Cemetery 2007
Old Prairieville Cemetery is located in Rice County MN approximately 2 miles east of Faribault MN city limits on the north side of State Hwy. 60. It is 1/4 miles west of Eiler Ave.
HISTORY OF THE CEMETERY
by Margaret Kelly
Little is known of the history of the cemetery. In History of Rice County published in 1882, the following paragraph is found:
Prairieville Cemetery: This burial ground is located on the farm of William N. Owens, having been laid out in April, 1860. The first interment here was the remains of Mrs. Warren who died April 1855, and who was removed from her former resting place to these grounds as soon as laid out. The grounds are not pretty thickly dotted with head stones and thoughts are entertained of enlarging them.
The Rice County Recorder’s Office holds a copy of the original incorporation document for the cemetery which is dated November 4,1863. This document includes a description of the cemetery ground as surveyed by the Rice County Surveyor, John Oltman. This document was signed by the cemetery trustees, the Register of Deeds, and Justice of the Peace, Alpheus Barrick.
The cemetery ground was divided into 65 plots. Most of the plots measured 16 feet by 20 feet, with five half-plots measuring 8 feet by 20 feet. The alleys between the rows were 5 feet wide. A document in the Rice County Recorder’s Office lists the names of the owners of each plot. Only five plots were listed as “vacant” meaning they were never sold. The list of names of the plot owners corresponds very closely to the names of the East Prairieville/Cannon City neighborhood families as found in the 1857 Rice County census records.
Cemetery 2011
WHO ARE THE PERSONS BURIED HERE?
The first permanent settlers of Section 35 of Rice County came in 1854. In early histories of Rice county that area is referred to as the “east prairie. The 1882 history of Rice County states that this area was “one of the finest prairie lands in the county.” Most of the early settlers of East Prairieville arrived in groups from states east of Minnesota. Many had emigrated earlier from Ireland, Scotland, Germany, and Canada.
The grave stones recently found during the current cemetery restoration are memorials to deceased family members of the earliest settlers, and represent a significant segment of the East Prairieville population during the first decades. Names on those stones found included Corsett, Spencer, Barrick, Hamlin, DeForest, Ross [McRoss], Thompson, Strunk, Powell, Austin, Nelson,and Renslow.
The pioneers listed above played a significant role in the development of East Prairieville, not only as farmers of the fertile land, but also as providers of necessary services to their neighbors. For example, W. B. Spencer, whose father is buried in the cemetery arrived in 1854 and soon set up a variety goods store. In 1858 Spencer also established the first post office. Isaac Hamlin (Jr.), whose parents are buried in the cemetery, later took over the running of that post office, then also became the proprietor of the local hotel. Isaac Barrick and his son Alpheus Barrick arrived in 1855 and set up a blacksmith shop. Alpheus also served as a Justice of the Peace. George DeForest, who along with his wife and two daughters are buried in the cemetery, came to East Prairieville in 1858 and set up a cabinet and carpenter shop. Rev. John Walker Powell (Sr.) was the first itinerant Methodist minister in this part of southern Minnesota. He was stationed in Cannon City in 1863-64, during which time his daughter Flora died and was buried in the cemetery. Logan Ross [whose name sometimes appears as McRoss] was also a blacksmith. His wife Eliza and their grandson little Monte are buried in the cemetery.
Many of the original plot owners left the area and moved farther west. Some left behind their deceased loved ones whose remains were buried in the cemetery. The large number of children’s graves that were found is a strong testimony to the many hardships these early pioneers faced as they established the East Prairieville community.
Sources Used: History of Rice County, Minnesota Historical Company, Minneapolis 1862
US Census Records, Minnesota State & Territorial Census Records
Obits from Faribault area newspapers researched by John & Jan Dalby
and were posted on their website: www.dalbydata.com
WHO ARE THE “FRIENDS OF OLD PRAIRIEVILLE” CEMETERY?
“Friends of Old Prairieville Cemetery”, a non-profit 501 (c) (3) Corporation was formed in 2008. Its mission is “to support the restoration and preservation of this abandoned pioneer cemetery. We do this to honor the War of 1812 and Civil War Veterans and early Minnesota Pioneers buried here.”
Grants from Cannon City Township, City of Faribault Gambling Board, and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans have been essential to the restoration as have numerous individual gifts and donations of volunteer labor.
The need for volunteers to landscape, plan fundraisers, help with a fence and sign, etc. is great. In addition, donations, no matter how small, are appreciated.
Tax deductible donations may be sent to Friends of Old Prairieville Cemetery, Box 450, Northfield, Mn. 55057.
