WPA - Holy Trinity Cemetery, Mt Olive Township, Macoupin County IL


A Transcription of the WPA Record in Macoupin County Archives, Carlinville, Illinois
by Mary McKenzie, 2010


WPA VETERANS’ CEMETERY PROJECT

    The Macoupin County Archives has in its files, indexes/listings of many veterans buried in numerous Macoupin County cemeteries.  WPA workers compiled the indexes during the Depression Era (about 1939-1940).  The following cemeteries were checked for veterans and although not all of these cemeteries had veterans listed, there was a wealth of other information that a genealogist or historian might find useful.  
   
In previous issues of the Macoupin County Searcher I listed veterans’ information from both typed sheets and work sheets. The work sheets are typed in bold and the typed sheets are typed in a normal font. At times the work sheet had additional or conflicting information from the typed sheets.  The work sheets with soldier information stated to check these sources: burial plot, cemetery record, death certificate or burial permit, patriotic organization (name), official U. S. records or other.  These sources would probably be good sources to check still, today as we have no way of knowing how thorough the WPA workers were.  I tried to keep spelling and punctuation the same as it was on the original copy except in several cases when there were obvious typos. 

HOLY TRINITY CEMETERY
11-7-6
Macoupin County
Southeast Corner of the City of Mt. Olive, IL

    The Holy Trinity Cemetery is a Catholic Cemetery and is under the direction of the Holy Trinity Slovak Church.  This cemetery is not very old for it wasn’t until the Slovak congregation decided to build their church that they also decided to have a cemetery of their own in which to bury the deceased members of their parish.  This cemetery was first laid out in 1914.
   
In August, 1914 the Holy Trinity Parish bought land southeast of the church about 3 blocks away, for cemetery purposes.  The deed conveying the title to the land over to the church reads as follows:  THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH THAT THE GRANTORS: Brunke J. Schoen and Elenora Schoen, his wife, of the town of Mt. Olive, in the County and State of Illinois for and in consideration of $900.00 in hand paid, CONVEY and WARRANT to Holy Trinity Slovak Church, of the Village of Mount Olive, County of Macoupin, State of Illinois the following described real-estate, to-wit:   (Here is given a long legal description that a researcher can find in the WPA Holy Trinity Cemetery file at Macoupin County Archives, Carlinville, IL).
This deed is dated August 5, 1914 and was recorded in the office of the Recorder of Deeds for Macoupin County, Illinois in Volume 264 of Miscellaneous Records, at page 420.)  Recorded August 5, 1914.
   
In September, 1914, the Holy Trinity Cemetery was surveyed by the County Surveyor.  The certification of this survey reads as follows:

State of Illinois, Macoupin County

I, S. T. Morse, Deputy County Surveyor  do hereby certify that on September 4, 1914, I did survey and lay out into lots, drives and walks for the trustees of the Holy Trinity Slovak Church of Mount Olive, Illinois the above described tract of land as herewith shown correctly platted.  (The plat of the Holy Trinity Cemetery and the certification of survey is dated September 4, 1914 and is in the possession of the parish.  The foregoing certification was copied from their plat.)

    The Holy Trinity Cemetery is not legally incorporated, so does not have a state charter.

    The trustees of the Holy Trinity Cemetery are also trustees of the church and are appointed by the parish and who is in turn are approved by the Bishop of the Diocese.  These trustees are appointed for a term of 4 years or more.                        John Jetcko, Andrew Pastor

    The Holy Trinity Cemetery is in good condition and is taken care of by the relatives of the dead and other members of the parish.  The ground is level and dry.  There is a cinder surfaced drive leading to the center of the cemetery.  The occupied lots are on the two tiers on either side of the driveway.  At the end of the driveway, which runs only to the center, is a concrete alter with a large wooden cross which is expected to be improved so that field masses can b e held yearly.  There are 102 graves in this cemetery at the present time.  The grass is kept cut and the owners of the lots keep their individual lots very neat.  This cemetery is enclosed with a woven-wire fence on the south and west, a hedge is along the east and a wooden fence on the north which is the entrance.  At the entrance is a wooden gate and an arch with the name of the cemetery printed on it.

    The Holy Trinity Cemetery is located in the most southeast corner of the city of Mount Olive.  It can be easily reached at all times as there is a good road leading to it.

    There is 1 veteran buried in the Holy Trinity Slovak Cemetery.

Name:  Tomso, Joseph Martin  World War, Seaman  Company 2 Cl. B, 5th Navy; Died – 09/21/1918; Grave 1  Lot 1
                                            Block 7E
Name:  Tomso, Joseph Martin                                      
Field Check:  Grave 5 Lot No. 24; Upright marker
Information on Marker:  Joseph Martin Tomso; Illinois Seaman 2 Cl. U. S. N. R. F.  Sept. 21, 1918
Death Certificate Data:  Died – 9/21/1918
Notes:  Has Govt. Marker

    The oldest grave in the Holy Trinity Cemetery is that of Anthony Lepinski, who died on October 14, 1914

    In this cemetery is one of the most beautiful monuments that one will find in any cemetery.  It is the monument erected on the lot of Reverend Knaperack.  This lot is located at the center of the cemetery to the right of the Alter.  The monument is made of Italian granite and marble and towers about 12 feet high.  The base is made of granite about 5 ½ feet high upon which stands the life size figure of the Sacred Heart embracing a cross expertly cut.  The evergreen trees which surround this lot give it a beautiful appearance.

Name of Cemetery:
Holy Trinity
Location:
N. E. Cor. 7, N. E. q. Sec. 11, I 7, N. R. 6 W, 3rd o,n,
Oldest Grave:
Anthony Lepinski - Oct. 14, 1914
Mike Hovanic - Oct. 23, 1914
*Also mentions  Mary Chandler -
Born 2/28/1912 & Died 3/1/1915

No. of lots:
604
Number of Graves:
102
Number of graves to be filled:
6
Number of Veterans graves that need stones:
None
Number of stones in cemetery that need resetting: 
8
Number of stones that need recutting:
6
Condition of fence:
Fair
Rods of fence to be repaired:
1012
Rods of fence to be replaced:
None
Number of people interviewed:
1
Inquire to find if any veterans’ graves
in cemetery has no marker:
None




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