The Hood River News, Hood River, OR., February 23, 1940, page 1
PINE GROVE CEMETERY IS REAL GOD'S ACRE
Area Was Set Aside Fifty Years Ago
To assist with their maintenance fund, the Butte Cemetery
Association members are putting on a chicken dinner at the Pine Grove church
parlors at 6:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 24. The committee assures there is to
be a real feed with lemon pie to "top off" and the charge is only twenty-five
cents per plate. The support of all the friends of the members and all community
spirited person will be appreciated by these people.
Fifty-one years ago this month Virgil (Doc) Winchell
and his young wife Margaret (Maggie Knapp) deeded the old Neal-Winchell family
burial grounds to a board of trustees "forever to be used as a public burial
ground." About the same time and they set the ground aside for the present
church "for purpose of a church."
Immediately they, with the assistance of D.A. Turner,
Hans (Father) Lage, R.E. Harbison, Sam Harbison, John Monroe and a few others
organized an association for cemetery purposes with D.A. Turner the first
president and John Monroe, secretary. The group chose the name Butte Cemetery
Association for their organization and one of the rules laid down was that
their meetings should always be held in the little church near the burial
grounds. Another was that "the last Saturday in February is forever to be
the annual electoral meeting."
For some twenty years these grounds were consistently
used then as better, more modern grounds were built up by the new citizens
which flocked to this country near the beginning of this century, this old
pioneer burial place fell into disuse and became badly neglected.
During the past several years, the sons and daughters
of those early organizers resurrected the old rules, modernized them as much
as they could and still retain as much as practical of the original plans.
The grounds have been reclaimed. Once more the little piece of "Gods Acre"
at the foot of Van Horn Butte "belongs". Once more the use and beautification
of this peaceful resting spot is a community enterprise.
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© Jeffrey L. Elmer