Humboldt County
Historical Association
PO Box 162
Humboldt, Iowa
50548
For the names of people
buried in these cemeteries,
contact Martha Schmidt
mschmidt@trvnet.net
Humboldt County Genealogical Society
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HUMBOLDT COUNTY CEMETERIES
1982
1984
To the nearest number, we have listed twenty-five cemeteries that were or are used for burials. This, of course, does not include those burials, if which we know there are many, outside of cemeteries on farmsteads or the like, as was done many years ago. Our cemeteries are a very interesting part of our history and heritage. We can learn much about our local history with an afternoon walk through a cemetery.
The town of Humboldt has three cemeteries near its boundaries--UNION CEMETERY with its first burial in 1862 with the death of Geo Elithorpe. His stone is in the east part of the cemetery. About 1883 or 1885 the Soldiers Monument was put up. Many changes have taken place including taking out the old iron fence in the 1930's or 40"s where the horses used to be tied during the committal service. In 1979 the big vault on the east side of the cemetery was taken out.
INDIAN MOUND CEMETERY where the vantage point from the mounds is great, was used as a lookout post, as many Indian battles were fought at the forks of the Des Moines River, just south of Indian Mound. A 1938 survey showed the mound to be the highest point of natural earth between the forks of the river in Humboldt County. This was originally Lorbeer land and was their family cemetery, started about 1854.
Directly north of Indian Mound is ST MARY'S CEMETERY.
South on the same road, back in the field, was the old OAKWOOD CEMETERY which was used before Union Cemetery was started. After a time it was abandoned and some burials were moved to Union and all the stones are now gone. It must have been a lovely setting with native oaks on the hilltop and even a lilac bush planted to show someone cared.
Going east toward Thor is the ZION LUTHERAN CEMETERY which was located next to the ion Lutheran Church in Beaver Twp. The first markers are dated 1889.
East down the road a little from Zion is the East Beaver or FLEMMING & KIRCHHOFF CEMETERY. Many of the stones are Kirchoff or Flemmig. The oldest stones are 1875 or 1876. It was started as there was no other cemetery in Beaver Twp. at that time.
Near Thor is another
abandoned cemetery known as the
WILLICKSEN CEMETERY.
A few years ago
there was one monument left, inscription unreadable.
There are also EAST ULLENSVANG CEMETERY and WEST ULLENSVANG CEMETERY, so named because of the many people coming from Ullensvang in Norway.
Further north there is the SWISS CEMETERY and VERNON TOWNSHIP CEMETERY, which are both near Renwick. LAKE LUTHERAN OR LAKE CEMETERY and NORWAY LAKE LUTHERAN CEMETERY had many people who were members of the Hauge Lutheran Church which was located just east. Also Norway-Lake Lutheran cemetery was at the site of the Norway Lake Lutheran Church. Ragnild Nelson was the oldest stone , August 14, 1812-1884.
Livermore has two cemeteries—LIVERMORE UNION CEMETERY whose first burial was that of Allie Collins, son of T. Elwood Collins, born October 3, 1856 and living one year and 7 months, being the first death in the Township. MOUNT CALVARY CATHOLIC CEMETERY is the other cemetery.
Bode has the MEMORIAL PARK CEMETERY just south of the St Olaf Lutheran Church and the BODE CEMETERY just east of Bode on 222.
Ottosen has two cemeteries--UNION CEMETERY which is now used and McKNIGHT'S CEMETERY in Section 17 or Wacousta Twp., with just a few monuments.
Near Gilmore City is the MARBLE VALLEY CEMETERY north of town and MOUNT HOPE CEMETERY just east of Gilmore which was re-opened in 1980. It has been beautifully restored with much work from the trustees in the township. It was founded in 1878 and has many old stones of our pioneer ancestors.
CORINTH CEMETERY is west of Highway 169 a few miles south of Humboldt and is taken care of by Our Saviours Lutheran Church in Humboldt.
RUTLAND TOWNSHIP CEMETERY is located on a hill overlooking the river making a beautiful resting place for many early settlers, including a man and his daughter, relatives of John Quincy Adams, former President of the United States. No stones are standing here, but some have been preserved in cement to save them; at one time there were many stones here
HARDY TRINITY LUTHERAN CEMETERY has a church cemetery east of Humboldt.
In the Bicentennial year of 1976 groups of people or clubs canvassed the cemeteries listing names and dates from all the stones. Our local Historical Association compiled them into a notebook, one copy is at the Humboldt Library, another at the Museum in Dakota City, and a third copy was sent to Des Moines to the State Historical Museum.
Anita Hinners