Re: Oringinal Postville cemetery records
REINHARDT
Posted By: Michael Laufman (email) In Response To: Re: Oringinal Postville cemetery records (S. Ferrall - IAGenWeb volunteer)
Date: 1/18/2025 at 09:44:25
Thank you for your prompt response. This is not my first time addressing this issue; I have already completed everything you requested, as well as additional research. I have put in substantial effort on the ground.
I believe the Reinhardts never had any grave markers. I have visited Postville and the surrounding areas twice. During these visits, I obtained records from the Lutheran Church in Postville, the Clayton County House, the Clayton County Genealogical Society in Elkader, the library in Postville, and the Iowa State Archives in Des Moines.
I did the same in South Dakota, visiting the Lutheran Church in Canistota and the McCook County Courthouse. My most recent encounter in South Dakota was with the last living granddaughter of Diedrich Friedrich (1911) and Dorothea (1906) in Canistota. She was in possession of many keepsakes. When she passed away, I asked her children if I could have the opportunity to look through her old papers, but that never happened, sad.
I have spoken in person with both Sextons for the Postville and National Cemeteries. Before the Reinhardt family moved to Postville City, they lived northeast of the National Cemetery. According to the Sexton for National, there are no early burial records for this cemetery aside from the headstones. Essentially, the Sexton for Postville provided the same information.
I have reviewed the Harris Funeral Home ledger and other records for the Reinhardt family on iagenwe.org, which I visit frequently. I was the one who discovered their obituaries in the Volksblatt newspaper and posted them on your website. Thank you for your outstanding work on this website.
I did my best to locate them in a cemetery, but you raise a valid point: What are the chances that Diedrich Friedrich (1911), his wife Dorothea (1906), and their son August Heinrich (1909) were all overlooked in the Postville Cemetery listing? It seems very unlikely. Given the importance of accurate record-keeping, it is far more probable that they are buried in the National Cemetery rather than in Postville.
I believe I have chased this matter to the finish line. One never knows when new data will be found.
Parts of this text will be posted on Find-a-Grave.
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