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DELONG/DELASHMUTT CEMETERY Garfield Twp.,
Sec. 31 |
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The DeLong/DeLashmutt Cemetery was inspired by the friendship of Edward
DeLong and Van DeLashmutt, two
pioneers who came to Mahaska Co. in 1843.
Each donated an adjacent one half acre on a quiet, shady knoll in
order that these family friends might be buried side by side, yet on their
own land. Sometimes known as Six Mile Cemetery, it became a community resting place
for other pioneer friends as well. The first burial came in 1845 with the
death of neighbor John Thomas Wilson at the age of 5. Edward DeLong died
in 1848. The cemetery was
officially platted in 1854 by Edward’s widow, Rachel Baker DeLong, and Van
DeLashmutt. The original limestone
points set in 1854 can still be seen today, and were used to resurvey the one
acre site. |
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Through the years, the DeLong and DeLashmutt families laid to rest many
family members and community friends.
Surnames include Totten, DeMoss, Crookham, Davis, Godfrey, Jackson,
Thrash, and Wilson. The last known
burial was that of Edward Fenwick DeLong, in 1904. A total of at least 41 burials have been
documented so far. By the early 1900’s both the DeLashmutt and DeLong farms had been sold
outside the families. The community resting place, for so many years a place
of quiet peace and reverence, became forgotten and neglected. Cattle and hogs roamed freely over the
graves. Stones were toppled, shattered, lost. Over a century and a half
passed unnoticed on the shady hillside. Few family members could even recall
the location of these ancestral graves. |
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In 1998, descendants of Edward and Rachel Baker DeLong stepped forward
and committed themselves to the restoration of this historic cemetery. With
the guidance and support of the Pioneer Cemetery Commission, work was
undertaken to reclaim what had been lost.
Family members from across the country volunteered their time,
research, and financial support. |
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The first priority was to remove brush and build a fence to keep out
cattle. The cemetery location is
remote; far from public roads, lying on a steep point of land surrounded by
marsh and creeks. Without vehicle
access, bringing in equipment for fencing and restoration was a
challenge. A 4-wheeler brought in
fenceposts; much equipment was packed in on foot. Thanks to the hard work of 20 volunteers,
by the end of August, 1998, the cattle were out for good. |
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Attention shifted next to the search for gravestones. Because no records were kept for this
cemetery, a burial list was reconstructed from various sources. The 1939 WPA Survey was a primary source of
information. Funeral chapel records and newspaper obituaries were invaluable. Queries posted on genealogical websites
connected the project to descendants of all the represented cemetery
families, and these contacts contributed their own clues to the lost history
of the cemetery. In spite of the
outpouring of help from many sources, locating gravestones was, and remains,
an elusive task. Bases without stones,
stones without bases, gravestones
found far from their original locations; all added pieces to a growing
puzzle, recreating a forgotten past. |