Pleasant View Cemetery Improvement Society

Organized November of 1915

Mrs. Clara Smith, President

Mrs. Nellie Richmond, Secretary

Membership dues $1.00

The first meeting of the new cemetery improvement society was on May 11, 1916. There were twenty-five members present at the meeting. At that time Mrs. Mattie Wight was elected treasurer.

The first members to sign were Mrs. Mary Weeks, Mrs. Annie Busch, Mrs. Stella Hatfield, Mrs. Lillie Shaw, Mrs. Ava Leveke, Mrs. Maud Eivins, Mrs. Nellie Richmond, Mrs. Clara Smith.

Later members were Mrs. Mattie Wight, Mrs. Ollie Finney, Mrs. Ida Eivins, Mrs Mary Greenfield, Mrs. Susan Walker, Mrs. Inez Decker, Mrs. Lina Smith, Mrs. Lizzie Rehard, Mrs. Ida Smith, Mrs. Ollie Bond, Mrs. Sarah Jane Busch, Mrs. Nora Phillips, Mrs. Anna Smith, Mrs. Ida Clark Wilson, Mrs. Lizzie Brock, Mrs. Florence Sayles from Stuart, Nebraska, Mrs. Cora Krell, Mrs. Bertha Krell, Mrs. A.M. Hart, Mrs. Blanch Brock, Mrs. Barbara Krell of Omaha, Nebraska, Mrs. Nora Moore, Miss Jane Smith, Mrs. Kate Wilson, Mrs. Stella Furry from Arlee, Montana, Mrs. Carrie Earp of Waukee, Iowa and Miss Ruth Walker.

At the first meeting the members planted flower bulbs, set out plants and trimmed the trees and straighten some of the tombstones.

Their next meeting was on May 29, 1916 at the cemetery. The members mowed the cemetery. The twenty members attending the meeting donated their time to the society.

The third meeting at the cemetery was August 28, 1916. The members again mowed the cemetery. They also trimmed some trees and cut some trees down. Only 9 members were able to make it to this meeting.

The members called a special meeting at Tom Smith’s. At that meeting they made cement grave markers for the unmarked graves. In total they made 16 markers. They had to call a second meeting at Tom Smith’s and this time they made 13 markers. Then on November 10, 1916 the new cement markers were installed. It took a total of 4 bags of cement at .50 cents a bag with a total cost of $2.00 to make the cement markers.

On September 7, 1916 the Pleasant View Cemetery Society held and ice cream social. They received $13.25 from their social. Their expenses were paper, ice cream cones, peaches and sugar coming to a total of .97 cents. Thus giving them a profit of $12.28.

Their annual statement of income is as follows.

Cleared from ice cream supper                                              $12.28

Membership fees                                                                    $35.00

Mowing of cemetery                                                               $10.00

Monies donated                                                                      $109.50

                                                                                          ___________

                                                                                             $166.87

Their annual expenses:

Cement for markers                                                                $2.00

Arch, front fence & gates                                                       $154.16

Cement & 1 load of sand for fence                                         $2.88

Hauling out arch & cement                                                     $3.00

                                                                                         _______________

                                                                                              $162.04

The first meeting of the new-year was April 30, 1917 at the cemetery. Only four members were present to put out plants that would live through the winter and come up in the spring. They sowed flower seeds and set out gladiolus bulbs.

At the second meeting on May 16, 1917 they met at the cemetery and put out more gladiolus bulbs and some other plants. There were seven members present for this meeting.

May 29, 1917 was the third meeting of the year for the cemetery society. At this meeting they mowed the cemetery. The society had received money from the township for cleaning the cemetery and the money was to be used for hitch-racks. They received $5.00 for their work that day. Then on August 28, 1917 they once again mowed the cemetery. They also received another $5.00 for cleaning the cemetery, which was used for the hitch-racks.

 It was moved and seconded that the society meet sometime in August to elect officers. Those elected on August 28, 1917 was Mrs. Clara Smith, president. Mrs. Nellie Richmond, secretary and Mrs Mattie Wight as treasurer.

The 1917 annual statement found the society with income of: $10.00 from the township, Donations of $2.00, and a carry-over in the treasury from 1916 the amount of $4.74. Leaving them with a balance of $16.74.

