CEMETERY: PARKER BURIAL GROUNDS, Parkersburg, Butler Co., IA Note reference to Grundy County (at end) This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Ken Kothe March 2000 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ________________________________________________________ NOTE: For more information on Butler County, Iowa Please visit the Butler County, IAGenWeb page at http://iagenweb.org/butler/ ________________________________________________________ James A. Bawn kept a diary between the years l879 and l880. It makes several references to the Parker Burial Yard located on the P. P. Parker homestead in Albion Twp. Mr. Parker was the first postmaster ten years before the town of Parkersburg was established. The Post Office was then found in his home in Section 31. The postal box used in his home, still with his name on it, can be found in the Parkersburg Historical Building. The town of Parkersburg was named after Pascal P. Parker. The cemetery has long ago been abandoned. From the diary: June 23, 1879 "Father made a box to remove Earl from Parker's Grave Yard. Earl died of an intestinal infection at age l year, 10 months and 15 days." June 24, 1879 "Father and I went up to Parker's Grave Yard and took up Earl's coffin and brought it home. It is somewhat decayed but held together." June 25, 1879 "Father dug a grave in the southwest corner of the garden for Earl. We buried it this evening." March 10, l880 "Ena is very sick with diphtheria. I drove to Aplington and got Dr. Stevens. He says Ena has real diphtheria." March 11, 1880 "Ena is about the same as yesterday. Dr. Stevens stayed all day." March 12, l880 "William took Dr. Stevens home. Ena seems a little easier but it is hard to tell. Mother and Julia did a little wash. March 13, l880 "I went to Aplington for Dr. Stevens. I was back in two hours. Ena is much worse. She kept asking for Dr. Stevens till I got back then she seemed contented. Though she suffered a great deal this morning there seemed to be no hope. Mrs. Mack came today and stayed. Judd was taken with a sore throat this afternoon. March 14, 1880 "Ena died this morning nine minutes of four, age 14 years, 7 months and 6 days. She suffered much but died without a struggle. Oh how we miss her, the darling of the house-hold. Uncle Isaac and Aunt Margaret came up and Uncle Isaac and I went to the Berg and got a coffin, cost $22.50. Dr. Stevens rode to Parkersburg with us then went home on foot." March 15, 1880 "Judd is no better, but seems no worse. Harvey and Harry came over this morning and Limon and Charles Codner came up to dig the grave. Harry helped them a little and Harvey helped us do the chores. Then friends commenced coming to attend the burial. We buried her in a plot at the corner of the garden. Quite a number of friends in attendance. Judd seems a little worse but not dangerous. March 16, 1880 "Judd seems about the same as yesterday." March 17, 1880 "Judd is much worse. He has taken with the croup with the diphtheria this morning. Judd became dangerous this evening. I got Dr. Strout down in nearly an hour but could not help him. We have no hope. Now at 2 p.m. 'tis all he can do to get his breath." March 18, l880 "Judd died this morning at 12:50 a.m. age 10 years, 6months and l day. It seems hard to lose another so soon, it feels as if we were all old folks here now. Uncle Isaac came up and went with me to Parkersburg for a coffin. We got one trimmed nearly like Ena's for $16.50 cash. Charley and George Younker and Harvey Duer dug the grave today by the side of Ena's." March 19, 1880 "We did up the chores early, then cleaned up, washed and dressed before anyone commenced coming. Quite a number came to attend the burial. We laid him to rest in the same plot at the corner of the garden with Earl and Ena." NOTE: Earl, Ena and Judd were the children of Francis and Lydia Bawn who lived in Beaver Twp., Grundy Co. The small cemetery is still there south of their house in Grundy Co., Beaver Twp. Section 4. The first child was buried in Butler Co. and then moved. The last 3 died and are buried in Grundy County. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prepared for Butler/Grundy County IaGenWeb Archives by Ken Kothe 3/24/2000