Pleasant Ridge Cemetery
Also known as Miles Cemetery
Stratton, Hitchcock County, Nebraska, USA
The following was written by Helen Spencer Ekstrum (59695497) in 1988 for the book "Hitchcock County History, 1873-1989"). It was lightly edited by FAG member Steven Hardy in 2023.
Mrs. A.A. Paulus was living in the vicinity of what is now the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery in Eden Precinct, when she died in childbirth on a July day in 1885. It was necessary for an undelayed burial. The question was "Where?"
Wm. F. Miles had a homestead dugout in a small draw on the Northeast Quarter of Section 35 in Eden Precinct of Hitchcock County. Above the dugout in the southeast corner of the quarter section was a steep slope which led to a high plot of ground. Wm F. Miles offered this plot to A.A. Paulus for a burial place for Mrs. Paulus, and a neighbor (bachelor) is said to have taken up the floorboards of his house to build a coffin for her burial.
This grave is well marked, and stood as the first need for the organization of a cemetery, which took place in 1886. Today there are many graves on this hillside. Up to this date (1988), more than one hundred years later, the cemetery has been well cared for. At the present time, Harold and Ramona Wilcox are the principal caretakers.
The citizens of this vicinity called a meeting 14 Dec. 1886 at the home of S.M. Dille. The organization was named the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery Association. They completed and adopted the bylaws and elected the following officers: President, Simon Rife; Secretary, Wm. F. Miles; Treasurer, Jesse Rife; Trustees, S.M. Dille (3 years); Daniel Sherman (2 years); and Wesley Myers (1 year). Membership consisted of the following: P.O Anderson, John Boyd, S.M. Dille, Ed Dudley, Bradford Ellis, Wesley Gerkin, Max Gossman, George Harris, Jacob Helbrunel, George F. Jones, Wesley Myers, Wm. F. Miles, A.A. Paulus, Jesse Rife, Simon Rife, Charles Rheinhardt and Daniel Sherman.
The minutes of this organizational meeting were filed for record with the County Clerk of Hitchcock County on 15 Feb. 1887. The deed for the land was filed at the same time and place. Bylaws of the organization were drawn up on 3 March 1887, and were filed with the County Clerk on the following day.
More than one hundred years later, a total of more than sixty names have been added to the list of members, both men and women. These people have set a date and gathered for a cleanup in the cemetery many times.
At the meeting of 17 Dec. 1889, it was moved that the officers proceed to collect the money due (from the selling of lots) and fence the cemetery with a three-strand barbed wire fence. Then at the next meeting on 16 Dec. 1890, the motion was to change it from a three-strand to a two-strand barbed wire fence. The motion carried.
The association met on 18 Jan. 1892, and the president appointed George Moody, KS.D. Richards and Wm. F. Miles to buy ½-inch iron stakes and to stake the lots according to the original survey.
At the next meeting (17 Jan. 1893), Wm. F. Miles was authorized to see that teams of horses were not allowed in the cemetery unless he deemed it necessary and that a lock and chain be put on the gate and that six hitching posts be bought and installed on the east side of the cemetery. At the meeting of 12 Jan. 1894, the wife of each member was given a membership.
It appears that there were not many meetings from 1894 until 1920. At the meeting held in 1922, three men were appointed to solicit funds for a new fence—W.W. Taylor, Harry Wellman and George Baker.
In the secretary's book, I [Helen] find that a fence of woven wire and style L. lawn wire with steel posts were purchased, along with two ornamental lawn gates and one ornamental double-drive gate. This fence was still standing in 1888.
On 17 May 1926, a motion was carried to have Lot 6, Block 2, set aside for a Potter's Field. On 11 April 1950, a motion was passed to have two new plats made of the cemetery; this was carried out. By 1960, it was time to go modern, so at the meeting of 9 May 1960, the members voted to buy a power mower and keep it at the Richards' place. Later a building was constructed in the cemetery for this purpose.
