Smith Cemetery
Attention Funeral Homes, per section 3.4 of our Cemetery Rules, we need to be contacted for each service conducted at the cemeteries. The whole of Section 3 will explain why. For the most up to date contact information, please refer to the Township Officers link on Warren County Iowa Auditor page. You may also send an email to: Squaw Creek Township which is then forwarded to each member of the board.
History
On March 30, 1858 Abel Smith donated 1/2 acre of ground on his homestead for a Cemetery. The Cemetery was named after Abel Smith and is known as Smith Cemetery. The first burial was most likely that of Alecy E. Kinsley, who died September 9, 1851. She was the daugher of J.C. and E.A. Kinsley. Abel and his wife Sarah are buried in row 5. Rumor has it there is an unmarked Native American grave that lies by the gate. During the Ground Penetrating Radar session held in May 24, 2023, it was confirmed that there is a grave by the gate.
Many graves were marked with wooden crosses which succumbed to a fire many years ago.
On April 3, 1933 a road petition was submitted to Warren County Board of Supervisors to extend Taft Street further West and North to the cemetery to make the cemetery more accessible from Highway 69. Unfortunately when 108th Avenue was built, it was not completed all the way to the cemetery as the description in the petition specified. After many, many years of attempting to complete the road so no trespassing would occur to get to the cemetery, on August 4, 2023, the necessary land was purchased. 108th Avenue now goes all the way to the cemetery AND we have an area to park. Our next goal was to move the electric pole from the middle of the road. Clarke Electric took care of that for us. The final goal was to have 108th Avenue rocked as it was previously dirt on most and some grass. On May 16 and May 17, 2024 that goal was accomplished with the help of Warren County, Iowa Engineer Department and Breuning Rock Products, Inc. When you visit, we still ask you to please not trespass on the adjacent land owner's property. Stay on the road and in the parking area.
Those resting in peace in the cemetery can be found at:
Smith Cemetery Burial Information - as known by the Trustees of Squaw Creek Township
Iowa Genealogy Web Project - Smith Cemetery Burials.
Sentry Mapping Ground Penetrating Radar Project - Smith Cemetery Burials. This link was provided by Sentry Mapping Services who provided Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) services in May 2023. You will need to zoom in on the map. Names will appear once you zoom in close enough. If you click on a grave, you will see a picture of the grave, if there is one, and the years of birth and death, if they are available. Solid gray graves are veterans. Striped gray graves are Unknowns and will be marked as such in the spring of 2025.
Pictures of gravestones can also be found at:
Iowa Grave Stones - Smith Cemetery
Location
Smith Cemetery is located at 21150 108th Avenue.
Directions from Indianola: Follow Highway 69 South to Taft Street, turn right(West). Follow Taft Street for .4 miles. Turn right (North) onto 108th Avenue and continue past mobile home to the cemetery.
Please do not trespass on the adjacent property owner's land.