Search
-
-
H I S T O R Y O F S T. J O S E P H C E M E T E R Y
A short time after our parish was organized in 1831, the cemetery was established. As was the custom, parishioners were buried close to the church. The earliest recorded date on a tombstone shows the deaths of the children of Joseph & Odelia Gieb in 1839.
1892When the cemetery was established, the church was located on the hill above where the grotto is now. After a new church was built in 1866 on the site of our present brick church, the cemetery was expanded. In 1892, under the appointment of Father John Thein, the cemetery lay in the shadows of the church to the east and extended from the road to the north end of the church. From there the steep hill behind the cemetery rose to a sharp peak. The graves were very irregular, so Father Thein set about the job of straightening the tombstones and lining them up. Under his guidance the top of the hill was leveled, steps were built and trees were planted to form an archway over the walk. A large wooden cross with a crucifix made of iron was placed on the summit of the hill.
1919The original east-west main road through the southern part of the county was located some distance south of the present Waterloo Road. Modern engineering desired to reroute the road to provide a better right of way, however the new road would cut through the old cemetery, forcing the removal of several early graves. In 1919, Father Reber had also thought that the front boundary of the cemetery should be more in line with the front of the church so the project was begun.Some graves and their markers were moved up the hill or in some cases to what was then called the “new cemetery” behind the school. The remains were carefully collected and, as the story goes, they were encased in a crypt that was placed on the crown of the hill beneath what we now call the Calvary Altar. Six tombstones of some of our earliest parishioners became the base for the altar that was built over this crypt. Then a sandstone altar top was placed over these tombstones and the Calvary scene was placed over it. (See article from The Evening Record in August 1838.)
2006As years passed, it is surmised that the sandstone altar top deteriorated and was replaced with the granite top we now see. To support this new, heavier top, cement block was laid, encasing the tombstones. This cement block construction started to crumble and, in 2006, the Cemetery Committee decided to replace the foundation. After portions of the cement block were removed, tombstone rubbings were taken. These rubbings are on display here and information garnered from them has been added to the cemetery’s records.The Cemetery Committee considered many options and ultimately agreed to encase the old tombstones in brick. This work was completed this spring. If you have time and would enjoy a short walk, take a look at the reconstructed Calvary Altar.
It comes as no surprise that the early parishioners chosen by our forefathers to form the base of this altar have many descendants who are still active in our parish. These early parishioners are listed here:
Anthony Miller – Died April 29, 1871John Adam Knapp – Died May 14, 1885Maria E. Wise – Died October 13, 1870Elisebeth Wise – Died March 18, 1859Lawrence Rhodes – Died Nov 8, 1875Barbara Paulus – Died August 7, 1873
Old parish histories tell that the nucleus of the Catholic congregation in Randolph in 1831 included the Anthony Miller family. The story of John Adam Knapp searching for his brother has been told and retold. Genealogical information has been found on four of these early parishioners. If you have any information on Anthony Miller or Elisebeth Wise please contact any Cemetery Committee member.
It is the intent of the Cemetery Committee that those whose tombstones have been encased should be remembered. A stone tablet will be placed in the walkway leading to this altar.The Cemetery Committee
