Cemetery Information for City Council June 17, 2024
We are requesting the formation of a Cemetery Commission whose purposes are as follows:
- To provide volunteer support, financial support, and to document and provide information regarding the gravesites located in the Mount Vernon, Iowa Cemetery.
- To encourage gifts, endowments, bequests, and memorials to the Mount Vernon, Iowa Cemetery.
- To enhance the image, materials, services, and facilities of the Mount Vernon, Iowa Cemetery by undertaking specific projects on its behalf.
- To develop connections with individuals, civic organizations, businesses, and other groups for specific projects on its behalf.
- To create public awareness of the activities of the Cemetery Commission and encourage participation in the organization.
- To assist in maintaining and repairing gravesites.
Property History
The Mount Vernon Cemetery located at 520 First Street East was established in 1851. Elder Bowman announced from the Methodist pulpit that he desired all men of the congregation to join him in clearing two acres of land east of town which had been donated by Oliver Day and Asher Edgerton for a cemetery. An earlier ethodist burial, Lemuel Hahn 1838, was moved to the newly developed site. The Mount Vernon Hawk eye newspaper, Friday, August 9, 1872, published Council Proceedings: mentioning a cemetery committee, fencing around cemetery grounds, and transferring the cemetery from the Methodist church to the City by Ordinance 19. The cemetery’s expansion to
15.33 acres ensures burials would continue.
Why is the cemetery historically significant to Mount Vernon?
The cemetery is a biography of the people who founded the town. Those who are buried in this cemetery illustrate Mount Vernon’s growth and development over the years. The town’s history can be seen in the headstones of the interred. They helped Mount
Vernon grow and prosper — from the early settlers not heeding the call of the westward movement, through the growth of Cornell College, the advancement of the railroad era, and the modern businesses.in the NRHP designated Historic Commercial District.
- As an illustration, the following settlers who were instrumental in establishing the town are buried in the cemetery: (1837) Daniel S. and Pamela Hahn, (1838) William Hayzlett, Peter Kepler and his brothers Henry & Murton, Oliver Clark, Jeremiah Burge, Joseph & Mary Morford, and John Wolfe. Generations of these settlers are buried in the cemetery and their descendants still reside in and around Mount Vernon.
In 1852, the “Iowa Conference Male and Female Seminary” was conceived by George Bowman as the first co-educational college west of the Mississippi River. The name was changed to Cornell College in 1855. The following businessmen help fund George Bowman’s dream of a co-ed school: Henry Albright, Elijah D. Waln, Jesse Holman, William Hayzlett, Henry Kepler, and Allison Willits. Allison is credited for changing the name of the town from Pinhook to Mount Vernon. Holman, Hayzlett, Willits were trustee members with Waln being the board secretary. Albright was the original mason for “Old Sem” Cornell’s first building which served as classrooms, dining hall and dorm rooms for women. All of these founders, funders, and creators are buried in the cemetery along with the first Cornell College President Rev. R. W. Keeler. The graves of Cornell’s 1st
principal and 2nd president S.M. Fellows, along with his wife Olive P. Burr can be found in the cemetery.
Military Veterans are an integral part of the Mount Vernon Cemetery.
Veterans were honored by the American Legion Howard Hahn Post 480 with a 35 X 35 cemetery memorial in 2015.
In 1916, the Woman’s Relief Corps erected a thirteen-foot Stacked Rifles Monument with bronze rifles resting on a granite base. The plaque on the monument reads: To the unknown in memory of our fallen heroes. All honor to our noble dead.
As early as 1893, ladies of the town held a dinner in the Odd Fellow Hall at which they obtained enough funds for an iron fence to add to the graves. In 2012 Ben Koffron’s Eagle Scout project repaired this ornate gate as well as some fencing on the west side of the cemetery adjacent to the Lincoln Highway.
In 2012 sixty-nine Civil War graves were identified and honored with new markers. Among those honored:
- Colonel John Quincy Wilds killed at Cedar Creek battle. The first Civil War veteran’s funeral service held by Methodist Church in 1864.
- Doctor Amos Witter Civil War surgeon and founder of the Mount Vernon Masonic Lodge.
- Colonel Smyth postmaster, Territorial Legislature, State Senator.
- Brigadier General Granville Moody of the 74th Ohio Infantry spent the last years of his life living with his daughter Dr. and Mrs. Hugh Boyd of Mount Vernon and at his request was buried in the cemetery.
