Date: 19 June 2000
Cemetery Name: McNair
Street: NW Quarter Sec 29, Sand Creek Twsp, Beadle County,
South Dakota
City: About half way between Wessington & Wessington
Springs, South Dakota
County: Beadle
State: South Dakota
Nation: United States
Zip: 57381
Land Type: Private
Status: Abandoned
Number of graves: 5 or more
Oldest grave: About 1893
Records: Don't Know
Inventory: Yes
Owner: Florence Deikhoff
Problem's
Cemetery about to be destroyed
Overgrown-ground cover
Broken Headstones
Buried Headstones
Disintegrating Headstones
Fallen Headstones
General Neglect
Location
A rural cemetery inventory was conducted by Mrs Ruth
Herzberg, 1950
Ohio Ave., Huron, SD 57350. As per phone conversation with her, this
date, she thinks it was accomplished about 1941. I found the original
inventory & its work sheets in the Dakotaland Museum Fairgrounds,
Huron, SD on 12 June 2000.
Description
The cemetery is located in a pasture owned by Florence
Deikhoff,
38501 211 St. Wessington, SD 57381. We didn't measure it, but I'm
guessing that it is about half the size of a football field. I have 3
family members there, Ira W. Hanks, Thomas M. Culbertson and Elbert
Hanks. There is evidence that there are at least members of two more
families buried there, but the grave stones of the other families have
been knocked over and the thick matted grass underfoot prevents a
complete count. Mrs. Deikhoff, the owner, said the county erected what
is left of the fence surrounding the cemetery and pleas from herself
& her husband for the county to maintain it have been unanswered.
Other Problems
The owner's cattle are free to roam throughout the cemetery and
have knocked some grave stones down. The growth of prairie grasses
will eventually cover all graves and stones.
Previous Contacts
We located the cemetery through Mr. Wayne
Testerman, 1805 Maple
Drive, Huron, SD 57350. Then we went to the Restrar of Deeds &
Auditor's Office in the Huron Court House where we confirmed the land
description and discovered that the cemetery had a name (McNair). The
Clerk assisting us indicated that the County didn't have the money to
maintain rural cemeteries. We were referred to the Huron Museum where
I found the rural cemetery inventory accomplished by Mrs. Herzberg of
Hitchcock. This document contained a reference to a State Statute
regarding the maintenance of rural cemeteries but didn't contain any
identifing numbers. Next we went to the Secretary of State's Office in
the Capital at Pierre. The deputy, Tom Leckey was able to furnish us a
copy of the statutes: #7-26-7 & #8-2-15 which passed 1 July 1941.
Current Status
I am in the process of trying to draft a letter to the Beadle
County Commissioner. The problem is, there are five. Should I write to
all of them or just one. If one, which one? I also want to write to
State Senator Charles Flowers on the recommendation of the Deputy
Secretary of State. I'm really at odds right now. I'm not quite sure
which way to go. Help!!!
Submitted by / Contact for additional Information:
name: Mary C. (Carson) Widner
Email: MCA468@home.com
