Meinhard Cemetery near Troy Grove is treated under Illinois law as a private family cemetery and a historic burial ground.

That means:

• It is protected under Illinois cemetery preservation laws.

• It is not regulated like a commercial cemetery.

• It is subject to LaSalle County zoning and land‑use rules.

• It is covered by Illinois Historic Cemetery Protection Act rules.

If a cemetery is on private land and a descendant or heir has documented ownership or control, that person is legally responsible for its care and upkeep.

This comes from:

• Illinois Cemetery Protection Act (765 ILCS 835)
• Illinois Human Skeletal Remains Protection Act (20 ILCS 3440)
• Illinois Burial and Cremation Act (410 ILCS 18)
• LaSalle County land‑use and cemetery oversight rules

Who is legally responsible for Meinhard Cemetery?

✔ You, because you have documented ownership/descendant rights

✔ The landowner (if different from you)

✔ Any co‑owners listed on the deed or family documents

❌ Not the county

❌ Not the township

❌ Not the state

❌ Not a cemetery district (Meinhard is not part of one)

LaSalle County does not maintain historic family cemeteries unless:

• They are abandoned and
• No descendant or owner can be identified

You do have documentation, so the county will not assume maintenance.

What responsibilities fall on you?

Required (by law):

• Prevent damage to stones
• Prevent disturbance of graves
• Keep vegetation from destroying markers
• Maintain safe access
• Ensure no illegal dumping or vandalism
• Keep records of any new interments (including cremains)

Optional (your choice):

• Mowing
• Brush clearing
• Prairie restoration
• Fence repair
• Stone stabilization (non‑invasive)

Restricted (requires county notification):

• Moving stones
• Deep digging
• Removing native prairie vegetation
• Burning brush
• Adding structures or fencing

 

·        What about interring cremains?

·        Because you are the documented descendant/owner:

·        ✔ You may authorize cremains interment

·        ✔ You may choose the burial location

·        ✔ You file the burial permit with LaSalle County

·        ✔ You record the interment for legal protection

What you need to do to inter cremains legally

Here is the exact process for LaSalle County:

Step 1 — Contact LaSalle County Clerk

Ask for:

• Burial permit for cremains

This is simple and usually same‑day.

Step 2 — Choose a location

Requirements:

• Must not disturb existing graves
• Must not require deep digging
• Should be in an unused portion of the cemetery
• Should avoid prairie‑restoration zones if present

Step 3 — Inter the cremains

Allowed methods:

• Direct placement in soil
• Biodegradable urn
• Shallow trench (4–6 inches)
• No vaults or concrete containers

Step 4 — Record the burial

Illinois requires:

• Name of decedent
• Date of interment
• Burial location
• Who authorized the burial (you)

This protects you legally and protects the cemetery.

Cremains Interment Authorization Letter (Illinois – Historic Family Cemetery)

Meinhard Cemetery Troy Grove, LaSalle County, Illinois

Date: __________________________

To: LaSalle County Clerk LaSalle County Government Center Ottawa, Illinois

Subject: Authorization for Interment of Cremated Remains

I, ________________________________________, am a documented descendant and authorized representative/owner of Meinhard Cemetery, located near Troy Grove in LaSalle County, Illinois. I hold legal documentation confirming my family’s ownership and stewardship of this historic family cemetery.

In accordance with the Illinois Cemetery Protection Act (765 ILCS 835) and the Illinois Burial and Cremation Act (410 ILCS 18), I hereby authorize the interment of cremated remains for the following individual:

Name of Decedent: __________________________________________ Date of Death: __________________________________________ Funeral Director / Crematory: __________________________________________

Location of Interment

The cremains will be placed in a shallow interment (typically 4–6 inches) in a location that does not disturb any existing graves, does not require deep excavation, and is consistent with the preservation of the cemetery’s historic and prairie character.

Specific Location Within Cemetery:

Container Type

(Choose one)

• ☐ Biodegradable urn

• ☐ Direct placement of cremains

• ☐ Other (describe): __________________________________________

Compliance Statement

I affirm that this interment will be conducted in compliance with all applicable Illinois laws, including:

• Filing of a burial permit with the LaSalle County Clerk

• Proper recording of the interment location

• Preservation of existing graves, markers, and prairie vegetation

• No use of vaults or concrete containers

Authorization

I hereby grant full permission for this interment and accept responsibility for maintaining the cemetery in accordance with Illinois law.

