The Harris Centennial
Harris --The past 100 Years
Fairview Township Cemetery
Page 66
Fairview Township Cemetery was plotted in 1883, and is located 3
miles west and ½ mile north of Harris (NW ¼ of SW ¼ of SW ¼
of Sec. 29). It is a 2 ¼ acre plot divided in 72 lots. 67
burials were recorded. The plot was surveyed by the Osceola
County surveyor H.C. Doolittle in 1883, and in April,
1889—F.M. Mc Cleveland, Justice of Peace, was witness to the
final approval.
Some of the names as owners of lots are C.H. Grover, Robertson,
McLogan, E.A. Johnson, George Cleveland, Dick Wasman, George
Hastings, Calhoun, Frank Gage, Watling, Harms, Hromatko, D.H.
Boyd, Walter Walsig, J. Gregg, Leman, Mimer, Nelson Coyer,
Copeland, Cooper and Forbes.
A center lot of the cemetery was marked “tool house”.
This building was later sold and removed. Evergreens and lilacs
were planted in the center area. Some still remain. The cemetery
is fenced and kept mown by the township trustees.
Vandals and weather have destroyed most of the markers. A barely
legible plat as it existed in 1883, is filed with Osceola County
Historical Museum. Many of the burials made in the 1890’s
were young children.
Charles Fousek served as caretaker for 23 years. He states that
the cemetery was originally a Methodist cemetery for the church
located on the farm his parents purchased. The church was built
in the early 1870’s, and served as both school and church
and later moved to the town of Harris near the Rubsam farm.