Cherry Valley Pioneer Cemetery
26526 NE Cherry Valley Rd
Duvall, King County, Washington 98019
Also known as The Duvall Cemetery
History
In 1886, James O’Leary, an early pioneer and saloon keeper, made a significant contribution to the community by donating one acre of land to the Squak Methodist Mission. This generous act was intended to construct a church and a cemetery. The early pioneers of Duvall recognized the value of this land and briefly utilized the half-acre cemetery located behind the church. However, the location posed a challenge, as seepage from the upper slopes kept the ground consistently wet and soggy. This made it uncomfortable for mourners, who would often witness gravediggers frantically bailing several inches of water before lowering the casket. As a result, the site was abandoned as a burial ground sometime between 1902 and 1905. In 1909 and 1910, during the excavation of a portion of the hillside for the Great Northern Railroad right-of-way, approximately 20 bodies were relocated, with some being moved to the new Novelty Cemetery south of Duvall. Among the graves still here are those of Stephanie Dyer Duvall, Ardle Pinkerton, Corinda Woodbury Pinkerton, Mr. Leyde, Mrs. Peterson, Mrs. Pingway, two Ruddy children, Florence Hible, and two Allen children. These last three were aunts of Eleanor Zaremba and Bill Trulson, who donated the cemetery to the Duvall Historical Society after caring for it for many years.
Most of the preceding information is from the marker at the cemetery.
Visit the Cherry Valley Pioneer Cemetery Website