The History of High Creek dates back to 1872
Submitted by Matt Whelan
HIGH CREEK CEMETERY
Polk Township, Atchison County, MissouriSection 29 - Township 66 - Range 41
High Creek is one of the most beautifully landscaped and well cared for cemeteries in Atchison County, Missouri. It’s located in a picturesque rural setting four miles northeast of Watson, Missouri or seven miles north and three miles west of Rock Port, Missouri. The history of the High Creek Cemetery is closely tied with the history of the High Creek Baptist church. An organization meeting was held on February 11, 1872 at Union schoolhouse, Atchison County, Missouri to form a new Baptist church. Members of area Baptist churches were invited to help in the organization. Regular meetings were to be held and the church was to be called McKissicks Grove Baptist church. It was in April of 1873 when the church moved to the High Creek Schoolhouse and was called High Creek Baptist Church. Records show membership at that time to be about twenty five.
After several years, a committee was formed to select a site to build a new church building. Mr. John Stoner, a pioneer landowner living in the area, went out with his wife, Ellen onto their homesteaded land and selected a beautiful hillside spot, covered with grass flowers and a scattering of oak trees and donated this parcel of land for the construction of the High Creek Church and the establishment of the High Creek Cemetery.
The church building, of gothic frame structure, with beautiful stained glass windows 30 x 50 was erected in 1881 by Cobryas Beal, William Hall, Dr. Henry P. Moore and John Stoner at a cost of $2,645.90. All four of these men are buried in the High Creek Cemetery. Rock from nearby Horseshoe Lake was used for the foundation of the church. It was dedicated the first Sunday in April 1882 with Reverend H.J. Latour of Maryville, Missouri as the first pastor.
The High Creek Church continued to function as an active Baptist Church until March 16, 1967. For many years after its construction the High Creek Ladies Aide served annual Memorial Day dinners to the people visiting the cemetery for Memorial Day. The church has not been used for church services or other community activities for many years, however it is still open each year for Memorial Day. Refreshments instead of dinners are served to the many people visiting the Cemetery to decorate the graves of their loved ones and donations are accepted and graciously given for the continued maintenance of this beautiful church and cemetery.
The original burial site in the area was the Steiner Cemetery, which is located just a short distance north and east of High Creek. It was established sometime in the late 1840's and was used as a burial site until about 1880. Steiner Cemetery is located at the top of a very steep bluff and due to heavy spring and summer rains, the rushing high creek stream waters was causing the southern bank of the cemetery to become badly eroded. It was at this time area citizens stopped using the Steiner Cemetery.
The first burial in the High Creek Cemetery was May 31, 1883, when twin daughters of a family in the neighborhood died of diphtheria. A.M. Bradley was the teacher at the High Creek School at that time and he asked if any of the children wanted to go over to the burial. Charlie Hall and Charles Bartholomew wanted to go. When the boys came back to the school the teacher called them up to the window and looking out towards the cemetery he said "Remember you were at the first burial in the High Creek Cemetery and when you are young men that hillside will be dotted with graves."Some graves from the Steiner Cemetery were moved to High Creek after Steiner was no longer used. In about the year 1885 the Missouri river was engulfing the early day town of Sonora, which was located two miles west of the present day town of Watson. Fearing the river would also cover the cemetery those who could afford it moved the graves of their loved ones to the High Creek Cemetery on the bluff. Which graves were relocated are unknown, but all deaths dating before May 31, 1883, have been moved to High Creek from Steiner or Sonora Cemeteries.
High Creek is one of the older cemeteries in Atchison County, and therefore it contains much history. Names of some of the pioneer families represented there include; Barnhart, Bayless, Frede, Garst, Good, Hall, Hays, Million, Moore, South, Stoner, Watts and York. The eastern border of the cemetery is said to be called "Strangers Rest" the burial site of the poor and needy. Many of these graves are of unknown individuals and therefore unmarked.
In addition to the original tract of land given by John Stoner, five acres were deeded in 1887. This would become the first addition to the cemetery. Another five acres was deeded to the cemetery in 1912, becoming all of the second and third additions to the cemetery. The cemetery was incorporated in 1946. In 1960, funds were raised to finance a paved driveway around and through the cemetery, which added greatly to this already beautiful and serene hillside. From the top of the bluff in the cemetery is an unobstructed and spectacular view of the High Creek valley and surrounding farmland.
Considerable restoration work on the church was undertaken and completed in 1988-1989. This project was spearheaded by Dr. James Hall of Kansas City, Missouri (formerly of the High Creek community). Funds and labor for the project were contributed by Mr. Hall, local residents and friends of the church. Again in 2009 the High Creek Cemetery Association undertook an interior church renovation project, and the building has been wonderfully restored to its original appearance. In more recent years on Memorial Day the cemetery becomes a vision with an array of dozens of large American flags floating in the breeze. It is truly a beautiful sight. These flags were graciously donated to the cemetery association and are in memory of all the veterans now laid to rest in the cemetery.
