CEDAR COUNTY, NEBRASKA  -  MAGNET CEMETERY HISTORY
				
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         This file was contributed for use in the NEGenWeb
         Archives by: SHIRLEY DAWSON & THERESA KORTH  
	 Date Submitted:  June 2009

	 Please contact Theresa Korth at theresayk@yahoo.com  OR
	 Shirley Dawson 402-586- 2280
	 with any questions or if you need further help.


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Magnet Cemetery History

	In the year of 1905, the Board of Trustees of the Village of 
Magnet, purchased two acres of land from William and Adelle Soost for 
the sum of $160 to be used as the cemetery. The Board of Trustees 
that time was: William Soost, E.E. Snygg, Louis Andrews, George Jacobson 
and Frank Runyon. Robert H. Jones of Winside, Nebraska, surveyed the 
plot of land into 238 lots and 3 alleys. The first person to be buried 
in the cemetery was Andrew Bloomquist. He died in September of 1905, 
when he fell from a haystack.

	In 1930, John Ernest made plans to hold a town meeting to arrange 
for a permanent Cemetery Association. An article from the Randolph Times 
dating June 26, 1930 read as follows, “Since volunteer workers several 
weeks ago, cleaned up the Magnet Cemetery by mowing the weeds and doing 
other necessary cleaning, the people have commented on the improvement, 
which has started a movement to beautify the Magnet Cemetery. For this 
purpose, a meeting will be called at 8 o’clock Saturday evening to form 
a cemetery association to assure the future care of the cemetery in keeping 
the grass cut and other improvements”. The meeting was held and Mrs. Fred 
Soost, Mrs E.E. Snygg and Mrs. A.L. Henrickson were appointed to the 
cemetery association with Mr. Ernest being hired to be the caretaker for 
$24.50 a year. A “homecoming” dinner was served on Decoration Day in 1931 
for the benefit of the cemetery association. The proceeds of the dinner 
amounted to $41.00 and were used to erect the new entrance to the cemetery.
In 1932 a deed was prepared for the transfer of the cemetery from the 
Village of Magnet to The Magnet Cemetery, this was prepared by Cedar Co. 
Attorney Clarence Haley.

	After Mr. Ernest left Magnet, George Jones volunteered to be the 
caretaker. When he left, A.L. and Jerald Henrickson took over, A.L. passed 
away in 1967 and Jerald moved away and it was at this time Floyd Dawson 
took the position over. Preparations were made to make improvements so 
Floyd removed the fence on the east side and graded up the front for a 
slope. Floyd and his son Dan Dawson put cable wire on the entrance side 
and rock was laid in both driveways.

	Floyd passed away on February 14, 1988 and at that time his wife 
Elvera with the help of Dan and Shirley and their family took over the 
care taking of the cemetery. Dale Bloomquist also offered his services at 
this time.
 
	In the fall of 1991, Dwight Bloomquist lined both sides of the north 
driveway with flag stands and flags, all made and purchased by him. In 1995, 
it was decided to hold a luncheon every year on the Sunday of Memorial 
weekend to help raise funds to maintain the cemetery. Because of these funds 
and special donations from the families of the deceased, a new white fence 
was installed in the front of the cemetery and pine trees were planted 
around the outside perimeter in 1996. In 1998, wire fencing around the 
cemetery and brick planters in the front entrance was added. A gazebo was 
built in the memory of Floyd and Elvera Dawson in 2001, and a twelve foot 
white cross was donated by the Ellis and Berla Tilton family in 2002, both of 
these projects have added great beauty to our cemetery. In 2004, we added a 
special grave marker for those babies that have been buried in the cemetery 
without a headstone and also in that year we replaced the existing cemetery 
flagpole and flag with a new one. With funds received by Shirley Halleen J
ohnson, the Ruth and Chunk Westadt family, the Roy and Ethel Nelson family 
and the Delmer Greeno family, a large Magnet Cemetery placement stone was 
added to the front entrance in 2005.

	As of this writing, 26 service men have been buried in the cemetery. 
The Dan Dawson family continues to care for the cemetery. They have donated 
countless hours to maintain the beauty and respect of our precious resting 
place for our loved ones gone before us. Every year we continue to hear such 
wonderful and positive comments about Magnet having one of the prettiest 
cemeteries around.