St. Anthony's Cemetery
Bayne Road North of Sweeter Road
Cedar Creek Township
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 |