History
Evergreen Cemetery was organized in 1867 under the Illinois law of 1855 as a private cemetery. Although there are several kinds of cemetery associations allowed by the law, this one was owned and used by the lot owners for non profit. The center of the organizing force seems to have been George Ela, M.B. McIntosh and William G. Waterman. A group of citizens was invited to meet March 14, 1867, in the depot, and Trustees elected were L.H. Bute, M.B. McIntosh, Henry Crabtree, Gilbert A. Applebee A.A. Cowdery. At the next meeting on the twenty-first of that same month, M.B. McIntosh was elected President and A.A. Cowdery was Secretary. The five trustees contributed fifty cents apiece to buy a secretary book and several accessories. A committee of these trustees looking for a suitable plot of ground reported a piece of five acres, now a part of the older section at the south end of the cemetery, was available. The committee procured the same from the owner Henry Clausen and gave their private note at 10% in payment.
The plot was designed by a Mr. J.W. Powers in 1868. It was surveyed for blocks and lots by L.D. Kendall, surveyor of Kane County, which survey was confirmed by Alex Woolcott who was the Cook County Surveyor.
A charter was granted them in 1869 and those who were charter lot owners prior to that September 11th, 1869 were: George Ela, Benjamin Chase, Philetus Beverly, Mrs. D. Winter, C. Hastings, M.B. McIntosh, A.A. Cowdery, George W. Jillison, Mrs C. Boyes, James Creet, Sr., Willard Stevens, G.A. Applebee and A.S. Henderson. A few of those lot owners soon after were: William G. Waterman, James Holden, Mrs. S. Abbott, E.H. Nelson, I.W. Clark, C.T. Blair, William Howarth, S.A. Randall, Uriah L. Burlingham, William Spunner, Chester Hutchinson and S.C. Jaynes.
When the original five acres was bought, it was plowed and planted to oats. As the lots were sold off, the balance offered a considerable amount of hay which brought in some revenue. Your author saw his brother, R.M. Lines, when we were both barefooted, kill a poisonous spotted adder with a pitch fork while he was turning hay for grandfather McIntosh.
From Arnett C. Lines: A History of Barrington, Illinois, p.186
