ABOUT

On January 12, 1879 a cemetery association was formed, and its by-laws were adopted.  The organization was known as The Bluff Creek Cemetery Association.  Carl Otto, Jr. served as the association’s president, and Joseph Fietsam was the first secretary-treasurer.  The Bluff Cemetery Association minute book has a sketch of the cemetery on the inside of the front cover which was probably drawn by Joseph Fietsam.

                  Item No. 3 of the by-laws states: “one lot shall sell for $5.00; one-half lot for $3.00, one grave space for $1.50, and done grave space on public burial grounds shall be $1.00.”  Lots were allocated by lottery. 

                  Prior to the establishment of the cemetery, the local people buried their dead on their own land.  When the cemetery was designated, some remains were removed from the farm and placed in the new burial grounds.  Peter and Rosina Laux , Gustav A. Mensing, Theodore Merrem, Alma Merrem, George T. Fietsam, Klara J. Fietsam, and Fredericke Heinze were moved from their home place to the cemetery.  One or more of these graves could have been moved to the cemetery in 1879, 1880, or before June 1881, but the first known burial was that of Alfred Munke who died June 11, 1881.

                  The land for the cemetery was purchased from Hugo Lueders for $50.00 .  The deed is on file in the Fayette County Deed Records Vol. 11 P
g. 122. 

                  The name of the cemetery was changed in 1912.  The word “Bluff” referred to a very large area prior to 1900.  By 1912 the word “Bluff” applied only to Monument Hill.  The president of the association felt that it would no longer be appropriate to retain the name for the cemetery since Bluff was several miles away.  A meeting was called at the Joe Hausmann Store and the members voted to change the name to Williams Creek Cemetery after the near by Williams Creek.