Long Point Cemetery
History of Wapella Long Point Cemetery
The Longpoint Christian Church was the first church erected in Wapella Township. In 1856 it served the small community of Zabriska. Services were held in the building—baptism was administered in the nearby creek—for many years. Later the church disbanded and the Christian Church organized in Wapella. The building was used for funerals, meetings and weddings for some time before being dismantled in 1966. As was the custom at that time, members placed a cemetery on donated ground near the church for burial of their loved ones.
May 31, 1865, Tristan Hall and his wife Meranda deeded ½ acre to Trustees of Long Point Christian Church.
February 17, 1866, P. C. Summers and his wife Elizabeth deeded ½ acre to the Trustee of the Long Point Christian Church. Land for church grounds and cemetery.
Abraham Swearingen and wife Amy also donated 5 acres for the cemetery.
June 6, 1883, church Trustees Alex Hannah, James Short, Abram Summers and William S. Karr, deeded to newly formed Cemetery Association Trustees A. D. Metz, Edward Norwell, John M. Cunningham, John Arnett and A. C. Karr, the above mentioned land.
June 10, 1966, Trustees Fern Summers, Nora Short and Alice Bland of the Long Point Christian Church deeded the land owned by the church to the Cemetery Association Trustees Homer Short, Bobby Burger, Harry Bethel, George Karr and Cleda Roberts.
At the 1966 annual meeting, the board updated the old constitution and bylaws and voted to have the building removed. (See article) They also planned to have a stone marker for the site of the church. It was dedicated at a service conducted by Jack Somppi of the Wapella Christian Church.
Cleda Roberts served as secretary/recorder until 1993. She and her brother Howard Roberts mapped and made markers for grave sites as a service to the association. The 1987 trustees— Alice Jurgens, John Karr, Betty Wills, Carl Summers-Pres., Cleda Roberts-Sec.
A high wind storm blew a tree onto the arch over the front gate and it was removed. Later the walk-in gate was removed to facilitate black topping the drive. A flag pole and flag were put up in memory of Lyle Spray. A bench in memory of Wilbur Karr was placed near it. The West lot and fence have been cleared and volunteers, under the direction of Ron Fryman, are marking out lots in that until now unused area. Wapella Township maintains the grounds and volunteers continue to keep it a beautiful resting place for our loved ones. It is located on Road 1000 E. at 1500 N.
The present officers of the cemetery association are Ron Fryman, Rosalie Summers, Mick Murphy and Dale Karr. Camille Redman is secretary/recorder.
Submitted by Rozanne Karr, August 15, 2004
Sources Clinton Daily Journal & DeWitt County files