Olcott Cemetery History, Knox County, Nebraska

Does a cemetery just pop up out of nowhere? That seems to be what happened as I have heard several comments like; "I didn’t even know a cemetery was there!" They are referring to the Olcott Cemetery located six miles west of Creighton at the hwy 14-59 junction. Due to the generous volunteer help of a few concerned citizens, the cemetery is now exposed for all to see.

For years the cemetery lay hidden under overgrown lilac bushes, once planted to commemorate the graves of loved ones. The tall cedar trees stood guard over the burial ground that held only 22 graves, many of them children. The last time anyone was interred in the Olcott Cemetery was in 1920.

In 1880 Samuel and Jane Ausman came to Knox County and applied for a homestead of 160 acres in Section 20 of Miller township. In April 1881, they lost their daughter Evaline at the age of 8 years and 3 months. They picked a spot in the lower corner of their homestead and buried their daughter. By 1890 four more families were to lay five children next to Evaline Ausman.

Samuel and Jane gave up on their life here in Nebraska and opted to return to Iowa. They left behind their beloved Evaline. It was also about this time that Rev. D.T. Olcott, Pastor of the Methodist Church in Creighton desired to see a church built west of Creighton. Anxious to see that his child’s final resting place was properly cared for, Samuel willingly deeded one acre for a cemetery and one acre for a church. This became the Olcott Church and cemetery.

This is a prime example of how a cemetery began. A single grave in the corner of the farm, then adding a few neighbors loved ones, then finally becoming a public cemetery. Usually building a church preceded the platting of a cemetery, but in this case it was the reverse. Standing there, looking down at the tombstones, I think of the Ausmans as they must have once stood in this same spot, choosing this special piece of ground, just for Evaline.