HISTORY OF FAIRVIEW CEMETERY

Even before Terril was a town, the present land the cemetery sits on was used to bury people. In a meeting of the Lloyd trustees and clerk, on October 4, 1886, it was resolved to build a fence, around the cemetery, to be built with good pine lumber, four boards high, with posts fastened with 10 p. nails. Berge Bergeson's bid of $110.00 was taken, to be paid when the work was done and accepted. In later minutes - July 9, 1888 - they paid R.A. Smith $4.00 for surveying the cemetery. On October 7, 1888 they paid A. Bultz for plowing a fire guard around the cemetery.

On May 9, 1922 the Cemetery Association was formed. The association met with the trustees to decide what improvements were needed at the cemetery and the means of financing the same. It was decided that a tool shed and a well were the major needs. The total cost of drilling the well was $103.84 and the association paid for half. In 1923 the association ordered an arch and side gates. A name for the cemetery had to be chosen. Rosehill, Hillside, Terril Cemetery, Hillcrest, and Fairview were submitted. Final vote was Fairview. The association paid $300.00 towards the gate and fence. A special meeting was held in 1924, to hire a sexton for the cemetery at $.50 an hour. In 1925, a tool shed was erected. The necessary articles for the tool shed were donated. They were two chairs, broom, dustpan, wash dish, and soap, stand and towel. In 1958 water was pumped throughout the cemetery. Eight urns were purchased for the four gates in 1971. The association decided we needed to build a new utility building. Since the American Legion has an avenue of flags on Memorial Day, the association decided to ask the Legion Members to help tear down the old utility building. They offered to do this and the association decided to put up a steel building with no windows. Shelves were built inside to hold the plastic flowers which are left on the graves each year. Brackets were then placed on the opposite wall to hold the flag poles. The new white steel building cost $3,325.00. Money was raised by having a soup and sandwich supper at the Legion. The present flag & flagpole was presented by the Goetsch family in memory of Harry Goetsch. In 1997 the American Legion constructed a gazebo that the Cemetery Association purchased to display the names of everyone buried in the cemetery and a map of where they buried.

The paved road and surfaced drives have made getting to the cemetery and grave sights quite easy in late years. It was not always that way. One funeral of note, back in more difficult times was that of Leila Olson, 19-year-old daughter of Gaylord and Lena Olson. The funeral was April 17, 1927. After a rapid spring thaw of a heavy winter snow cover, combined with heavy spring rains, water was everywhere. The bottom had gone out of the poorly graded mud roads. The high wheel wagons needed four horses to get through. In order to get the hearse and cars from the Methodist Church to the cemetery, planks were used. With a large group of volunteers, a plank was laid in each rut though the worst places so cars could be used and get to the cemetery. Over a dozen teams of horses, with a doubletree and log chain, were stationed along the road to help cars through when needed. It was a large funeral and one that was long remembered by many people.

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