Signature: __________________________________________ Printed Name: __________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________ Phone: __________________________________________ Email: __________________________________________

From George Farris:

The monument in Troy Grove for Carl is a cenotaph, his actual grave is in Philadelphia where he died.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/67270150/charles-meinhart

As stated in the summary at the cenotaph in Troy Grove referenced in the item from the National Cemetery Administration.    Some confusion because the names are listed differently on the two monuments.  Image enhanced by AI.

Paternal Ancestors of Karl & Rose Compiled from Information  from: Doris & Helen Ford

Simon

Simon was.probably born in Westphalia and later moved to Metz. (George Farris)

Baker in Metz,  Alsace-Lorraine

There may have been another generation between Simon and Jacob but no records to verify that.  Simon was.probably born in Westphalia and later moved to Metz. Records not complete on that point. All we know about Simon is from a handwritten note by one of Michael's daughters.  I don't think the records in Metz survived the wars. (George Farris)

J. Jacob

Born  1780 or April 1782 Siegen Died August 1854 or 1856 Troy Grove

Sold the bakery to brother Ludwig (1853)

Emigrated to US in 1853

Michael

Born December 15-1808 Siegen Died November 17-1896 Troy Grove

Served 3 years in the Prussian army.This was probably the reason he “dissented” to America. 

Emigrated in (1853) with his father, wife and 7 children.  He left 4 babies buried in Seigan. 2 older sons preceded him to America.

Ran Grist mill in Troy Grove.

Black walnut table was used in the grist mill for playing poker while farmers waited for grain to be ground. Sara Meinhard now has this table.

Gerlach Frederick Micheal

Born August 26-1841 Siegen  Died March 24-1905 Storm Lake

Served in the Civil War

Ran the mill in Troy Grove

Moved the family to Storm Lake in 1896or 1899 Served in the civil war

-Gerlach’s Brother Carl Theodore Meinhard (Karl?)

Born 1845 Siegen Died June 12, 1865 of wounds received in the Civil War near Savannah, Ga

-Gerlach’s brother Jacob was murdered (1861) in a railroad yard in Ottawa while delivering the money to pay for the mill.

Alfred

Born June 20(or21)-1878 Troy Grove Died September 09(or11)-1949 Spencer

Farmer

Brother Rudolph Born March 06-1875 Troy Grove Died May 12-1953 Minneapolis

Carpenter & Farmer probably made case for clock

Karl

Born March 03-1905 Storm Lake Died March 15-1991 West Union

Doug

Born August 19-1946 Chamberlain, South Dakota Died TBD

 

1. Identity & Origin

Clockmaker: Dietrich Koch (signed “D. Koch”)
Associated Family: Heinrich Koch (brother; clockmaker but never signed clocks)
Workshop Location: Stromberg bei Eitorf, North Rhine–Westphalia, Germany
Circa: c. 1845–1860 (mid‑19th century)
Regional Style: Rhenish / Biedermeier

Historical Context:
Dietrich Koch was a rural master clockmaker serving the Sieg River valley. During this transitional period in German horology, many craftsmen acted as master finishers: acquiring high‑quality movements (likely Black Forest‑made) and completing them with locally produced cases, dials, and brass work for regional clients. Production was small‑scale and largely handcrafted.

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2. Mechanical Specifications

Movement Type: 30‑hour, weight‑driven rope‑drive movement
Drive System: Rope and pulley system using hand‑braided cord with lead‑filled brass canister weights (pre‑chain design typical of mid‑century clocks)
Escapement Regulation: “Cow‑tail” pendulum with brass‑faced lead bob
Plates: Solid metal plates, indicating quality construction and durability
Function: Time‑only or time‑and‑strike, depending on configuration; some examples include bell striking for hours

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3. Dial and Case Features

• Roman numeral chapter ring
• 60‑mark outer minute scale
• Regulator‑style dial emphasizing precision
• Ornate brass maker’s plaque signed “D. Koch”
• Case style consistent with mid‑19th‑century regional wall regulators

The signed plaque suggests pride in craftsmanship and strongly indicates a custom or limited‑production piece rather than mass manufacture.

