History
History
On November 18th, 1893, Dr. Fredrick S. Kohler donated a parcel of land to the Nampa Village with the stipulation that the land be used for a cemetery. Soon after the land was donated in 1893 the first person was buried at the cemetery. A man coming from Silver City Idaho died during his travel on a stage. The sage brush was cleared from a portion of the cemetery land and the first grave was dug.
Later, after Dr. Kohler donated land, an early Nampa settler, Mrs. Weamer, donated an additional two acres that increased the size of the cemetery. In 1908 Dr. Fredrick Kohler died in Nampa and his body was buried at Kohlerlawn Cemetery.
Dr. Kohler
Dr. Kohler, the man who donated the initial cemetery land, came from Pennsylvania and was Nampa’s first physician and surgeon. He was known as a kind and well-mannered man who had an admiration for children. Stories are told that illustrate the kindness of Dr. Kohler. If a person did not have the financial ability to pay for medical services, Dr. Kohler was known to tell the person to pay when they had the money. Dr. Kohler was not worried about money and was not known to collect unpaid bills.
Notable Plots
Along with Dr. Fredrick Kohler, other notable Nampa historians have been buried at Kohlerlawn Cemetery.
Alexander Duffes rests at Kohlerlawn Cemetery. Duffes is known as the founder of Nampa Idaho as he platted the Nampa town site. Alexander Duffes was a railroad promoter and land developer and he homesteaded 160 acres in Nampa.
Another historical Nampa figure, Colonel William Dewey, also permanently rests in the Kohlerlawn Cemetery. Dewey, was known as a wealthy mining gentleman who built a luxurious Nampa hotel in 1901 for $243,000. The four-story hotel was known as the Dewey Palace.