St Bernards Church- Catholic

page 10

Blue Gray Line

ST. BERNARD'S CEMETERY
[cem1902a.jpg = larger pic]
Most probably on August 31, 1902 when Bishop Henry Gabriels with 7 priests blessed the new addition of cemetery land. Bishop and Priests on hill in back. Silas LeMaire and Frank Langey carrying banner in honor of Sacred Heart.
 
     In a quick-claim deed dated October 1, 1879 and recorded January 5, 1880, the Chateaugay Iron Company conveyed to St. Bernard's Church of Lyon Mountain approximately one and one-half acres of land to be used solely for a church, cemetery and parsonage.
     On August 31, 1902 on the occasion of the blessing of the new brick church, Bishop Henry Gabriels blessed the cemetery. One of the early burials found today on one of the above cemetery stones is that of Edward Pitre on August 18, 1880. No one seems to know where the early burials were made about the year 1875. The first recorded burial in the parish records was that of AntQine Bourquiquon, about 23 years old, on May 26, 1880 near the church . . . witnesses - Telesphore Decarie and William McCormick; priest - Father Decarie.  However, there is no doubt that St. Bernard's Church, with the verbal permission of the Chateaugay Iron Company, began to use the land immediately adjacent to its previous one and one-half acres behind the church as a burial ground. This will account for the erection of the cemetery cross and the delayed conveying to St. Bernard's Church of approximately 10.3 acres of property on May 1, 1968 by the Republic Steel Corporation, who had bought out the Chateaugay Iron Company.
     Consequently, the cemetery of St. Bernard's in Lyon Mountain might probably be older than the parish itself. This fact, of course, is not known. It wasn't until the pastorship of Father Donald Gallagher in the 1940's that the cemetery was increased in size and beautified to what it is at the present time.  To get this done, Father Gallagher had a meeting with the Republic Steel's
distnct manager of Lyon Mountain, Mr. William Linney. Mr. Linney graciously donated the equipment for the job with two of his men working for Republic Steel responsible for the equipment.  The work got underway with parishioners from St. Bernard's working during evenings and Saturdays, clearing more land of trees; filling in gullies; blasting and removing boulders; planting trees, shrubs and grass. After this work was done, Father Gallagher decided that we needed a vault to take care of the needs of both Catholic and non-Catholic people of our community.  It was a problem digging graves in the frozen ground for persons who died during the winter months.  Father Gallagher again went to Mr. Linney and told him the needs of the people in this community. Again, Mr. Linney gave the orders to his construction crew to build the vault according to Father Gallagher's specifications-not just for St. Bernard's parish, but for all peoples in this area. Soon after a field day Mass was offered and has since been held each year during the month of May. Later, members of the local American Legion set up a flag pole near the vault.
     Plans are now underway to line up all stones in their proper rows and divide the cemetery into sections, the sections into lots, and the lots into graves.
(Francis Siskavich)
St. Bernard's Vault with background of candle like Lombardy Poplars. (August 1950)
Trustees at St. Bernard's - 1975 (left to right)
Mr. Archie Burgoyne, Rev. Howard McCasland Pastor, Mr. Anthony Golovach
1975 Board Members at St. Bernard's Church, Lyon Mountain, N.Y. (left to right)
Mrs. Joan Fetzko, Mrs. Anna Chase, Mrs. Lorraine Farrell, Mr. Gerald Bushey, Mr. Anthony Golovach - Trustee,
Rev. Howard McCasland Pastor, Mr. Archie Burgoyne - Trustee, Mr. Anthony Shusda, Mr. Bernard Grogan,
Mr. Dan Grogan, Mrs. Shirley Bingel, Mrs. Anna Kowalowski - not present, Mr. Thomas Kowalowski - not present
(both below)
Thomas Kowalowski     Mrs. Anna Kowalowski - Board Member and Chairwoman of 1975 Cent. dinner

Go to Page 11 of St Bernard's, Page 12 of Mining for Souls.
Back to Page 9 of St. Bernard's
Back to Page 1 of St. Bernard's
Go to Page 1 of Mining for Souls.(cover page)
Go to Page 1 of The History of Lyon Mountain.
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Rod Bigelow
Box 13  Chazy Lake
Dannemora, N.Y. 12929
rodbigelow@netzero.net
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