HISTORIC CEMETERY RENOVATED
By Anna E. Troh  in the White Salmon Enterprise July 1985

     In the late 1880s Glenwood pioneer families had to set their hearts and hands to clearing land for the Mt. Adams Cemetery. They chose a beautiful spot on the Trout Lake road three miles southwest of Glenwood, with an open view of Mt. Adams and a big pine trees as sentinels. The pioneers had to clear sagebrush, cut trees and root out stumps. One of the first Grange of trustees, Tom Quigley, donated part of his homestead. Pete Hoult and H.M. Trenner assisted in acquiring about four acres. 

     Margaretha Jebe, wife of William, was the first woman buried there in 1893. There were no fences so she was laid to rest under a large pine. William Jebes' lot was signed for on a brown paper bag. Charter members of the Grange (May 22, 1890) had to work out the cost of the lots. J.F. Troh moved three children over from a hill on the original Conboy place, and his wife Fredericka was buried in the cemetery in 1894. 

     The first woman to purchase a lot in the cemetery was Jane Conboy Myers on July 8, 1899. The cost was $5 and the location is Lot 6, in the center road. She was the wife of Peter Conboy Sr. who first came to the valley in 1871. She was the mother of Pete Conboy Jr., who came to Glenwood and 1872. Pete married Katie Staack and they raised a family of eight in the valley. He served as state fire warden for 20 years over Klickitat and Skamania counties, and the part of Yakima and Clark also. Pete organized the Camas Prairie Pioneer Association and the Rodeo as pioneer entertainment. 

     As the years passed, interest in the Grange waned and this country cemetery looked forlorn and neglected. Through the efforts of the Glenwood Community Council, a water system came to Glenwood. A few kept asking for water to the cemetery. Norman Troh and backhoe, assisted by Al Booher, installed the water lines with faucets for hoses and sprinklers. Mary L. Kreps, wife of Ollie Kreps, donated for the pipes and paid the first year's water rent, and a few others donated help. 

     Oct. 6, 1983 Russell and Alberta I. Sprague laid her mother to rest and soon proceeded to prepare the lot for lawn seeding. They covered it with straw but grass came peeking through so fast they decided to do more family plots. One was the lot of Louise Wellenbrock Borde, Mrs. Sprague's great-grand mother. This pioneer lady was the mother of seven who became of the mothers and fathers of pioneer families in the 1900s. Bertha Frazer and brother Robert Wellenbrock were custodians of the Presby mansion in Goldendale for many years. Page 62 of the Klickitat County history has photos of them with Luella Pointing Golden, daughter of John Golden -- namesake of Goldendale. Other pioneers are also in the picture. 

     On May 5, 1980 the Spragues decided to rototill, clean and seed other lots toward the east fence. The children of Walt and Grace Saunders came and did the lots of their parents, then volunteered to help on the "No Name" lots, raking rocks and bunch grass out and seeding. Several other lots followed. 

     All spring and summer the rototiller moved on. Several folks came to do their own family plot -- Frank Ward, the Trout's, Norman Krall. Max Ladiges and Mr. Krall donated some round wooden stools to set on, big pine stumps. This writer, assisted by her husband, found much work to do. 

     Imagine the labor of Alberta I. and Russell Sprague, as they dug out and hauled huge rocks, small rocks …. hundreds of loads in all. They had to tear out curbing and rake form 8 a.m. until dark, seeding and moving sprinklers constantly. By November 2, 1984 all lots in the east half had been cleaned, leveled, seeded and covered with straw. 
     Spring of 1985 found the seeded area looking verdant and beautiful. Flowers are planted in between the markers so the mower can cut the new grass. This Spragues started work on several west-side lots. 
     Now they've gone on a well-earned vacation for three weeks, and several Glenwood women have volunteered to move the sprinklers to water new seedlings and keep the lawns green. They are Shirley Feller, Margaret Throop, Bobbie Burns, Kaye Hoodenpyle, Gloria Harter and Freda Sheridan. 

     Our hats off to you, Russell and Alberta I Sprague for all your labor, inspiration and persistence in a job well-done! Thanks to, to the families who came and worked on their own family plots and to the volunteers who do the hard work of moving sprinklers. 

Thanks to Jeffrey Elmer for finding this article.