Christian Neck Cemetery History

CHRISTIAN NECK CEMETERY is in the northwest quarter of the southeast quarter of Section 28 of Liberty Township. It is one and one-half miles south of Liberty Center and one-quarter mile west. Before it was torn down, the Christian Neck Church stood across the road from the cemetery.

Asa Mosher, one of the first settlers of Liberty township, was born March 22, 1802, in Washington County, New Jersey. He moved with his parents to Delaware County, Ohio, in 1818. Asa married Sarah P. Bunker on July 6, 1825. Later they came to Iowa and Asa helped organize Liberty Township. He was one of the first township trustees, and the first election was held at his home. In 1867 Asa was a charter member of the First Otter Creek Christian Church.

The following people, in July 1867, pledged to organize, establish and perpetuate a Christian Church. Is was named First Otter Creek Christian Church. The charter members were Thomas Hines, Elizabeth Hines, Joseph Hendrickson, John G. Farling, Asa Mosher, Joseph Hall and Catherine Hall.

The church was on the site of the first school house which had been built in the township in 1854. In 1915 a beautiful new church building was constructed under the supervision of the building committee composed of Jim Vinson, Elias Mills and Lon Puderbaugh.

From 1870 until 1926 the First Otter Creek Christian Church was active. Delegates were sent to the Des Moines Christian Conference yearly until 1901. The First Otter Creek Christian Church merged with the Congregational Christian Conference in 1933. On October 25, 1941, the church building and fixtures were sold for $400.00 to the Center Chapel Methodist Church.

Other families who were early members of the First Otter Creek Christian Church were the Kimports, Mills, Yokums, Thorns, Coopers, Brokaws, Currs, Edwards, Sones, Bensons, Warners, Williams, Andersons, Millers and Bushings. Active members of the church in the late 1920s before it was torn down included D.L. Puderbaugh, Ardis Puderbaugh, Harley Puderbaugh, Clark Nyswonger, J.L. Vincent, Cloe Vincent, William Musleman, Gerald Nyswonger, Jasper Sones, Edna Sones, H.S. Staley, George Curnes and Horace Wallace.

Land for the First Otter Creek Christian Church was given by Daniel Davis, according to legend. It is also possible that Mr. Davis' father-in-law, Mr. Cruminine, gave the land for the cemetery. In the 1872 Atlas of Warren County, it shows that J.W. Spencer owned the land surrounding Christian Neck Cemetery. Although it is not certain who gave the land, Mr. Davis, Mr. Cruminine and Mr. Spencer were all pioneers of the Christian Neck area.

Cemetery and Death Records of Warren County, Iowa, Warren County Genealogical Society, Walsworth Publishing Company, Marceline, Missouri: 1980.

View records submitted to the Iowa Gravestone Photo Project for Christian Neck Cemetery.