In an undated letter located in the Musser Library files in Muscatine, a brief history of this cemetery is laid forth by Mrs. Orlo James Allen, who in 1959, with her father and stepmother, Mr. & Mrs. Benefiel V. Gilbert, and her husband and son, canvassed the Gilbert Family Cemetery.   The survey done at that time was  then combined with one done previously, before vandals had desecrated the cemetery for what Mrs. Allen described as "the second time in ten years".

It  is not known if further vandalism to this site has taken place since the letter was written.  A list of 32 names reportedly accompanied her letter for submittal to the County Records.  By the tone of the correspondence,  it appeared that neither Mrs. Allen nor the County could pinpoint the exact legal location of the cemetery, as the last request in the letter was for a legal description including the number of acres, fractals, and section, township and range.

Eleanor McCleary of Muscatine has located a copy of a 1968 letter from Mrs. Orlo James Allen at the Muscatine Co Recorder's office as well as the original deed for the cemetery property.  In the letter from Mrs. Orlo James Allen,
939 East Fifth Street, Spencer, Iowa 51301 - dated 5 March 1968 to the Muscatine County Recorder, she wrote:

                  Last Spring, two of my Cousins stopped at the Muscatine County Court House, to inquire about
                  the location of the Gilbert Family Cemetery. The person or persons to whom they spoke, knew
                  nothing about the Cemetery, but wanted any information available, for the County Records.

                  On October 11, 1959, my Father and step-Mother, Mr. & Mrs. Benefiel Vincent Gilbert, and my
                  Husband, our son, and I, canvassed the Gilbert Family Cemetery. This Canvas s or Survey, was
                  combined with a previous survey, done before vandals desecrated the Cemetery for the second
                  time within ten years.

                  Enclosed is s a list of 32 names and date, which I copied from my records, for your County Records.
                  Possibly the reason that the County had no Records of it, is that it could be a Private Cemetery.

                  We have been “Canvassing” Cemeteries for years, for Genealogical purposes, and as the Secretary
                  of our Genealogical Society, I type them in quadruplicate, using the form I used for your copy. These
                  Records also, are Historically valuable. As you know, Iowa Territory was opened to the permanent
                  Settlers in 1833.  However, neither the Territory nor the State, was required to keep Records until
                  the 1880’s or 1890’s- so there is a blank, of about fifty years in our Iowa History. Many Family Bibles
                  and Records wee lost or destroyed, so the tomb-stones are often the only Records proving that some
                  people existed.

                  My Great Grandfather, Hiram Gilbert, was listed as the 8th Pioneer to arrive in Muscatine County
                  in 1836, and the 17th to enter the County after the Territory was opened in 1833. His Father,
                  Mordecai Gilbert, arrived in 1839. Both Mordecai and Hiram bought their land at the 1839 Burlington
                  Land Sale - Hiram settling in Bloomington Twp., and Mordecai in Sweetland Twp.

                  The Cemetery is in Sweetland Twp., and since Mordecai’s Wife, Malinda (Orgen) Gilbert, is the
                  first burial in the Cemetery (1849), I presume that it was once a part of his land. Only close relatives
                  or descendants of Mordecai & Malinda (Orgen) Gilbert, are buried there - and it is still in use after
                  119 years. The Gilbert Family Cemetery land abuts the Jewish Cemetery land, with a fence
                  separating the two. It may help you to know that in 1952, Andrew Grimm was Chairman of the
                  Sweetland Twp. Board, and that Abe Leiflander was Caretaker of the Jewish Cemetery.