In the spring of 2011, the High Creek Cemetery Association had recorded one thousand five hundred and seventy - five burials, and there are current interments as citizens of this area are laid to rest. Only the church and cemetery remain of this early day settlement, and they are one of the most truly beautiful landmarks of Atchison County. A new arched entrance way installed in May of 2006 (a gift of Dr. James Hall) add greatly to its tranquil beauty. And now 130 years after its inception, the High Creek Church and Cemetery continue to stand as in early days as a landmark to all the early pioneers now laid to rest in this beautiful cemetery.
Submitted by Matt Whelan
More History of High Creek by Reba Stoner
An organization meeting was held February 11, 1872, at Union Schoolhouse, Atchison County, Missouri to form a new Baptist Church. Members of Baptist churches around the area were invited to help in the organization. Regular meetings were to be held and the church was to be called McKissiocs Grove Baptist Church. It was in April of 1873 the church moved to the High Creek Schoolhouse and was changed to High Creek Baptist Church. Records show membership at that time to be approximately twenty- five.
After several years, a committee was formed to select a site to build a new church building. Four sites could be obtained but the site selected was on the John Stoner land (prairie) on the road running east from Dr. H. P. Moore’s near the High Creek School house. Legally described, the building now stands in the NE quarter of Section 29, Township 66, Range 41, two and one-half miles NW of Linden, in the immediate neighborhood of Muir’s Mill and High Creek bridge.
The church building, of gothic frame structure, with beautiful stained glass windows, 30 x 50, was erected in 1882 at the cost of 2,645.90. It was dedicated the first Sunday in April, 1882 with Reverend H. J. Latour of Maryville, Missouri as its first pastor. Later a committee was appointed to secure a site and supervise the building of the parsonage, which was built by Martin Bickel for $675.
The “Big Event” at High Creek occurred in 1879, recalled memory by Wm. “Granddad Hall”. There was not yet a meeting house for the community, so church and Sunday school were being held in the Schoolhouse which was composed of one room only. The proposal to have a community Christmas tree that year aroused real excitement in the area and everyone planned to attend the event. A committee was appointed and a collection taken to purchase presents for the children. A pioneer farmer offered a Christmas tree for the occasion (George Bartholomew) which was a Haw tree, but at least it had branches and it looked mighty fine when placed on the school rostrum. Then it came the job of putting Christmas style on the tree just as former pioneers had done. The older pupils of the school had been busy for days popping and stringing corn to drape over the trees branches for decoration.
Another generous farmer who had a big apple crop that fall, donated two bushels of shining red apples for red coloring on the tree and to serve as candle holders. Everyone had been asked to bring presents and all that afternoon, people came steadily with their packages, stopping at the desk just inside the door to register as requested by the committee in order that there might be an accounting of the value of the gifts that went on “the First Christmas Tree” at High Creek.
At last the big moment came with all the folks gathered for miles around to celebrate the community’s first Christmas tree. The gifts were taken off the tree until after the program, which consisted of the smaller children reciting Christmas pieces and dialogues for their elders and the older pupils singing songs. There was no Santa Claus at the first Christmas, but he was present in later years and has been with the community ever since. The young men’s Sunday school class was in charge of distributing the presents and as the final gift was presented, the stove was carefully checked and the old kerosene lamps were extinguished and “The First Christmas Tree of High Creek” passed into history.
The committee that served so well was Mrs. Doctor H. P. Moore, (grandmother of Willie and Ernest Moore) Mrs. John Stoner, (grandmother of Harold Stoner, Ella Parker, Beulah Cloepfil and Bruce Gibbs) Mr. Bill Yates, (uncle of Lydia Boettner) Mrs. Bell Ford Griffith and Mrs. Lucina Taylor.During later years, the Ladies Aid was formed and active in helping to support the church. In the 40’s, during the war, the women raised money by shucking corn. Lewis Stoner reported the women harvested 150 bushels on his farm doing a fine job, husked clean and very few ears left in the field.
The Constitution and By-Laws of the Church were written, approved, and adopted during the years 1954 and 1955. In the following years the Church as it had in the early 1900’s became even more the center of High Creek’s community. However, as time passed and the rural community’s population began to shift to the cities, the congregation became smaller in numbers.As there became so few people in High Creek, the attendance at Sunday school and Church began to fall. It was finally voted to discontinue services for an indefinite time on March 16, 1967. Reverend Norman Lewis was the last pastor at this time. On September 4, 1968, the High Creek Church Association was formed to maintain the permanent membership directory, the property and functions of the High Creek Baptist Church.
Today, as High Creek Church stands gallantly on the site our pioneer families selected, it still remains the center of our distant community.
