Homer Cemetery

Webster Township, Hamilton County, Iowa

The Homer Cemetery is located in Webster Township, Hamilton County, Iowa on a county blacktop south of Webster City. The cemetery has only a Pioneer Sign to identify it and is one of the oldest cemeteries in Hamilton County. It is bordered by County Rd D46 on the north; a small creek on the east and rich farm land to the south and west.

The land for the cemetery was purchased from Dr. Hampson Corbin for $80 on October 10, 1879. The deed was notarized by W.E. Daniels, Notary and W. Q. Shaffer, the township clerk. The cemetery consists of 5 acres of land and at one time, a driveway surrounded the out perimeter of the cemetery. Now the driveway is along the western border of the cemetery.

This is an old cemetery with many of the stones broken and faded over time. Stones known to have been here in earlier years can no longer be found. The earliest know burial in the cemetery is that of Lydia Berkley, who died in 1833. Presley Bell, considered Hamilton County’s first settler, is buried here along with his wife, Almira. Both Presley and Almira died in 1901.

The cemetery is plotted into 3 sections (Block A,B,C). Blocks A and B are divided by a grassy ravine and drainage area. Native prairie has been encouraged to re-establish in block C, in the south end of the cemetery. Although block C has been plotted and several graves are recorded, there are no headstones. Outside the southern boundary of the cemetery; in the east corner are two Gypsy stones with no engraving.

The cemetery marks the area’s first settlement in Hamilton County. The town of Homer was once the largest town in what is now Webster and Hamilton Counties. The story is familiar; the railroad passed Homer by, dooming it to near oblivion. The settlement of Homer is located about ¼ mile west of the cemetery.

This cemetery list has been compiled using several resources:

  • Original list of the Homer Cemetery; Names and Dates by John Harrison (1881-1955), the caretaker for the cemetery for many years
  • Walking the cemetery
  • Hamilton County VA Office
  • Webster Township Trustee records
  • Previous Cemetery walking and list by the Hamilton Heritage Hunters in 1986
  • Hours of research by Cathy Dayton

This cemetery is a Hamilton County Pioneer Cemetery.