 The deed information located by Mrs. McCleary provides the following information:

                  Muscatine County Book of Lands No. 18, pg. 381
                  From Stiles to Gilbert et all
                  Filed for Record 16th day of June A.D. 1879 at 10 1/2 o’clock A.M.
                  W.M. Kennedy Recorder

                  This Deed of Bargain and Sale, made and executed this seventh day of April A.D. 1879 by and
                  between Martha Jane Stiles and George H. Stiles, of the County of Muscatine, State of Iowa of
                  the first part and The heirs of Samuel Gilbert, Hiram Gilbert and his heirs and Samuel Bamford
                  and his heirs of the second part, Witnesseth, that the party of the first part, for in consideration
                  of the sum of Ten Dollars, in hand paid by the parties of the second part, the receipt whereof is
                  hereby acknowledged, has granted and sold, and does by these presents, Grant, Bargain, Sell,
                  Convey and Confirm unto the said second parties, their heirs and assigns forever, the following
                  Real Estate, lying and being situated in the County of Muscatine and State of Iowa, to wit:

                  A lot of one half acre for a cemetery or Burying yard, situated in a lot of land which the said M. J.
                 Stiles inherit from her father Samuel Gilbert, being a part of the East Half of the South West quarter
                 of Section No. 19, Township 77, Range One West, and bounded as follows,
                 From the quarter post between sections 19 and 30, thence west eighteen 6/100 (18.6) chains,
                 thence north six 75/100 (6.75) chains to the south east corner of said cemetery, thence north
                 ten rods, thence west eight rods thence south ten rods, thence east eight rods to the place of
                 beginning, containing one half acre, and the said grantors do hereby grant the right of a carriage
                  way to and from said cemetery forever.

                  The intention being to convey hereby An Absolute Title in Fee to said Real Estate, including any
                  Right of Homestead had therin.

                  To Have and to Hold The premises above described, with all the appurtenances thereto belonging,
                  unto the said second parties their heirs and assigns forever. The said M.J. Stiles and G.H. Stiles
                  hereby covenanting for themselves their heirs, executors and administrators, that the above described
                  premises are free from any incumbrances they will Warrant and Defend the Title unto the said second
                  parties, their heirs and assigns, against the claims of all persons whomsoever lawfully claiming the same,
                  And the said George H. Stiles does hereby release and relinquish all his right of Dower in and to the
                 foregoing described premises with all other rights thereto.

                  In Witness Whereof, The said party of the first part has herunto set their hands and seals the
                 day and year first herein written

                  Martha Jane Stiles seal

                  Geo. H. Stiles seal

                  State of Iowa, Muscatine County, ss:

                  Be it Remembered, that on this 14th day of June A.D. 1879, before the undersigned a Notary Public in and for
                  said County, personally appeared Martha Jane Stiles and Geo. H. Stiles to me personally known to be the
                  identical persons whose names are subscribed to the foregoing Deed as grantors acknowledged the
                  instrument to be their voluntary act and deed, and that they executed the same for the purpose therein
                  mentioned.

                  Witness my hand & Seal Notarial the day and year last above written

                  W.B. Saugnider Notary Public

Following is the listing of currently known burials at the Gilbert Cemetery which contains 29 listings.  The listing of 32 burials mentioned in the Allen letter, which would provide 3 additional burials,  has not been located as of 2002
 

