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The Bever-Grimes Cemetery, seen here, is located in section 12 of Jefferson Township. One half block west of this gate is a sign that reads: Pleasant Ridge United Brethren 1857-1874 Site of First Church Building in Ringgold County. My interest in this topic was renewed recently as I came into possession of the secretary minutes of the United Presbyterian Church at Eugene. Eugene was located about a half mile south of the Bever-Grimes Cemetery.
There are 23 recorded burials at this cemetery with the first five deaths listed in the years 1860-61. As is usual with family plots, most of the burials are children. In the March 6, 1873 Ringgold Record, Edward B. Heaton gives us a brief history of the Bever family and the first church building in Ringgold County.
Michael Bever and family arrived at this location in early spring 1855, the year Ringgold County was established. Mr. Bever was known for his tree planting skills and the improvement of his land. Also, the Pleasant Ridge Church was built on his land in 1857 or 1858. In 1873, the land was owned by William Casner and the church building was deserted. Heaton says the Bever family moved to Missouri in 1869. Heaton also mentions the first church building was used for various purposes. I have read, at different times, this church referred to as Mt. Zion Methodist Episcopal and Pleasant Ridge United Brethren. Mr. John Stevenson owned the land in 1894.
Rev. Brown was pastor of the United Presbyterian Church at Eugene in 1873. I don’t know when the church was built. But, Eugene was an important point being the halfway mark between Mt. Ayr and Afton, which is where Mt. Ayr received its mail since 1869. It appears Eugene was nothing more than a post office until the early 1870s. Businesses began to appear and by 1875 Eugene had a blacksmith shop, a store operated by a Mr. J. H. Taggart, a church, and a doctor, Dr. St. John. One account says Dr. St. John platted Eugene. Late in 1875, Rev. William Brown went west on business but he did return. He appears to be the U. P. pastor until 1879.
There are many burials in the Eugene Cemetery, located in section 13 of Jefferson Township. Dr. Louis St. John passed in 1900 and he is buried there. The oldest death date I found was 1863 but there were no other deaths from the 1860s. This tells me the body was moved to the Eugene Cemetery after the cemetery was established in the 1870s.
One of the old newspapers gave the dimensions of the United Presbyterian Church but only half of the numbers were visible – 36 feet. In 1875, this would have been a large, frame building. Remember, Pleasant Ridge was a log church. The U. P. Church held an annual festival which raised money for building maintenance and supplies.
Now, at this time, there were no railroads in Ringgold County. But, every town in the county believed with all their heart the railroads would be knocking on their door any day. The Rock Island had built a line from Des Moines to Winterset. It was assumed St. Joseph, Missouri would be the terminus and that put Eugene right in line. There was eager anticipation which translated into commerce. In 1877, A. W. Dunsmoor and Rev. Brown bought a piece of the C. K. Grimes property so Eugene could expand. Dr. St. John considered building a hotel.
About the same time, a railroad was built from St. Joseph, Missouri to Albany, Mo. Everyone knew that, eventually, a railroad would be built from Des Moines to St. Joseph and Ringgold County was in the perfect position to be on that line. Excitement was high all over the county. But, not everyone would go home happy.
Next week we will look at what happened in Jefferson Township when the railroads did come.