May 10, 1918 found the members of the society planting gladiolus bulbs, geraniums, and flower seeds at the cemetery. On September 3 the members mowed the cemetery and put up the hitching posts. There were 17 members present that day. It was decided at this meeting that the past officers would hold over for another year. The $5.00 the society received for mowing the cemetery was donated The Red Cross.

The hitching post came to a total of $13.50. There were two post at $1.75 each and five post at $2.00 each. With the treasurer’s balance of $16.74 and the cost of the hitching post the treasurer had a balance of $3.24.

The cemetery society members were back to the cemetery in May of 1919 planting more gladiolus bulbs and other plants. Mrs. Ollie Finney and Mrs. Clara Smith were the two members doing the planting. Then on June 11, 1919 while the men were mowing the cemetery, other men were digging a grave for Mrs. Hatfield.

Then on the 14^th of August while some of the men mowed the cemetery others were digging a grave for Nelson Richmond whose burial took place that day.

For the society annual report for the year 1919 found a balance of $13.24 in the treasury. The society had received $10.00 for the year mowing the cemetery from the township. And they had a carry over in the treasury from 1918 of $3.24.

The society was sorry to report the deaths of three members in 1919. They were Mrs. Estella Hatfield on June 9, Mrs, Lizzie Brock , and Mr. Nelson Richmond August 12.

In May of 1920 found ten members at the cemetery planting gladiolus bulbs, geraniums and foliage plants. Six members were at the June 8^th meeting to mow the cemetery.

On September 9^th the cemetery was mowed once again. This time there were seventeen members present to do the work. New members to the society in 1920 were Ada Binns, and Mrs. John Cornman. The society received $16.00 for the mowing of the cemetery in 1920. And with the 1919 treasury balance of $13.24 that gave the treasury a nice balance of $29.24.

One member passed away in 1920 and that was Mrs. Sarah Jane Busch. She was much missed by the other members.

In May of 1921 members present at the cemetery were, Myrtle Coffman, Hazel Hatfield Bates and Fay Hatfield. They planted gladiolus bulbs and other plants. On the 14^th of July members mowed the cemetery with seventeen members present to do the work. Charles Busch was unable to attend, but he sent someone to help.

In the treasury for 1920 was a total of $29.24. The society had received $8.00 for mowing in 1921 giving them a balance of $37.24. A toilet was installed at the cemetery at a cost of $21.00. They received a dollar in donations, so ended the year with $17.24 in their treasury.

Workers at the cemetery in May of 1922 were Myrtle, Tom and Elmer Coffman, Clara Smith, Fay & Lloyd Hatfield, Mrs. Bell Rogers, Ollie, Bert, Carrol and Nelson Bond. They once again planted flower seeds and gladiolus bulbs. Then on the 26^th of May seventeen members were there to help with the mowing. More flowers were set out. In August the members once again mowed the cemetery. Two members paid their dues, Ada Binns and Myrtle Coffman for a total of $2.00. Mrs. Clara Smith used the $2.00 in which to buy gladiolus bulbs for the cemetery. $1.75 was also paid into the treasury and in 1921 the society received a check for $16.00 for mowing the cemetery. There were no expenses this year so the treasury balance was $34.99.

The society received their first check for mowing the cemetery in 1923 on August 25^th for the amount of $12.50. Once again in the spring members were back at the cemetery planting bulbs and flower seeds.

August 25, 1923 was the last entry in the society’s secretary and treasurer’s report. I received a copy of the Pleasant View Cemetery Improvement Society from Letha Heichel, a teacher that taught in a one-room schoolhouse at the Webster Township Center School house in 1935 and for few more years.

Soldiers buried in the Pleasant View Cemetery by 1923 were Nelson Richmond a cook with the US Navy, World War I. Service from May 27, 1918 to March 1919.

William Richmond served in the Civil War 1861-1865

Alfred York served in the Civil War

Sam Krell served in the Spanish American War as chaplain.

Matt Hart served in the Civil War

Levi Orris also served in the Civil War

Burials were made on the Orris Smith farm on the west side of the road across from the present cemetery. Among those listed were Mrs. Elvira Haven, a baby of Bob Johnson, Olive, Perry & Chuck children of David Richmond, Helen Richmond Likens, Catherine a daughter of George Richmond, a child of Jim Johnson and Abraham Johnson.

In the Ridout’s pasture the burials were Naomi Richmond Jolliffe, Virginia Richmond, Lurena Richmond children of Charles Richmond.