new content added 01/05/2023

Cemetery Index

Pioneer Catholic Cemetery
(aka Humphrey cemetery)

Historical information about the cemetery & a burial list

Birdseye of the cemetery is courtesy of Bing Maps

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Historical

The Monona Leader, Thursday, December 7, 1939 Father Donlon Has Restored Ancient Burial Ground Many citizens near and far are interested in the oldest Catholic Cemetery of Monona where many of their relatives and friends are buried. It dates back to 1852, and has some 87 years of history. If you examine the names listed below, you will find many that played a prominent part in the early history of Monona. They are the sturdy Pioneers who suffered many privations and toiled and sweat that their children may enjoy peace and plenty. Surely their names will be held in benediction by all who recall their worth and character. The Pastor of St. Patrick's Church has asked all the friends and relatives of those who are buried in this Pioneer Cemetery to donate a tree for this burial place in memory of the dead and the beautification of "God's Acre". Who will donate a tree? Let us hear. Names of Donors of Trees for Pioneer Cemetery on Humphrey Estate: Louis J. Humphrey, $10.00; Peter H. Humphrey, $5.00; Anna Humphrey, $5.00; Mrs. James Carroll, $5.00; James T. Humphrey, $3.00; Emily Humphrey, $3.00; Mayme Humphrey, $3.00; Anton Tayek, $3.00; Simon Moses, $3.00; Mrs. John Moses, $3.00; Mrs. Albert Moses, $3.00; Mrs. Edw. Ryan, $3.00; Jermier Brothers, $3.00. [There followed a list of those buried in the Cemetery. They were added the burial list below by the transcriber, and noted to have been on the 1939 list of burials] ~Transcribed by S. Ferrall for Clayton co. IAGenWeb, April 2018

The Monona Leader, Thursday, March 12, 1953 Old Cemetery Is Restored The Catholic Pioneer cemetery of Monona is one of the oldest Catholic cemeteries in this part of the state. It is now a century old, dating back to 1852. Peter O'Malley was the first Catholic family to locate in this territory and the second, the Humphreys, Michael and Richard, who came from Wisconsin in November, 1852. They had land grants issued to the Veterans of the Mexican war. They made claims to 320 acres, which has since been known as the Humphrey homestead and is located 4 miles southwest of Monona. See that there was no Catholic cemetery closer than Prairie du Chien the people were in great straights for burial ground. Then Michael Humphrey and his wife donated about an acre of their farm near the highway for use as a cemetery. Many people from all parts of this territory were buried in this cemetery until the Catholic church was built in Monona. Since then only one has been interred in this ground. Because of this change, the cemetery was uncared for and got to be in very sad condition. Graves caved in, some had removed the bodies to other cemeteries, and the ground filled with holes and mounds so that it became very difficult to do any work on it. Whatever work that was done had to be done by the Humphreys, who donated the ground in the first place. Father Luke Donlon surveyed the cemetery ground at St. Patrick's church in Monona and issued plats and lined up the monuments in it. He next restored the Bohemian cemetery. After that work was completed he gave his attention to the much neglected Pioneer Humphrey cemetery. He asked his people to donate their services in order to make this plot of ground worthy of the dead. It required much labor before it was leveled and put in shape for seeding. Norway spruce trees were planted around this ground which today are an ornament and abeauty. The last thing to be done was the erection of a life-sized statue of christ in the center of the cemetery, given by the late P.H. Humphrey as a symbol of salvation in honor of his parents and other members of the parish. This work has been completed just recently and makes the cemetery complete and a place of honor and respect for the dead as well as a credit to the parish. The roster of the people buried in Pioneer cemetery is as follows: [the names were added to the burial list (below) by the transcriber & noted as being on the 1953 roster] ~Transcribed by S. Ferrall for Clayton co. IAGenWeb, April 2018

Mildred Hall's notes on the Pioneer cemetery The Pioneer Catholic Cemetery, located four miles southwest of Monona, is one of the oldest Catholic cemeteries in this part of the state, dating back to the pastorate of the Rev. Richard Nagle. Because there was no Catholic cemetery closer than Prairie du Chien, the people were in great straits for burial ground. Michael Humphrey and his wife donated about an acre of their farm for use as a cemetery. Many people from all parts of this territory were buried in this cemetery until a few years after the second St. Richard's, now St. Patrick's Church was built. In recent years, Norway spruce trees were planted around this cemetery. The last thing to be done was the erection of a life-sized corpus of Christ on the Cross in the center of the cemetery. This statue was donated by the late P. H. Humphrey as a symbol of salvation in honor of his parents and other members of the parish. In the recent past, someone decided to "fix up" the cemetery and removed all the gravestones but one. ~Notes were contributed by Mildred Hall (the date these notes were contributed to the website is unknown)

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Burial List

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