The Redwood gazette., 1934-11-01
REDWOOD WOMEN
ORGANIZED FIRST
CEMETERY GROUP
First Burials in Pioneer City
Were on Banks of Rivers;
Graves Later Moved
(Second of q Series)

\oSSOAFV VI q OSIlcSJ
One of the most historic features
OF any town and place with most
interesting background is the ceme-
terry.
There are found often-times neg
lected, the remains of pioneer men
and men who sacrificed time, money
and even their lives to build a COM
munity to its present-day position.
Written on granite tombstones are
their life histories, lacking details of
a worldly life but stating when they
were born and how long they lived
in community which may have for
gotten their passing.
The care of the remains of those
who were first to die is always enig-
matical in the early history of a
community. Cemetery associations
are frequently belated community
movements and consequently, burial
grounds are scattered from the start.
Redwood Falls is no exception to
this rule. Graves were scattered ov-
er what is now city, but then was
mere gathering of few settlers.
Now and then reports of the disin-
terment of bones occur and an old
resident recalls burial at that par
ticular spot.
With Redwood Falls proper, the
early day burials were in the old
.stockade grounds, at the liberty pole
on the present court house square
or at the Baldwin hotel corner at
Bridge and Mill streets, afterwards
giving way to the old Redwood
house. The principal place of burial,
however, was on the banks of the ra-
vine, back of the present G.. Kuenzli
home at Bridge and Lincoln streets.
There also were spots on the banks
of the Redwood river along Mime
sofa street.
In July, 1873, ten years or more
after the founding Of the town, Ed
ward March purchased from Pome-
roy Angel and surveyed ten acres in
section 81, town 113, range 35, the
present cemetery site. The first bur-
ial there was Julia Ann Longbot-
tom. Burial of her sister, Jane, fol-
lowed soon after. Both were in
June, 1874.
The next burial was that of Mrs.
David Alexander and the fourth was
the body of Eugene Thorpe, soldier
boy, 19, who was drowned in the
Redwood river in 1868. His body
was removed from the village prop
er and placed in the soldier plot, do
mated by William P. Huntington.
Included among the bodies of ear
ly settlers to be transferred from
the village burial spots to the new
cemetery were those of Mrs. Ellen
Penney, William Beard, Beverly
Brown, the Clark baby, Frederick
Thurston, Bella Halliday, Rev. Char
les F. Wright, Albert Werder, Mr..
Simons, DR.. B. Bruci, c.. C. Belt,
Amasa Daniels, the Herriott baby,
the two Fisk sisters and Valentine
APPEL.
Among the children who died in
the early days and whose bodies were
transferred to the new and present
lot were Baby Powell, Price Hollen,
Coulter Virgins and Minnie C. Jones.
Mr.. Huntington and Fred L. War
ner purchased the remaining ground
of the cemetery September "a, 1888,
from Edward March and his wife,
Catherine. September 27, 1884 Mr..
Warner sold his interests to Mr..
Huntington and May 25, 1899, Mr..
Huntington disposed of his interests
to George L. Evans and Mr.. War
ner. A few months later Mr.. War
ner closed out his interests to Emil
Kuenzli and the new owners were
Kuenzli and Evans.
A meeting was held March Is, 1910
when many women of Redwood Falls
gathered and after discussing the
condition of the cemetery, decided to
organize the Redwood Falls Gene
terry association. At this meeting,