From stepping stone back to tombstone
Published 12:00 am Saturday, September 6, 2003
One of Freeborn County’s oldest cemeteries and a tombstone with the date of 1864 are located near the former village of Sumner. In fact, there are two historical markers at the site of this pioneer community about 11 miles east of Albert Lea in the southwest corner of Moscow Township.
The location of both markers is on County Road 102 (227th Street). One marker is on the south side of the road near the home of Doug Riskedahl. It was placed there in 1973 by the Moscow Township Board and the Freeborn County Historical Society to designate the former site of Sumner. The second marker is on the north side of the road near the intersection with 860th Avenue. It’s for the Sumner-Hildreth Cemetery. This marker has a rather unusual feature; the tombstone next to it has an even more unusual history.
The village of Sumner was started in 1857 by R. K. Crum who came from Pennsylvania by way of Indiana. It was named for a Captain Sumner who served in the American Revolutionary War.
Crum built a large home and horse barn which became an overnight stopping place for stagecoaches on the route from Red Wing to Blue Earth City. In time, a store, school, Presbyterian church and several homes evolved near the banks of Watson Creek (named for the village’s first postmaster). Crum though this community at the crossroads of several wagon trails had the potential to really grow. An 1857 newspaper account said, &uot;It is one of the most beautiful locations for a town in southern Minnesota, with a splendid farming country around it.&uot;
However, Crum became discouraged because Sumner wasn’t growing. In reality, the only part of the community which represented much growth appeared to be the cemetery. Crum later moved to Iowa.
In a 1965 article, Tribune City Editor Stan Carlson suggested that Sumner gradually died out because the railroad between Albert Lea and Austin bypassed the village in 1869. Yet, about two miles southwest of Sumner was another village with the colorful name of Crayon Park. This community in the northwest corner of Oakland Township was right next to the railroad tracks. Despite this, the really obscure village of Crayon Park near the present intersection of County Roads 30 and 117 rated the mention of just a single sentence in the 1911 Freeborn County history book.
The historical marker near the Riskedahl home states Sumner was a village from 1857 to 1876 when the post office closed. Some of the village’s buildings were later converted to other uses on several nearby farms.
Through the years some of the bodies buried in the cemetery were moved to the nearby Fairview Cemetery and other area cemeteries.
In 1934, the county decided to construct a new road though this locality to eliminate several curves and a place called Horseshoe Bend. Part of the new route went through the cemetery. Several tombstones were moved and later lost. One grave marker for Hollis Hildreth was reportedly left by the roadside and later used by a nearby farmer as a stepping stone for a barn door.
In 1963, L. A. (Skipper) Berg, best known as the leader of the Viking Accordion Band and also then very active in the Freeborn County Historical Society, was working on a history of Sumner. He located the Hildreth tombstone and brought to Albert Lea for temporary storage.
In 1991, the tombstone was returned to the Sumner Cemetery and placed horizontally on a cement base. Next to it was placed a historical marker which says in part:
&uot;Hollis Hildreth was born 14 Jan. 1801 in New Hampshire. He married Ruth Spalding on 1 Nov. 1829 in Essex Co. {County}, New York. In 1839 they moved to Branch Co., Michigan where in 1851 Ruth died. In 1852 Hollis moved to Jones Co., Iowa, where he married Sara Vonvoltenberg on 12 July 1857. In 1861 they moved to Sumner, where Hollis became the second postmaster. He died 3 May 1864. Children of Hollis & Ruth were: Emily Sinkey, Elmina, Lestina Hawley, Orville, Gilpah, Harriet Bulson, Alvin & Harley.
&uot;Our thanks for the cemetery restoration in 1991 goes to Moscow Town Board, Freeborn County Historical Society, the Hildreth family, Dale and Stephanie Stark (present owners of this property, who live nearby) and Peder and Jean Legried (for their historical research).&uot;
This marker has one unusual feature. On the side facing the road near the base are the words, &uot;See other side.&uot;
On the other side is an etched historical map of the Sumner area similar to a map created by Berg in 1965.
In its original upright position, the Hildreth tombstone had an etching of a hand with a finger pointing up to two words, &uot;Gone home.&uot; Now, in its present flat status, the finger is still pointing to the two words, plus an oak tree.
(Contact Ed Shannon at ed.shannon@albertleatribune.com or call 379-3434.)