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4. Attribution and Maker Identification

Horological directories list only one confirmed clockmaking family in Stromberg bei Eitorf:

Heinrich Koch

• Listed as clockmaker
• Never signed clocks

D. Koch (Dietrich Koch)

• Signed clocks
• Almost certainly the maker of this Stromberg clock

Because Heinrich did not sign clocks, any surviving clocks marked “D. Koch” from Stromberg bei Eitorf are attributed to Dietrich Koch.

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5. Meaning of “Stromberg bei Eitorf”

Stromberg was a very small rural settlement and not independently recognizable outside the region. The phrase “bei Eitorf” (“near Eitorf”) was added for practical identification purposes. Eitorf was the nearest known market town with postal services, trade routes, and church records.

This practice was extremely common among 19th‑century rural German clockmakers and served as a form of geographic clarification rather than indicating work done in Eitorf itself.

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6. Geographic Clarification

The Stromberg referenced on the plaque is:

Stromberg (Windeck), Rhein‑Sieg‑Kreis, North Rhine‑Westphalia

• A hamlet within today’s municipality of Windeck
• Near Leuscheid and Eitorf
• Not related to other towns or regions named “Stromberg” in Germany

Most Probable Workshop Location:
Within the village of Stromberg itself, likely in a residential farmstead or mixed craft household along the old ridge road between Leuscheid and Eitorf.

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7. Rarity and Significance

• Production was low‑volume and handcrafted
• Few clocks were made; fewer survive
• Signed examples from Stromberg bei Eitorf are rare
• The label strongly supports authenticity, regional origin, and historical value

The Life and Legacy of Frederick Meinhard (1841–1905)

From Doris' geneology work done on Ancestors.com, she gives wonderful details about the Meinhard family story. That story is one of grit, transition, and the pursuit of the American dream. From the decks of a steamship in Antwerp to the battlefields of the Civil War, and finally to the fertile soil of the Iowa frontier, Frederick Meinhard’s 64 years represent a quintessential chapter in our family history.

From the Old World to the New

In April 1854, a twelve-year-old Frederick stood on the deck of the Helicon as it pulled away from Antwerp, Belgium. Traveling with his brother Jacob, he was part of a larger family migration. By the time they reached Troy Grove, Illinois, Frederick was already learning the family trade: milling. He spent his teenage years assisting his father, Michael, in the local mill, a profession that required mechanical precision and physical stamina.

A Soldier of the Republic

Frederick’s life took a harrowing turn at age 20. On March 13, 1862, he enlisted in Company I of the 65th Illinois Infantry. His military record reads like a tour of the Civil War’s most intense theaters:

• Captured at Harper’s Ferry: In April 1863, Frederick was taken as a prisoner of war and held at Camp Chase.

• The Atlanta Campaign: Following his exchange, he served in the 23rd Army Corps under General Burnside. He marched through East Tennessee and participated in the brutal, pivotal campaign to take Atlanta.

• Honorable Discharge: He survived the conflict and was mustered out on May 15, 1865, returning home to Illinois to resume civilian life.

Roots in Troy Grove

Post-war life brought stability and growth. In 1868, Frederick married Marie Henrieta Emelie (Emily) Vitt. Family stories suggest Emily had come to work for the Meinhards, and the two families shared deep roots back in Germany. Together in Troy Grove, they began their own branch of the family tree, welcoming three sons: Henry (1870), Rudolph Karl (1875), and Alfred Oswald (1878).

It is at Troy grove that the Meinhard Family Cemetery commerates the Meinhard ancestry. 

The Great Migration to Iowa

The most significant geographical shift occurred after the death of Frederick’s father in 1896. Seeking new opportunities, Frederick moved the family to Buena Vista County, Iowa.

The move was a calculated success. In Hayes Township, near Storm Lake, Frederick purchased a half-section of land for the then-significant sum of $2.50 per acre. He was only the second owner of this land, having bought it from a man who received the original patent from the federal government. This property became more than just a farm; it was a legacy that Frederick eventually divided among his three sons, ensuring the Meinhard name remained tied to the Iowa soil for generations to come.

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A Final Transition

Frederick’s journey ended on March 24, 1905, at the age of 64. In a poignant historical coincidence, his brother Gerlach passed away on the very same day. Frederick was laid to rest in Storm Lake, Iowa—a long way from the shipyards of Antwerp, but a place he had truly made his own. 

As we reflect on his life, we see a man of service, a builder of industry, and a father who labored to provide a literal "half-section" of the future for his children.