deterring families from laying the child beside its own relatives.

This was followed in the spring by Mr. Morse actually driving posts for his pasture fence within the limits of the cemetery. The indignation and scorn of the people was thoroughly aroused.
The Trustees of Spring Township Messrs Crooks, Stephenson and Johnson promptly met and took measures for condemning one acre of ground.

The matter was carried before the Courts of Cherokee, November last. Judge Zuver presided granted the township the deed for one acre of land upon payment of $25 to W. M. Morse.

Thus ended this unpleasant controversy. To many people, it was sacred ground; to the owners, a few square yards of tillable sod.

The trustees proposed removing the old fence and enclosing the acre by a new one having it surveyed into lots and change this now desolate looking spot into one that shall be ore pleasant to all. (Source: Former Cherokee County Historical Society scrapbook, hand dated 03-1969. Article shows the original source as: The Cherokee Courier, Cherokee, Thurs, Mar 13, 1969, pg. 15)

Spring Township Cemetery In The News....

W. M. Morse or “Wick” Died
W. M. Morse or “Wick” as he was more familiarly known, died in Washington territory Feb 10, near the home of Riley Lee, his brother-in-law. Mr. Morse was one of the early settlers in this county, and at the time of his death owned nearly a section of land in Spring township. He was a brother of Win Morse, and is well remembered by all old settlers. (The Weekly Cherokean-Democrat, Cherokee, IA, Wed, Mar 13, 1889, pg. 1)

ACTIONS SETTTLED WITHOUT HEARING
Akers vs. Scott Settled and Status of Spring Township Cemetery Seems to Be Unchanged
Case grew out of Spring township cemetery altercation.
In Akers vs. Scott settlement was made out of court. It is understood that the defendant pays a small part of the court costs. The case involved the status of a cemetery in Spring, plaintiffs alleging that defendants intended to plow or otherwise utilize the small plot embraced in the cemetery, the status of which seems to remain as before. (Source: Cherokee Evening Times, Cherokee, IA, Fri, Apr 18,1924, pg. 1)

Section 30 Old Cemetery Cleanup Planned
Mrs. William Cummins, Mrs. Don Duvall and Mildred Moorhead, all of Cherokee and members of the County Historical Society have begun a program that will take lots of muscle, sweat and just plain determination.

Interested in the restoration of old cemeteries, they are now hard at work cleaning up the old Spring Township cemetery located in section 19 of that township. Burial place of pioneers settlers of Spring township only a few stones mark their graves. They hope to enlist the help of other members of the Society is helping restore this cemetery and others that maybe neglected and overgrown.

In the case of this cemetery, where it is known there are several unmarked graves, the Society hopes to ascertain who is buried here so they can be listed for future reference and perhaps marked in some way.
An attempt is being made to list those buried in this cemetery and other old time burial places. If you have any information on this subject, please contact any of the above trio or call the Cherokee Courier with your information.

Also, anyone interested in helping out with the clean up project is invited to contact these women and offer their services. (Source: Former Cherokee County Historical Society scrapbook, hand dated 07-1966)

Spring Cemetery Landscape Plan Needs Flowers
The fund for restoration of the Spring Township cemetery is now well over $100 and plans are in motion for landscaping and erecting a monument in memory of those buried in this pioneer burial place.

Committee in charge Mrs. William Cummins and Mrs. Garland Duvall of Cherokee reports they would appreciate the donation of perennials, such as peonies, lilies, balsam asters, petunias, mums, etc. from those gardeners who may have some to spare. Just give either of the women a call.

Grass has been sown and fertilized and had made a creditable growth over the grounds, trees have been trimmed and the dead removed.

A list of names of those buried in the Spring cemetery is now being prepared so they may be inscribed on the stone monument the group is planning to erect in their memory.

So far 14 burials have been verified. It is believed a Wayne Morse is also buried here but so far this has not been ascertained. Anyone having information concerning Morse or any other burial here is asked to contact Mrs. Cummins or Mrs. Duvall that they may be included on the stone.

In addition to flowers for transplanting, cash donations are also welcome. Fences surround the cemetery are in need of repair, gates need replacing in addition to the work already done. (Source: Former Cherokee Historical Society scrapbook, hand dated 09-1966)