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56. CALVARY CEMETERY
Located on North 19th Street, Mattoon, Illinois
While the Parish was established in 1856, there was no Catholic Cemetery until 1881.
Father John Crowe, pastor the of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, acquired
approximately twenty acres of land in the north end of town between 16th and 19th
Streets for use as a cemetery.
The Earliest interment recorded was that of John H. Smith in 1845. Actual record
keeping did not begin until 1860 and the records were not detailed until 1898.
Grounds keeping and major improvements were undertaken in the 1920's. The
operation of the cemetery was under the Cemetery Board and the Church Trustees.
Daniel Burtschi served as Parish Business Manager until 1925 and was instrumental in
the development of the cemetery. John Goetz served as the first superintendent of the
cemetery. It was during the period of leadership of Mr. Burtschi and Mr. Goetz that
the grounds were plotted and improved and Perpetual Care initiated.
One of the first things seen by cemetery visitors who enter from 19th street is a
large Crucifixion group. Daniel Burtschi had the statuary imported from Italy and
erected as a memorial to his family.
Until 1943 the cemetery was incorporated in the Church. On May 5, 1943 a meeting was
held at the Knights of Columbus Hall to organize the Calvary Cemetery Association.
The purpose of the association was to oversee the operation of the cemetery. The
meeting was attended by members of the parish and owners of cemetery lots and was
conducted by Father Timothy Smith, pastor, and John Goetz, cemetery superintendent.
With the organization of the cemetery association, Father Smith was relieved of the
financial and other needs of the cemetery.
Church Trustees, T. Bernard Littleton and Daniel Burtschi, were named Cemetery Board
members. Father Smith Appointed Margaret Sexton to serve as secretary-treasurer and
John Daugherty to serve on the board. The parishioners present at the meeting then
named John A. Hoag and John A. Brumleve as their representatives.
Approximately thirteen acres are plotted and used for burials. Nine acres on the
south side of the cemetery are under lease for cultivation. In the 1970's the
northwest area of the cemetery was surveyed and platted by Guy N. Pfeiffer, Sue
Pfeiffer and Dr. Guy O. Pfeiffer. This area was made available for the sale of burial
lots.
In August, 1983, the most major improvement in many years was made with the
installation of the gray polished granite entry on North 19th Street. Widening of the
roadway and landscaping were completed in the spring of 1984. The beautiful entry is
a gift in memory of the Hoag Family. The new entry replaces the concrete block
pillars that marked the entrance since the 1920's. The pillars were originally
erected by donations from several parishioners.
Calvary Cemetery is the final resting place of five priests: Msgr. William Croke
(1902-1979), Father James Storm (1926-1974), Father Timothy Smith (1891-1944), Father
James Dunn (1890-1918), and Father William Futterer (1863-1910).
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57. DODGE GROVE CEMETERY
Located at the end of North Twenty Second Street, Mattoon, Illinois
In 1856, a Predestinarian Baptist Church was erected at 1421 Wabash Avenue and in the
rear of the premises was the first burial ground of the village of Mattoon. For four
years the church yard was the only cemetery in Mattoon.
To the South; and east of the churchyard was another smaller cemetery used but little
and eventually abandoned. The graves from both of these graveyards were opened in
later years and the bodies removed to other burying places.
Dodge Grove Cemetery, the official city burying place, was established by municipal
legislation in April of 1862. The site, a large grove to the north west of the city,
was selected and purchased from Elisha Linder in October of that year.
The grove was known as Dodge Grove due to the thick growth of trees being used to
hide stolen horses and thus dodge the law. This legend is supported by the number of
horse bones found in the northwest section of the cemetery. attesting to the fact
that some evidence had to be destroyed.
The cemetery officially opened in the spring of 1863 when ten acres of land were
placed on sale. The first recorded deed was that of Francis A. Robertson, dated March
20.
The Civil War was in progress at the time and Dodge Grove was soon used for interment
of fallen soldiers. A listing was found in the early records which shows the first of
these to be Prvt. Charles Holt of the 50th Mass. Infantry buried on August 8, 1863.
There are three generals and five colonels buried within the grounds and one
Confederate soldier. The unknown southerner was a prisoner of war, being sent over
the Illinois Central Railroad to Camp Douglas, near Chicago who became ill, was taken
from the train, died and was buried there.
Additional acreage was added in 1890 and 1904, giving the city a tract of forty acres
of level, wooded land lying at the north end of Twenty-Second Street. Other additions
were made until now the total is sixty-two acres.
From a perpetual care plan established in 1905, the cemetery organization was able to
make improvements to the grounds which greatly enhanced the beauty of Dodge Grove.
Benches were added and fountains installed for the public enjoyment. It became one of
the most beautiful cemeteries, known far and wide for it's ability of
self-support and improvement.
It became the custom of the citizens of Mattoon to spend Sunday afternoons and
holidays enjoying the shady walks and park-like grounds. Many lodge and military
rites were held with large crowds attending.
Some of the early sextons were H. W. Johnson, S. D. Barber, C. A. Powell, Chauncey
Miller and John Ewalt. More recently, Goble Pruitt held the position from 1940 until
1971.
Many changes have taken place over the years. The deep grove was thinned by Dutch Elm
disease in the 1940's killing over 300 of the great trees. Concrete streets and
walks have replaced the early paths and roadways. Recently a wrought iron arch,
copied from and earlier one, showing the cemetery name, was placed over the main
entrance. A new entry was also opened on North Nineteenth Street.
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58. NELLIE ROSS HYDE MEMORIAL GARDEN CEMETERY
Odd Fellow-Rebekah Home
Located on East Lafayette Avenue, Mattoon, Illinois
The Illinois Odd Fellow-Rebekah Home, an organization which has all of it's own
facilities, also maintains an attractive cemetery, the Nellie Ross Hyde Memorial
Garden.
The home was built in 1898, with the cornerstone being laid on May 25 with elaborate
ceremony. The home was ready for occupants in March of 1899. In 1910 the chapel was
completed.
Members of the home, upon death, were either sent to their former homes or interred
in a special lot maintained by the order of Dodge Grove Cemetery. When the IOOF
burial plot there reached capacity in 1946 the late Dr. Anna Ross Lanthan donated
funds to purchase a plot near the home. She had inherited the money from a sister,
Nellie Ross Hyde, and the cemetery was named in her honor.
Grave markers are flat bronze of uniform size and type to enable the use of a lawn
mower over the entire area. The cemetery and trust fund are supervised by the
trustees of the Illinois Odd Fellow-Rebekah Home.
from The Prairie Sleeps II, Coles County Genealogical Society
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59. PIERCE CEMETERY
Located one mile South of Coles Station then east a short distance to first drive on
Jim Bell property.
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