NAME OF DECEASED	DATE OF BIRTH	DATE OF DEATH	MAIDEN NAME	NOTES
BAKER, Buford B	1874	1943	.	.
BAKER, Hannah B.	1883	1925	CHANDLER	d/o Howard & Mary Catherine  (Gilbert) Chandler w/o Buford WPA lists as Hannah M. Baker d age 42
BAMFORD, Caroline	03 Sep 1818	25 Mar 1878	RAY?	w/o Samuel aged 59y 8m 22d WPA lists death date and age
CHANDLER, Howard	13 Jun 1854	06 Aug 1916	.	WPA says died age 62y 0m 22d  also said he was Possible Veteran h/o Mary Gilbert f/o Ralph, Howard, Harvey, Josie &  Mrs. D.D. Baker
CHANDLER, Mary Catherine "Kate"	13 Aug 1852	24 Apr 1903	GILBERT	w/o Howard mar 10 Dec 1874 Muscatine Co WPA lists age 51y 8m 21d d/o Samuel & Mary Ann
CHANDLER, Ralph	1876	1951	.	s/o Howard & Mary C.
CHANDLER, Catherine	.	.	WILKERSON	w/o Ralph
CHANDLER, Harvey	.	31 Mar 1937	.	s/o Ralph & Catherine WPA lists age 49y 10 mo 15d  163rd Depot Brig.-World War I American Legion
CHANDLER, Clyde R.	16 Jun 1920	09 Apr 1963	.	Veteran WW II
COURTNEY, A.	1823	08 Jun 1958	.	WPA lists age 35
DUNCAN, Edward Guy	09 Oct 1909	06 May 1910	.	s/o Guy Duncan & ? Chandler
GILBERT, Mordecai	10 Jun 1772  Maryland	01 Feb 1864	.	WPA lists age 81y 7m 21d spells name Mordegai s/o Aquilla & Priscilla Gallion Gilbert
GILBERT, Malinda	07 Sep 1782	07 Sep 1849	ORGEN	w/o Mordecai WPA list says d. 1819 (error) aged 67y
GILBERT, Hiram	17 May 1817	04 Mar 1887	.	s/o Mordecai & Malinda (some sources say Hiram is son of Mordecai & Milly, apparently a nickname for Malinda) WPA lists aged 69y 9m 17d biography
GILBERT, Eliza B	22 Sep 1822	06 Jun 1899	BENEFIEL	w/o Hiram mar 10 Feb 1842 in Louisa Co WPA says d. 1898 (listed as Gilfert)
GILBERT, Mary Izet	04 Jun 1878	07 Jul 1878	.	d/o Millard Wiley & Ellen (Roberts) Gilbert
GILBERT, Wiley Owen	20 Aug 1876	01 Sep 1876	.	s/o Millard W. & Ellen Gilbert (note Millard W. mar 23 Nov 1873 in Muscatine Co-he died in Colorado in 1913)
GILBERT, Samuel	15 May 1815 VA	08 Dec 1873	.	s/o Mordecai & Malinda WPA list
GILBERT, Mary Ann	05 Mar 1824 IN	26 May 1900	CHINN	w/o Samuel mar 28 Feb 1841 Muscatine Co d/o Thomas & Susan Smith Chinn WPA list biography
GILBERT, Eliza S	1799	20 Sep 1873	STILES	wife of Mordechi  mar 21 Jul 1859 Muscatine Co
GILBERT, Henrietta	13 Apr 1784	24 Nov 1857	.	w/o William Gilbert WPA lists b. 1834 and wife of M.
GILBERT, James T	24 Apr 1822	15 Jun 1855	.	s/o Mordecai & Malinda WPA lists age 33y 1m 23d
HUFFMASTER, Irene	01 Apr 1828	10 Feb 1913	GILBERT	WPA list only w/o Rudolph mar 04 Apr 1866 in Muscatine Co d/o Samuel & Mary Ann
HUFFMASTER, Rudolph	06 Feb 1839	19 Apr 1919	.	WPA List only Co. C 1st Ia. Vol/Co. K 8th Ia. Cav. Co. C 16th Ia. Inf.--Civil War--G.A.R.
KRAMER, Emma M.	1867.	1919.	HUFFMASTER	WPA list gave first name and dates. w/o Frank Kramer mar 03 Feb 1897 Muscatine Co
RODE, Fred W	07 Jul 1839	21 Oct 1904	.	WPA list gave full dates and middle initial
RODE, Lily	.	1894	.	possibly Milly; a marriage of Fred Rode & Milly Bush found in Muscatine Co 16 Mar 1879
STILES, George	.	1904	.	m 01 May 1862 Muscatine Co
STILES, Martha Jane	16 Mar 1842	23 May 1929	GILBERT	MPL list said d. 1920 WPA list gave full dates w/o George; d/o Samuel & Mary Ann

last updated 9 Oct  2002