A TRIP TO THE COUNTRY AND TO RICHWOODS
By C.E. Carnahan

We are driving from town out northwest past the Blackmore farm, then along the east side and the north side of the farm once known as the John Hughes farm. At the double corner just north of the Hughes' buildings we noticed that the highway had been brought to grade from the city limits and partly graveled to this point.

From these corners we went west crossing Big Creek at what was once known as Fickel ford, but now is spanned by a good county bridge about the year 1900…

After crossing the creek bridge we pause to consider a spot of ground about 80 rods south on top of the hill where 50 years ago we observed two cedar trees of good size growing, one at the head and one at the foot of the grave of Benjamin Morrow who was buried there 84 years ago on April 14, 1864.
There are also at this spot the graves of two negroes who came to Henry County with Mr. and Mrs. Morgan Niece from Pennsylvania and helped Niece settle on this tract of land, building their homes down the hill east near the creek where they also erected a dam across the creek and operated a grist and saw mill on the creek bank. This is on the farm once known as the Criss Bowman farm and is now a part of the Fickel farm.
There are two other graves on the hill, of two old people who came here with Mr. and Mrs. Niece. Their names are unknown. Morgan Niece is buried at this spot also.
[Excerpts from "The Mount Pleasant News" July 24, 1948]
[Note: The exact location of these burials in Section 31, Marion Township, Henry County, Iowa, is unknown]

Excerpts from Land Deed Records ... April 1866 Morgan M. Niece sells all of his Section 31 Marion Twp ground to Huston family members - "Except thirty feet square for a Grave Yard, where the same now is." See attached from book T page 44.

NOTE: The exact location of burials is unknown.