Riverside Cemetery origins in late 1850s

By Holly Neumann

The Iola Historical Society unveiled its 20th historical marker July 21 at Riverside Cemetery just outside of Iola.

While the cemetery was not officially established until 1860, records indicate that a desire had been expressed to establish a cemetery at this location as early as 1857, while Mary McIntire (1816-1856) was the first recorded interment in these grounds.

The original plot was acquired from Salome and A.F. Stearns by the Town of Iola in 1860 for $20, with the purpose of the acquisition being to establish a cemetery.

At the time of McIntire’s burial, the property was owned by her husband, E.A. McIntire. He sold his property to the Stearnses, including the original cemetery plot, prior to its acquisition by the Town of Iola.

Six additional people had been buried there in the interim. The cemetery’s size remained unchanged for 130 years until 1991, when an adjoining acquisition doubled its size.

Notable Riverside Cemetery interments

• Jacob (1834-1910) and Conrad Wipf (1836-1889). The Wipfs acquired the original Chandler & Baldwin mill operations in 1860. They inaugurated the present Iola Mills structure in 1861, which was family operated through four generations.

• John Leuthold. He arrived in the spring of 1857 and died in 1909. He became the largest landowner in Waupaca County, named Helvetia Township and served as its first chairman.

• Abel and A.J. (Andrew Jackson) Dufur. Abel (1819-1914) was engaged in building the Methodist Church. A.J. (1847-1896) was an early Iola Township chairman and served in the Wisconsin Assembly.

• James and Albert Hatch. The family-owned properties surrounding Hatch Lake. James (1816-1855) was a lawyer, pastor and justice of the peace and likely conducted marriages. Albert (1852-1936) was a local hardware dealer.

• James Keating (1826-1902). Keating was a taxpayer of record on 29 forties acting on behalf of a lumber company, was Helvetia Township’s first treasurer and gave his name to Keating Lake.

• Albert Weinmann Sr. (1870-1961). A blacksmith and wagon marker, he was named postmaster in 1893. His family was also involved in the furniture and undertaking business.

• S.M. Myhre (1862-1936). Myhre founded Iola’s first bank in 1893 (capitalization $20,000); consolidated with Farmers State Bank in 1933 (cash position then $425,000).

• Dr. George Dale (1844-1901). Dale operated a nationally recognized cancer sanatorium beginning in 1887 (see Historic Iola marker No. 16) and also operated drug store and liquor store businesses. Served as the Village of Iola’s first president.

• Thomas S. Parker (1815-1884). A pair of monuments mark the gravesite of this Civil War veteran. He is one of two Confederate veterans buried in Waupaca County.