THE STORY OF AN ABANDONED PIONEER CEMETERY
For years the East “Old” Prairieville Cemetery lay beneath a woods and weeds and briars, largely unknown to anyone except a few local residents. The graves of two Civil War Veterans and a War of 1812 Veteran lay buried along with the graves of early pioneers and settlers of East Prairieville, located just East of Faribault, Minnesota in Rice County.
Sometime in the early 1900’s, the cemetery was abandoned and had lain largely untouched since. Efforts in the l980’s and l990’s by John and Jan Dalby, Ole Stark, Helen Stearns, and Dallas Drake to bring this cause to the attention of officials, went largely unnoticed.
Coincidentally, in 2007, Timothy Lloyd, searching for the grave of his great great great grand parents, discovered Old Prairieville Cemetery, abandoned and nearly inpenetrable. Tim’s search for the cemetery and the grave of his ancestor set off a series of actions that have led to the restoration of the cemetery which is still “in process”. With the passage of Minnesota Statute 306.243 MAINTAINING ABANDONED CEMETERIES and increasing pressure from local citizens, county officials agreed to help. Their cutting down of the woods and surveying the cemetery paved the way for restoration to begin.
Two summers of work with specially designed equipment uncovered the gravestones of some 55 Prairieville residents. Most of the gravestones are in good condition, quite legible, and some quite beautiful. Grass is now growing and gravestones protrude from beds of old day lilies that bloom profusely. Eleven large monuments, buried deeply, and perhaps intentionally, have been raised by a professional stone setter and stand now overlooking the Prairie---the view looking much as it must have one hundred fifty years ago when the cemetery was organized.
The “Friends of Old Prairieville Cemetery” have made an effort to restore the cemetery in a way keeping with its Pioneer origins. Beautiful stands of Day Lilies, Vinca, etc. have been maintained while new grass grows around them. Native trees will be planted and a fence will be erected to maintain the cemetery’s borders. It is the hope of the “Friends” that relatives of those buried in the cemetery will bring more information about those buried there as well as the history of the cemetery and its abandonment.
Margaret Kelly is researching the families buried in Old Prairieville and will be glad to share her findings. Questions or information about the cemetery should be directed to the Lloyd’s and Ms Kelly at stp@oldprairievillecem.org or at Friends of Old Prairieville Cemetery, Box 450, Northfield, Mn. 55057.
JOIN US SUNDAY MAY 27TH FOR A MEMORIAL SERVICE
TO HONOR THE PIONEERS AND VETERANS OF
OLD PRAIRIEVILLE CEMETERY
2:00 TO 2:30 - PASTOR LORA ROSA STURM WILL LEAD
US IN A MEMORIAL SERVICE
2:30 TO 4:00 - TOURS OF THE CEMETERY BY “FRIENDS” AND THE CEMETERY GENEALOGIST.
Welcome!
We hope this website will provide up to date progress of the restoration of East (Old) Prairieville Cemetery, Rice County, Minnesota. We welcome information that you might have on the history of the cemetery or of its people. Contact us at stp@oldprairievillecem.org
East Prairieville Cemetery and the M.E. Church
The 1900 Rice County plat map of property owners shows that a section labeled M.E. Church (Methodist Episcopal) was adjacent to the cemetery. All that remains now of the church is the stone foundation and a portion of the iron and wire fence that surrounded it.
However, the M.E. Church owned a plot in the cemetery. In that plot was found one stone belonging to Flora E. Powell who died in 1864 at the age of one year, nine months and eight days. Flora was the young daughter of Rev. J. W. and R.B. Powell. Rev. John Walker Powell (Sr.) was one of the first itinerant Methodist ministers in this part of Minnesota. In 1863-64 he was assigned to Cannon City and during that year Little Flora died and was buried in the Old Prairieville Cemetery. Rev. Powell later moved on to the Blue Earth area. He and his son, John Walter Powell Jr. were responsible for establishing many of the Methodist Churches in southern Minnesota.
Four members of the Embury family, another family with strong Methodist ties, are also buried in the cemetery. The head of this family was Charles Embury, who was the grandson of Phillip Embury, who established the very first Methodist Church in America. (Phillip’s son, Samuel Embury, was Charles’s father). Buried along side of Charles are his wife Hannah Brill Embury, their son Charles Wesley Embury and their daughter Catherine. The four Embury stones are very beautiful, matching stones. Census records show that the Embury family was from Canada, and they arrived in the area sometime in the 1860’s.
NEW: CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS OF ALL OF THE HEADSTONES IN THE CEMETERY. WE HAVE UPDATED SOME PHOTOS AND HAVE NOW INCLUDED PHOTOS OF ALL OF THE GRAVESTONES IN THE CEMETERY.
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