Pleasant Ridge Cemetery History

PLEASANT RIDGE Cemetery is located in the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter and the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of Section 3. It is located one mile south of the town of Orilla, Iowa.

James McLain was born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania in 1826. His parents died when he was an infant, and he was raised by an aunt and uncle, Mr. & Mrs. Ebenezer Herring. They moved to Lee County, Iowa where James grew to manhood, and married Caroline Van Hyning. In 1853 or 54, James and Caroline started west to California. After traveling a long distance, they turned around and came back to Warren County, Iowa and purchased eighty acres. They improved the land, raised twelve children, and contributed greatly to their community. The McLain's belonged to the Pleasant Ridge Church, sold land for the cemetery, belonged to the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery Association, and sold land for the railroad station of Orilla.

The Pleasant Ridge Methodist Episcopal Church was situated on the corner down the road from today's cemetery. It was organized in 1873 with John Thompson and wife, Hiram Baker and wife, M.A. Bentley and wife, Phillip Hull and wife, Mr. Clark and wife, and J.W. McLain and wife. The building cost $1500.

John Thompson, Hiram Baker, John W. Knight, Phillip Hull, H. Bentley, James McLain, John S. Carlo, John D. Arnold and G.W. Briggs met to set up the Articles of Incorporation of The Pleasant Ridge Cemetery Association. At a preliminary meeting at the home of John W. Knight, John Thompson was elected President and Hiram Baker was elected secretary, It was decided that each person that purchased a lot in the cemetery would become a member of the Cemetery Association.

The following people purchased the lots which were recorded Jun 16, 1880: Hiram Baker, Sam W. Baker, T.M. Baker, Sylvester Haynes, William Misener, John D. Arnold, Nathan Hitchcock, Zacheus Lea [a veteran who was buried without a stone], John Thompson, J.W. Knight [transferred the lot to Alonzo Thompson], Samuel Knouf, George Majors, Amaziah Gillfillian, Henry Knouf, M.A. Bentley, James McLain, G.W. Briggs, F. Brubaker, Daniel R. Mitchell, Ezekiel Clark, Reuben Youtz, Phillip Hull, Barbara A. Graham, Louis Graves, Priscilla Barkley, Alonzo Thomas, Mary Elizabeth Lindley and S.A. Cooper. It cost $10.00 for an eighteen foot square plot for eight people.

James and Caroline McLain were paid $86.13 by the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery Association for one acre and 23 3/4 rods for the cemetery. It was recorded on February 23, 1880 in Deed Book 18 page 606. The McLain's lived across the road from the cemetery.

Phillip and Sophronia Hull were paid $88.38 for one acre and 28/57 rods for land for the cemetery in Deed Book 18 page 605. It was dated April 29, 1880. A condition of the sale was that the Cemetery Association plant and perpetually maintain a row of evergreen trees on the south side of the cemetery. They were to be planted twelve feet apart.

The Pleasant Ridge Cemetery Association purchased twenty evergreens at twenty cents each. They were set out twelve feet apart on the south side and twenty feet apart on the north side. The trees were planted in 1892. About the same time the cemetery was fenced with a board fence costing $48.00.

On April 6, 1882, the Cemetery Association voted to change the price of opening a grave from one dollar to two dollars. In 1913 the price was raised to five dollars. Recently one acre of ground was purchased to expand the cemetery.

The town of Orilla was laid out on land purchased from James McLain in 1887. It was a station for the railroad.

Cemetery and Death Records of Warren County, Iowa, Warren County Genealogical Society, Walsworth Publishing Company, Marceline, Missouri: 1980.

View records submitted to the Iowa Gravestone Photo Project for Pleasant Ridge Cemetery.