- Jesse Holman, son of a Revolutionary War doctor, an earnest Christian and abolitionist
Research by the American Legion Howard Hanh Post 480 shows burials of veterans from the following wars: Spanish-American 1 veteran, WWI 48 veterans, WWII 81 veterans, Korea 19 veterans, Vietnam 14 veterans. Approximately 3,400 individuals of Protestant, Catholic and Jewish faiths are buried side by side in the cemetery. [I used the word approximately because many women were buried as Mrs. in their husband’s grave without their names being added to the cemetery’s roster.]
In 2021 John C. Heider Gravestone Conservation Specialist identified over 100 gravestones with serious conditions: including those that were broken, leaning or buried. Many military markers were identified as needing attention.

Environmental Factors of the Cemetery
My last entry pertains to the identification of significant trees in the original 1851 cemetery. It was my privilege to accompany Justin Myers, tree and shrub manager for Cedar River Garden Center in Palo, Iowa on a walk through the cemetery. The following quotes are attributed to Myers. “The Sugar Maple is quite a glorious specimen at 120 years old and the Red Norway Maple is at least 70 years, and you don’t see them this size very often. There are some truly amazing trees out at the cemetery.” “Over the years memorial Norway Spruces have been planted in the cemetery, several are over 100 years old. One Eastern Red Cedar, native to eastern Iowa, near the Carhart grave has good branching, full glory, one of the largest I have ever seen.” This tree was here when the Methodist volunteers cleared the two acres to create the 1851 cemetery. Its dozen offsprings can be seen when one knows what to look for. “The Burr Oak by the gate is close to 200 years old. Its fifteen-foot-tall offspring is located to the south.” This Burr Oak was alive when the Sac and Meskwaki (Fox) were traveling back & forth to the Flint Hills along the Red Cedar River 3 miles south of the cemetery.
In conclusion The Mt Vernon cemetery is a treasure of our community and would be well served by the formation of the Cemetery Commission to preserve and protect our heritage.
Exhibit “A” CHAPTER 28
CEMETERY COMMISSION
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- Appointment
28.03 Vacancies
28.05 Membership
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- Term of Office
28.04 Compensation
28.06 Powers and Duties
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- CEMETERY COMMISSION. There shall be appointed by the City Council a Cemetery Commission, hereinafter referred to as the Commission, consisting of five (5) members, who shall be qualified by knowledge or experience to make recommendations to the City Council in matters pertaining to the City of Mount Vernon Cemetery, cemetery needs, codes/ordinances, and/or other development needs.
- TERM OF OFFICE. The term of office of the members of the Commission shall be three (3) years. The terms shall be structured in a manner that no more than one-third of the members will expire in any one year.
- VACANCIES. If any vacancy exists on the Commission caused by the resignation, or otherwise, a successor for the residue of the term shall be appointed in the same manner as the original appointee.
- COMPENSATION. All members of the Commission shall serve without compensation, except their actual expenses, which shall be subject to the approval of the Council.
- MEMBERSHIP. It is recognized that a true representation on the membership body may require members residing outside the current city limits. At no time shall the number of non-residents on the commission account for more than two (2) appointees.
- POWERS AND DUTIES. The Commission shall have and exercise the following powers and duties:
- Selection of Officers. The Commission shall choose annually at its first regular meeting one of its members to act as Chairperson and another as Vice Chairperson, who shall perform all of the duties of the Chairperson during the Chairperson’s absence or disability.
- Adopt Rules and Regulations. The Commission shall adopt such rules and regulations governing its organization and procedure as it may deem necessary.
- Recommendations for Capital Projects. The Commission shall serve as an advisory board and make necessary recommendations to the Mayor, City Council and City Staff concerning the cemetery ordinance, cemetery budget and cemetery operations along with long-range planning issues, amendments to the cemetery ordinance and design standards/mapping.
- Encourage the preservation and protection of historical cemetery grounds as well as document and archive factual cemetery history.
- Oversee headstone and other permanent grave marking restoration efforts as allowed by City, State and Federal Code.
- Fiscal Responsibilities. The Commission shall have full, complete and exclusive authority to expend for and on behalf of the City all sums of money appropriated to it, and to
use and expend all gifts, donations or payments whatsoever which are received by the City for City planning and zoning purposes. {Code of Iowa, Sec. 392.1)
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- Limitation on Entering Contracts. The Commission shall have no power to contract debts beyond the amount of its original or amended appropriation as approved by the Council for the present year. (Code of Iowa, Sec. 392.1)
- Annual Report. The Commission shall make a report to the Mayor and Council of its proceedings, with a full statement of receipts, disbursements and the progress of its work during the preceding fiscal year.
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