History Behind the Lambrecht Cemetery
By Autumn Lambrecht
If you have ever wandered out into the middle of nowhere outside of Pierce to the west, you may have seen a cemetery. Until further research, even though this cemetery had my own last name on it, I had no idea my ancestors would need their own cemetery.
No, the cemetery was not built because they were a bunch of serial killers who needed to hide bodies, but because of two dying sons.
In January of 1883, two young Lambrecht boys, Phillip and Louie, sons of August and Louise Lambrecht, fell ill with diphtheria. Phillip was seven years old and Louie was two. The family knew the boys did not have long to live and since there was no doctor in Pierce, the boys were preparing to die. August gave the boys medicine and a solution to swab out the boys’ throats. Even with his efforts, the boys were not getting any better. After two days of having diphtheria, the boys unfortunately passed away. August and his wife, along with their two daughters, had also caught the sickness. Strangely enough, no one else from the neighborhood caught it.
Phillip had wished, “We are both going to die, and will you bury us both in one casket? Also, I want my last year’s picture book along.” This book had been a gift from the last day of school.
Bryce Buckendahl, resident of Pierce who lives near the Lambrecht cemetery, comments, “The main improvement just happened this last year with the headstones being straightened. As of this year, Tom Kuether’s family will be taking care of the cemetery and mowing. A drummer boy from the Civil War was buried in the northwest corner of the cemetery.”
Getting prepared to bury the boys, the family knew they needed a casket, but unfortunately they could not purchase one. Instead, they headed into Pierce with their oxen and gathered the lumber to build their own. The neighbors came together to help build and help the family with the process. To their request, the boys were buried together in the same casket, and then in the same grave. Since at the time there was no cemetery near their farmstead, the family decided to bury the boys in between a grove of trees on the farm.
Later the year of the boys’ death, August wanted to have a cemetery. Together the neighborhood got together and had a meeting about getting a cemetery set up. August donated one acre of the family land where the two boys were buried. The original name of the cemetery was Pleasant View, however it was usually referred to as Tawney Cemetery. This name came from the fact that church services would be held across the road at the Tawney School that was on the Tawney Ranch.
Initially each lot was priced at $1.50 for 18 square feet. When May 15, 1883, came around, the price went up to $2.50. In 1884, red cedar stakes marked the lots that would go up to the cost of $3.10. For a dollar, a frame and glass for the plot of the cemetery in 1895 was purchased.
When W.E. Bishop surveyed the land in 1883, Bishop received $5 for making the survey. Four of the lots were set aside in the southeast corner as a potter’s field, or grave area for unknown, unclaimed or paupers.
Chosen to serve as trustees were Joseph Forsythe as the first chairman, Rufus Tawney as the secretary, and Herman Steinkraus as the third trustee. At their annual meeting on March 8, 1884, August was then named the first treasurer.
Jeff Lambrecht , ancestor of August Lambrecht says, “I think it’s a well-kept cemetery, and it is nice to be able to go in and look around at a lot of my ancestors. It’s also pretty neat having a drummer boy from the Civil War in the cemetery. The cemetery will be 140 years old this year and has been very well taken care of over all this time.”
Charter members of the cemetery association who purchased the cheapest lots for $1.50 included: August Lambrecht, Rufus Tawney, Joseph Forsythe, Fred Raeutenberg, Julius Schultz, Chris Schram, R. H. Smith, Frank Birch and D. Kuether Sr.
More buyers were Carl Leisner, Herman Steinkraus, Albert Steinkraus, L.L. Poynter, Charles Ulrich, August Heyer, S.W. Kincaid, George W. Kincaid, I. C. Barner and L.A. Barnes.
The deed to the ground was accepted on October 1, 1883, and acknowledged August and Louise Lambrecht as the land donors.
A fire lane was plowed in 1885. Frank Birch received $4.50 for trees and planting them out. A woven wire fence and posts were constructed about the grounds. This cost about $156.81, in 1898.
The board of trustees elected in 1917 included Mrs. Mary Voecks, as chairman, Mrs. Jane Birch as the secretary and Miss Sophia Keller as treasurer.
Frank Voecks, in 1924, had to go and mark all unmarked graves and clean up the cemetery. He then got the title of caretaker. Mr. and Mrs. Voecks continued to be active in the association.
The name officially changed to the Lambrecht Cemetery in May 1939. The Pierce Historical Society provided a bronze plaque on a native boulder remembering the pioneer cemetery.
A total of 102 stones were sold in 1975 at a lot price of $50.00. In 1980, Mrs. Roy Synovec had been honored for being president of the cemetery association for 30 years. In 1981, Arlen Voecks drew out the new map with all the new plotting spots. A new entrance in 1982, included the arch made of steel with the words “Lambrecht Cemetery 1883-1983.” This was donated by Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Voecks, who was the grandson of August Lambrecht. In 1983, the cemetery turned 100 years old. On June 17, 1993, a dedication was held for the new arch. The officers at this time were Mrs. Roy Synovec as the president, Clarence Suckstorf was the treasurer, and the secretary was Mrs. Jack Hoffman.
This year will be the Lambrecht Cemetery’s 140th anniversary. With the celebration coming up, the keepers are making sure to keep the cemetery picked up and once warmer weather begins, they will start to mow and keep up the landscape.
