County of chapel: Cooper County
location of cemetery & chapel: MO-Z & MO-K highways, 3 miles S. of Blackwater - parallel to I-70
Created: 1916
Church Built: 1887
Number of Grave: 790
This church, when I first saw it, I thought it was built in 1873. Since learned, organized in 1873, built in 1887
There were a couple of people buried alongside the church before 1916, but it was not an official cemetery. The earliest was the Dix daughter in 1893. Cemetery land donated in 1915 and cemetery officially created in 1916.
Church was active up til around 2005, not sure when last services on a regular basis were held. Today, used as a chapel for the cemetery and an occasional fund raising or wedding.
Church land donated by Fleming Marshall in 1877, land for the cemetery donated by J. H. Cassel in 1915
The cemetery existed before the official designation, but was random and unkept.
Oldest grave death notice I could find was 1892.
"A beautiful, well kept Peninsula Cemetery was a mess of poison ivy, hazel brush and blackberry briars prior to the organization of the Peninsula Cemetery Club in 1915. ...
"The first grave was the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Tandid Dix.
" ... The Peninsula Cemetery Corporation was organized in 1969 for the purpose of establishing a perpetual fund for the maintenance of the cemetery. The club continues to functions as it has for 58 years. The two organizations working together. ... " ~ Cooper MoGenWeb
"The old white frame Peninsula Baptist Church and Cemetery crown the hilltop at the Blackwater exit off I-70. It dominates the hills and bottom land that are surrounded on three sides by a turn in the Lamine River where it joins the Blackwater River giving the name Peninsula to the area and community.
"The land grants of these early church founders date from 1832 for the Dix, Clark, Marshall, Bridgewater, and Allison families who were the first settlers. Fleming Marshall donated the 2 acre hilltop site for the congregation. Prayer meetings began in 1841 at Dr. Allison's office. More settlers arrived and the cooperation of many talents were required to build and dedicate the church in 1877. In fact so much labor and materials were donated that of the planned budget of $500, two dollars and five cents were left over.
"Early churches were typically the steward of behavior on the frontier. Reading the old records it was noticed that a few members had been publicly chastised or dismissed for offenses such as: "revelry," or "walking disorderly","associating with Campbellites," "unchristianlike conduct," or dancing.
"When the railroad arrived it crossed the river to the north making Blackwater into an urban center. Then the roads and bridges were improved to accept automobiles; and finally I-70. Peninsula with its orderly cemetery became only a landmark until 2011 when the volunteer spirit again inspired the complete restoration and modernization of the building and grounds. Foundation work, electricity, plumbing, gravestone rehabilitation by Alley and Kramel, interior decoration, fresh varnish for the old pews, were all donated." ~ The Missourian, Columbia, Oct. 20, 2014
"The original building was built in 1887 at a cost of $453.80, The land for the church and cemetery was donated by Fleming Marshall. Improvements were made in 1962, and in 1972 the education addition was built." ~ CooperMoGenWeb