History of Pleasant Valley
Pleasant Valley Cemetery District Association, Inc. (consisting of 13.22 acres) located at 9501 West 159th Street (between Antioch and Switzer Roads) is a political subdivision of the State of Kansas, Johnson County. It is operated by a Volunteer Board of Directors (nine elected members within the tax district of approximately 36 square miles).
The Cemetery was organized at the Pleasant Valley School House in March of 1881. There was no piece of land found in that locality which was thought suitable for a cemetery due to the land being so closely underlain with rock. Mr. J. E. Divelbiss addressed the meeting stating there was a fine location on the northwest corner of his place and if they chose to use it for a cemetery, he would let them have one acre of ground if the Association would have it regularly laid off and platted and agree to pay him for the land just what it would bring him per acre when it came into the market. This was part of a two hundred acre tract of a Shawnee Indian Ton-noy-Se-Se that was granted in 1854 from the United States Secretary of Interior. John E. Divelbiss and his wife purchased 160 acres of this tract. A State of Kansas Charter was granted in March of 1881 to form an Association to be known as Pleasant Valley Cemetery Association. A Warranty Deed was issued in 1886 at $15 per acre. Burial spaces were sold for $5.00 per lot with a $1.00 per year endowment fund dues for perpetual care.
The first person buried in Pleasant Valley Cemetery was Mrs. Caroline English from Olathe during the winter of 1880. She was buried in the field before the land was purchased and laid out as a cemetery. The first person buried in the established cemetery was Julia A. Edgington, wife of R. P. Edgington of Morse, Kansas. She was buried on February 27, 1881.
The Chapel was completed on August 30, 1926. It was used for funeral services and as a shelter in times of bad weather for funerals. The Veterans Military Monument was dedicated in November 11, 2005, and the Columbarium Memorial Plaza was completed in October, 2013.
On May 7, 1964, a petition was signed by fifty-one percent of the qualified voters to create a tax supported district approved by the Johnson County Commissioners. Lots from then on have been sold with perpetual care included in the sale price.