Cemeteries > Cemeteries List > Benjamin F. Jesse Cemetery

A baby's tombstone found near the water's edge of Walnut creek by Mrs. Dr. W. S. Aldrich west of the city while picnicking with friends, some time ago has been traced to a forgotten and deserted cemetery in one of the most valuable and choicest properties of West Grand Avenue.

The cemetery was abandoned years ago and as the older generations passed away its location and occupants were forgotten and woods allowed to grow to uproot the small stone markers that had been placed at the graves. Even the owner of the property did not know of the existence of the little cemetery. Its existence now has cost him the loss of thousands of dollars.

A purchaser all but put down the money several weeks ago, but withdrew in horror when he found out from the solicitous neighbors that the ground was the resting place of the dead. Until that time when the man of business will set superstition aside for commercialism and plow the ground into one dust foundation for building lots, the place will be hoodooed.

The little tombstone with a tiny finger pointing upward, hopeful of things looked for, bore only the name of "Baby Shaw," and dated fifty nine years before. A ruthless hand had carried it to the water's edbe as a seat and placed it face down. The significance of the ghastly find wins hardly realized by Mrs. Aldrich until the markings became decipherable after a little cleaning.

Interested to find how the carved tombstone came to be in such an out of the way place, the neighbors of the little community began to investigate. A Mrs. Calvert, living near Greenwood, who has grown children of her own now, identified the stone as one placed over the body of a baby brother or sister in that cemetery, the exact location she had nearly forgotten. Her parents were the earliest settlers in that part of the section and with their parents were buried within that little plat with a number of the old settlers. With what directions she could given them, the little band of investigating women set out to discover the abandoned cemetery.

Broken stones told the story only too well. The latest possible consignment made there could not have been less than thirty years ago. No village cemetery improvement club was orhganized by this band of women. It was as if a spectre of years and laughed derisively in their faces.

With all the force and antagonism of a suburband community these rustle home lovers had effectually defeated the ends of the city to locate a city burial ground north but adjoining their addition.

Transcribed by Cheryl Siebrass, March 2023 from Des Moines Daily News, July 28, 1906, pg. 1 and pg. 5.