The following was written by Helen Spencer Ekstrum (59695497) in 1988 for the book "Hitchcock County History, 1873-1989"). It was lightly edited by FAG member Steven Hardy in 2023.
Mrs. A.A. Paulus was living in the vicinity of what is now the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery in Eden Precinct, when she died in childbirth on a July day in 1885. It was necessary for an undelayed burial. The question was "Where?"
Wm. F. Miles had a homestead dugout in a small draw on the Northeast Quarter of Section 35 in Eden Precinct of Hitchcock County. Above the dugout in the southeast corner of the quarter section was a steep slope which led to a high plot of ground. Wm F. Miles offered this plot to A.A. Paulus for a burial place for Mrs. Paulus, and a neighbor (bachelor) is said to have taken up the floorboards of his house to build a coffin for her burial.
This grave is well marked, and stood as the first need for the organization of a cemetery, which took place in 1886. Today there are many graves on this hillside. Up to this date (1988), more than one hundred years later, the cemetery has been well cared for. At the present time, Harold and Ramona Wilcox are the principal caretakers.
The citizens of this vicinity called a meeting 14 Dec. 1886 at the home of S.M. Dille. The organization was named the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery Association. They completed and adopted the bylaws and elected the following officers: President, Simon Rife; Secretary, Wm. F. Miles; Treasurer, Jesse Rife; Trustees, S.M. Dille (3 years); Daniel Sherman (2 years); and Wesley Myers (1 year). Membership consisted of the following: P.O Anderson, John Boyd, S.M. Dille, Ed Dudley, Bradford Ellis, Wesley Gerkin, Max Gossman, George Harris, Jacob Helbrunel, George F. Jones, Wesley Myers, Wm. F. Miles, A.A. Paulus, Jesse Rife, Simon Rife, Charles Rheinhardt and Daniel Sherman.
The minutes of this organizational meeting were filed for record with the County Clerk of Hitchcock County on 15 Feb. 1887. The deed for the land was filed at the same time and place. Bylaws of the organization were drawn up on 3 March 1887, and were filed with the County Clerk on the following day.
More than one hundred years later, a total of more than sixty names have been added to the list of members, both men and women. These people have set a date and gathered for a cleanup in the cemetery many times.
At the meeting of 17 Dec. 1889, it was moved that the officers proceed to collect the money due (from the selling of lots) and fence the cemetery with a three-strand barbed wire fence. Then at the next meeting on 16 Dec. 1890, the motion was to change it from a three-strand to a two-strand barbed wire fence. The motion carried.
The association met on 18 Jan. 1892, and the president appointed George Moody, KS.D. Richards and Wm. F. Miles to buy ½-inch iron stakes and to stake the lots according to the original survey.
At the next meeting (17 Jan. 1893), Wm. F. Miles was authorized to see that teams of horses were not allowed in the cemetery unless he deemed it necessary and that a lock and chain be put on the gate and that six hitching posts be bought and installed on the east side of the cemetery. At the meeting of 12 Jan. 1894, the wife of each member was given a membership.
It appears that there were not many meetings from 1894 until 1920. At the meeting held in 1922, three men were appointed to solicit funds for a new fence—W.W. Taylor, Harry Wellman and George Baker.
In the secretary's book, I [Helen] find that a fence of woven wire and style L. lawn wire with steel posts were purchased, along with two ornamental lawn gates and one ornamental double-drive gate. This fence was still standing in 1888.
On 17 May 1926, a motion was carried to have Lot 6, Block 2, set aside for a Potter's Field. On 11 April 1950, a motion was passed to have two new plats made of the cemetery; this was carried out. By 1960, it was time to go modern, so at the meeting of 9 May 1960, the members voted to buy a power mower and keep it at the Richards' place. Later a building was constructed in the cemetery for this purpose.
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Hitchcock County, Nebraska, USA
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- Percent photographed100%
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Stratton, Hitchcock County, Nebraska, USA
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- Added: 1 Jan 2000
- Find a Grave Cemetery ID: 101160
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