Here lies more than just resting souls. Welcome to Saints Cyril and Methodius Catholic Cemetery. It is a place of history and heritage. This sacred ground tells a story of faith. It tells of community and perseverance.
In 1894, the Slovac Colonization Company sold land. Immigrants poured into the area. A Slovak community was born on August 10th. Many families settled here. Some left, but those who remained rest in Saints Cyril and Methodius Catholic Cemetery.
Around 1900, Saints Cyril and Methodius Church was established. Priests from Holy Rosary Church in Stuttgart served the parish. Fathers McQuain and Herrington were among them. When a priest was unavailable, dedicated church members stepped in. Joseph Miklik and Michael Matoske led prayer services. This continued until about 1918.
Father Louis Glinski became the first permanent pastor in 1918. He took charge of the church. Its construction began in 1915 and was completed in 1918. Joseph and Elizabeth Miklik donated land for a cemetery on December 8, 1903. Mr. Miklik wanted to ensure people had a burial place without financial burden. Later, Joseph and Anna Hiryak gave the cemetery plot to the church on May 27, 1935. John and Elizabeth Hiryak added another half-acre in the 1970s.
The first burial at Saints Cyril and Methodius Catholic Cemetery was a five-year-old girl. Mary Sandor was buried on October 11, 1900. This was before the land was officially given to the church. Katrina Balog Lorinc lived a long life. She was 100 years and 6 months old when she was buried here.
As of 1989, 268 people were buried in Saints Cyril and Methodius Catholic Cemetery. Thirty-two of them were veterans. Cyril and Helen Plafcan logged the cemetery on October 28, 1988. Marilyn Hambrick Sickel cataloged it for the computer on November 11, 1988.
A unique feature sets this cemetery apart. Most cemeteries have graves running east to west. Here, the graves are plotted north to south. This detail reflects the community’s unique approach.
The cemetery contains more than 246 graves marked with granite or marble stones. Two blocks in the town of Cistern were obtained in 1890 for Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church and Cemetery. Reverend Emil T. Vinklarek, a native son, rests in this graveyard. Monsignor Edmund J. Bily also rests here.
Ludvik Petr Svec died on June 3, 1902. His is the oldest grave according to tombstone inscriptions. However, Ludvik Svec and his brother Paul V. Svec were originally buried near Smithville. When Petromila Svec died in 1941 and was buried at Saints Cyril and Methodius Catholic Cemetery, her husband’s and sons’ graves were moved. This fulfilled her wish.
Saints Cyril and Methodius Catholic Cemetery continues to be a place of rest. It is a reminder of the community’s enduring faith and heritage. Take a moment to appreciate the stories etched in stone. Remember those who built this community.