Fort Des Moines was established May 1843. Settlers began locating almost immediately near the fort. Streets were platted in 1847 and it was incorporated September 22, 1851. The first town election was held October 18, 1851. On January 18, 1853 the Iowa Fourth General Assembly passed an act to incorporate the town of Fort Des Moines in Polk County, Iowa. The name Fort Des Moines was shortened to Des Moines in 1857 and later that year the city was designated the capitol of Iowa. The first City Hall Building was built in 1870 and on Christmas Eve 1909, construction was approved for the present City Hall building which was called the Municipal Building.
During WWI Camp Dodge was established in 1917 and more than 100,000 Iowans were trained for combat. Following the stock market crash of 1929, federally funded projects supplied work that improved the City, including new bridges and streets. By 1941 Des Moines' population had grown to 160,000. Today more than 200,000 people live in Des Moines. It is recognized as a center for government, education, business, culture and the arts and a major insurance center. The City's climate-controlled sky walk system serves as an important link to parking garages, businesses, restaurants and hotels.
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Cemetery & Grave Marker Photos
~~ Beeson ~~
Martin & Zelda Capehart Genealogy Website
Glendale Cemetery, Des Moines, IA
Des Moines municipal cemetery of Glenda, the largest cemetery in Iowa, is located at 4909 University Ave. The first burial took place there on Sept. 22, 1904. The cemetery then was less than 100 acres but now encompasses 325 acres with 75,000 burials and enough empty plots to continue the cemetery another 100 years. A mausoleum designed to contain 600 crypts and about 110 places for crematory urns sits near the entrance to the cemetery. Those interred in the mausoleum include former Iowa Governor and U.S. Senator Clyde Herring and Charles Iles, former Des Moines Mayor. Those buried on the grounds of the cemetery include some well known residents as well as some of the city's poorest individuals. Former Vice President Henry Wallace, the Arthur Newman family and two Medal of Honor winners are also buried in the cemetery.
In 1919 the bodies of Polk County soldiers who were buried in France in World War I were returned to the United States and buried in 3 acres set aside for the soldiers. The cemetery now contains four sections designated for soldiers, a Tai Dam section, an Islamic section a Jewish Cemetery, a Masonic cemetery and five sections for infants. About 60 years ago an area formerly known as Glendale Catholic was deeded to the city. The cemetery also includes an area that was once known as a paupers field but is now called an at-need area for the poor. In 1938 and 1939 a Works Progress Administration project made several improvements to the cemetery, which included improving curbing and the six miles of winding roads through the hilly property and making a two-acre lake which continues to attract ducks and geese.
Charley was the husband of Stella Maude (Morgan) Beeson who is buried in Medicine Rock Cemetery, Carter, MT. -- unmarked grave, Block 39, Section A, Lot 252
Cemetery Entrance
Des Moines, IA
1 N.E. 60th Avenue
Des Moines, IA
The information on this website has been compiled from many sources. We have tried to document and verify all information as much as possible and will continue to do so. If you find an error or have additional information please contact us.
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BEESON
Charley August
b. 15 Aug 1875
d 3 Sep 1949
NOTE: We visited Glendale Cemetery in May of 2005 and took the photo shown below of the Cemetery Sign. After searching for quite some time we determined my Uncle Charley August Beeson was buried in an unmarked grave. His wife, Stella Maude, who proceeded him in death is also buried in an unmarked grave in Medicine Rock Cemetery, Baker, MT. They were living in Montana at the time of her death.
Creations by Zelda
The Martin & Zelda Capehart Genealogy Website
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