Hayes Chapel Church and Cemetery

(Written by Norma Kinzer Auen)

Hayes Chapel, Church of God, was built and dedicated in 1888, section 7, Hayes Township, Ida County on 2 1/12 acres. (one acre donated by Worthy Garner and 1 1/2 acres donated by Henry Emmert)

The cemetery was the to the west in back of the chapel and was also platted in 1888. There are four gravestones, but some graves were never marked and some bodies were removed to other cemeteries, some remain buried where they were buried years ago. Families moved away and did not bother to remove their relatives.

A minister shared with the Church of God in Ida Grove and elders and local people, such as Rev. A.C. Garner officiated at services, funerals, etc. The Henry Shearer home was across the road from the Chapel from 1880-1890, they were Charter members of the church.

Membership was active until 1922 and were then discontinued due in part to members moving out of state or into Ida Grove and other towns. They Hayes Sewing Circle was very active in the neighborhood from early years and they often held meetings, parties, plays, etc.., all held in the Chapel.

In one corner at the back of the church was an area where the ladies could serve supper or lunches. Two big stoves on either side of the middle of the church provided warmth in the winter.

Circle Members took care of the church, my father would go and mow the weeds and poison ivy when there was a summer get together. Racoons and other animals damaged the steeple and inside the church because it was idle so much.

In 1949 Rev. R.M. Hudson influenced the Church of God in Ida Grove to tear down the chapel. The lumber was used to build a garage behind the preachers house at 508 Burns Street, also to the Cedar Rapids Mission, and pews and windows went to the youth camp at Sutherland.

My mother Florence Shearer Kinzer kept the deacon's bench and a square wooden table, I gave them to the Church of God after her death in 1962. I also gave the Hayes Sewing Circle Books to the Church and the communion set of Hayes Chapel was also given to them.

When the Chapel was torn down, the grounds were cleared and the cemetery was fenced off. There are still mulberry trees, a pine tree, tiger and day lilies, lilacs, wildflower, etc… (2009)

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The internments listed as being in this cemetery are those that were never removed (as far as known). If the body was removed to another cemetery, the memorial is listed under that cemetery with a note saying original internment was made in Hayes Chapel Cemetery (2014)

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) feature ID for the cemetery is 1983126 (Hayes Chapel Cemetery).