Earlene GARDES, author of Bancroft City Cemetery, first edition, wrote some interesting history of the cemetery:
"The first cemetery was started by the village of Bancroft on the property of Samuel E. FARRINGTON. In 1981, Albert and Erna BEINKE reside in the large, two-story, white house atop the highest hill in town, just east of the Bancroft School. It was then known as "Cemetery Hill" and the cemetery was located in the grove south of the house. As a matter of interest, I might add that all soldier and servicemen's graves were surrounded by a white picket fence.
"In the early 1880s, Jacob OCKANDER purchased a tract of "fraction land", 20 rods wide, from Dan DE JEAN. This land was south of the village and less than two miles form the Omaha Indian Reservation. It includes the present day cemetery Blocks A, B, C and D. At this time, October 1981, Gary and Becky GLISSMAN and their son, Chris, live on the original De Jean farm place.
"Now dame the tedious chore of moving the graves from "Cemetery Hill: to this new cemetery south of town. Jacob Ockander, his son, and some friends spent quite some time digging up the wooden boxes and hauling them by team and wagon to their new locations. Many of these graves remain unmarked today because the wooden markers have rotted away or otherwise been destroyed.
"Mr. Ockander, as owner of the cemetery, began selling lots for $10.00 each, which included the digging and closing, and the lot owner paid the caretaker $1.00 to $1.50 annually for the card of his lot. Mr. Ockander was caretaker as well as manager for the American Cemetery Association, as it was called by the Village of Bancroft.
"Mr. Ockander was a cabinet maker, by trade. He made wooden coffins as well, priced more or less accoreding to the size required--$2 for an infant, $3.50 for a child, $10-$12 for a young adult, $22 for an adult. His shop was located on the corner lot on Main Atreet which was later the Bruns and Eynon grocery store. Today, the Bancroft Fire Hall is there. The Ockander family lived int he house across the valley, just west of the shop. In the late 1970s, Ed KRATOCHVIL burned the house and replaced it with a very attractive one-story brick home.
"Much of the above information was given to me (Earlene GARDES) by Ira (Pete) Ockander obtained fromt eh old ledger book that had belonged to his father, Jacob."
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