St. Anthony's Cemetery

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Bayne Road North of Sweeter Road

Cedar Creek Township

231-821-0014

Sec. 24, T11N, R15W

History

“Only a few weeks ago, little St. Anthony Catholic Church, located on Obenauf Road in Cedar Creek Township, was a familiar and loved landmark to the folk of the community who once worshipped within its walls!  Now the little church is no more.  It was torn down because of its dilapidated and forlorn look.

Truly, the little church did look the worse for wear for it had been closed since 1933 when it was opened briefly for the wedding of Mary Parker and Lawrence Obenauf whose forbearers built the original church.

Early in 1880 when the little group of Catholic people earnestly desired a place of worship near to them, John Schmitt, known as “Little Honess” donated 40 acres of land for the project.  A little wooden structure built with wood taken from the land was erected with pine benches, kerosene lamps, and a little potbellied stove at the back of the church.

The bell in the belfry was donated by Sears, Roebuck Company when one of the early members of the little church saw a church bell in the catalog and wrote to ask for it.

During those early years, the parishioners had no Sunday morning Mass.  Rev. N.J. Irmene, a priest who had a church in town, came out by train on Saturdays to conduct service.

In 1912, the tiny wooden church was torn down to make way for a cement block edifice.  Men of the parish chopped timber into rail ties to raise funds and their wives conducted baked good sales to do their part.

For nearly 12 years the little church was the center of social life for a handful of families in the area, but the automobile age sounded the death knell of tiny St. Anthony’s.

Brunswick, only 8 miles away, had a priest assigned and the Cedar Creek residents motored the short distance for Sunday Mass – even though many regretted transferring from their own little church.

For more than eight years, from 1925 to 1933, when Mary Parker insisted on being married in the little church across the road from her home, St. Anthony Church remained closed.  Then it was opened only for the wedding ceremony.

Vandalism, the ravages of time and weather created an eyesore of the small edifice.  Razing of the old building was ordered.

Only a few scattered tombstones are left in the church cemetery.

(“St. Anthony’s is Razed...Early Catholic Landmark in Cedar Creek Vanishes”, The Muskegon Chronicle, Saturday, April 6, 1957)

(Researched by Ann Wirtz from information supplied by Mary Obenauf)

 

For photos see www.findagrave.com.

Last Name First Name Misc. Birth Date Death Date
BEAN  Amber    1892 1924
BEAN  Nelson    1851 1917
BEAULEAUX Robert K. Husband Father Grandpa 19-Sep-1888 15-Jan-94
BOHACH Maryann   8-Sep-39 28-Aug-03
DAGEN Catherine (Becker)   21-Aug-1829 26-Jan-1894
DAGEN  John  74y 2m   4-Aug-1891
DAGEN  John    1863 1931
DAGEN  Rose Risthouse    1871 1959
DEGEN  Maria A. 22y 8m 26d   20-Jan-1892
DRISCOLE  Francis       
ELWELL Daniel G.   27-Jan-45 27-Dec-10
GLASEN  Eva  24y 8m 8d   28-Apr-1879
GLASEN  Helen       
GLASEN  Lena  Mother 10-Jun-1893 4-Jun-29
GLASEN  Nicholas  Father 1880 14-Apr-47
GLASEN  Wilhelm  44y 11m 28d   9-Dec-1889
HILL/HEIRENS  George    23-Jun-03 31-Jan-80
HOMRICH Joseph J.   14-Jan-33 30-May-06
KRYWICKI Amelia G.   23-Apr-14 20-Oct-02
KYRWICKI  Joseph G.    8-Mar-47 13-Sep-66
KRYWICKI Mary J.   13-Jul-34 13-Dec-09
KRYWICKI Tony R.   14-Oct-13 12-Mar-98
LAPRES Robert James Beloved Husband Father 7-Apr-34 16-Nov-98
MILLER  Francis G.       
OBENAUF  Lawrence E.  Father 1908 1954
OBENAUF  Margaret  Mother 1866 1931
OBENAUF Mary Mother 1913 2005
OBENAUF  William H.  Father 1879 1930
OBENAUF William J. Son Father Grandpa 19-Jan-34 18-Aug-88
PARISH Damien James DJ Son Brother He lives on in others. 28-Mar-86 23-Dec-91
PAULSON  Helen E.    1904 1966
PUISIS Dominic F.   1912 1992
PUISIS Donald Precious to us all. 1948 1996
PUISIS Estelle J.   1913 1998
RISTHOUSE  Bennett  Rest in Peace 12-Aug-1849 12-Jan-20
RISTHOUSE  Emma  Wife of Bennett Rest in Peace 17-Feb-1853 10-Jan-12
RISTHOUSE  George    16-Apr-1859 5-Apr-1896
RISTHOUSE  John    16-Jun-1857 9-Jul-28
SCHMITT Monument      
SCHMITT  Anna J.   1929 1930
SCHMITT  Anna K.  Mother 1903 1969
SCHMITT  Antone  65y 10m 15d   28-Apr-1892
SCHMITT  Frank B.    1880 1938
SCHMITT  Frederick  Father 1862 1916
SCHMITT Gerald F.   27-Feb-26 12-Mar-26
SCHMITT  Jacob A.  Father 1894 1966
SCHMITT Jacob W. Father Grandfather 19-Aug-39 29-May-89
SCHMITT  Jennie  Mother 1876 1947
SCHMITT Jerry (Frank) In Loving Memory 16-Dec-42 5-Jul-03
SCHMITT  John  Father 1864 1945
SCHMITT  John L.    1928 1929
SCHMITT Joseph H.   1905 1982
SCHMITT  Josephine  Mother 1893 1919
SCHMITT  Lenora    31-Jul-00 7-Nov-21
SCHMITT  Margaret Ann  Mother 1864 1945
SCHMITT Mary A. In Loving Memory of our Beloved Mother and Grandmother 19-Dec-09 16-Nov-97
SCHMITT  Virginia T.  Daughter In Memory 1927 1936
SCHMITT  Wilma Louisa    17-Oct-29 21-Oct-30
SCOFIELD Chester G.   23-Apr-26 29-Oct-05
SCOFIELD Katherine A.   15-Jan-24 16-May-85
SCOFIELD  Michael J.  Our Son 6-Oct-55 22-Feb-70
SHOWERS Leland L. Husband Dad Grandpa 1916 1995
SHOWERS Reva M. Wife Mother Grandma 1925 2005
STOODY  Verna A. (WILLER)  Mother 1893 1965
SWEETER  Anna A.  His Wife (wife of John B.) 1871 1940
SWEETER  Christine       
SWEETER  John B.    12-Feb-1865 9-Oct-31
SWEETER  Willard A. Son of J. B. & A. A. Sweeter 1y 1m   4-Feb-1892
UNKNOWN #1   Small wooden cross.    
UNKNOWN #2   Small wooden cross.    
UNKNOWN Father      
UNKNOWN Mother      
VALLEY  Edward F.  Father 1875 1935
VALLEY  Edward Henry    27-Jun-04 7-Aug-48
VALLEY  Margaret  Mother 1874 1922
WEILER Monument      
WEILER John N. Son 29-Jul-15 25-Nov-93
WEILER  John P., Sr.  Father 1875 1950
WEILER  Katherene  Mother 1876 1944
WORTELBOER Geraldine (Gerri)   20-Oct-44 20-Oct-04