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The history of the Iberia Cemetery is a bit tricky, like a puzzle piece. Trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together has been challenging. It has not been recorded exactly when Iberia Cemetery was established, but the earliest burial occurred in 1868 per Find-A-Grave.

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Peggy Smith Hake wrote, "On August 31, 1858, the Tucker's (Samuel & Mary) conveyed a parcel of land "13 rods square" (one acre) to the Trustees of the United Baptist Church of Christ in the Big Richwoods [present-day First Baptist Church]. The trustees' names were Reuben Short, James Bowlin, Paulin Gardner, Alvis Dunkin/Duncan and William R. Right/Wright. In the deed it stated the land was "for the use and benefit of said Baptist Church for a place of public worship and cemetery for the use and benefit of the neighborhood and to be kept expressly for that purpose." That was the first mention of the old cemetery that is still in existence."

 

With there being a 10-year gap between the land being deeded to the Baptist Church and the first recorded interment, it's possible there were earlier burials in this pioneer cemetery. There are many unmarked graves in Iberia Cemetery, so it is possible the cemetery has been in existence since the late 1850s.

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Another theory to the dating of the cemetery goes back to the first Methodist church in Miller County, known as Smyrna, which was established in 1834. A small log church once sat near the present-day cemetery and had an active congregation until around the post-Civil War era, when they moved their congregation to Maries County. Other denominations, such as the Baptist, Church of Christ and Disciples of Christ, shared the abandoned Methodist church for quite a few years before separate church buildings were built in other locations. Smyrna never had a cemetery, so the earliest burials could be a combination of many religions. 

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The stonemason entrances and walls that surround the cemetery was built by Phelix and Frank Smith. The Smith men were renowned for their stonemason work throughout the county, mainly south of the Osage River. It is unknown when the entrances to Iberia Cemetery were built, but it was most likely in the early 1900s before the Great Depression hit. 

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