How about a place holding stories of pioneer families. This is St. Alphonsus Cemetery. It is more than just a burial ground. It is a chronicle of East Dearborn’s early settlers.
St. Alphonsus Cemetery is linked to St. Alphonsus-St. Clement Parish. This parish was formed in 2015. It was a merger of St. Alphonsus established in 1852 and St. Clement established in 1927.
Let’s step back to the 1840s. Farmers came from Germany. They settled in east Dearborn. It was then known as Springwells. They first built a school for their children. This was in 1846 on Peter Joseph Esper’s farm.
Early settlers traveled to St. Mary’s Church in Detroit for Sunday Mass. Eventually a Redemptorist priest visited Dearborn. He celebrated Mass in the Esper farmhouse.
By 1852, the Esper family donated land. It was four acres to establish St. Alphonsus Parish. A small church was then constructed. As the parish grew a larger church was built in 1874. It stood until 1952.
St. Alphonsus Cemetery was first established next to the church. Within 10 years it was moved a block north. This was for road construction.
Today St. Alphonsus Cemetery has about 300 burials. They represent pioneer families of East Dearborn. Henry Ford’s maternal grandfather is buried here. It is said that Ford visited his grave on the day he died. Many descendants of these families are still parish members.
The area transformed quickly. Farmland became a residential neighborhood. The auto industry boomed. It drew people from across the country. Fordson was the fastest-growing community in the 1920s. Farms turned into city. The parish was growing fast.
In 1922, a new school building was constructed. It expanded in 1926. The 1874 church was too small. Services moved to the school auditorium. Plans were made for a new church.
Construction began in 1928. It was a Neo-Gothic church seating 1200. It was formally dedicated in 1930. This is the church still in use today.
The rapid growth created a need. A Catholic parish was needed for English speakers. St. Alphonsus served German immigrants. St. Barbara Church founded in 1924 served Polish speakers. They could not meet the needs of English parishioners.
Archbishop Michael J. Gallagher established St. Clement Parish on June 24 1927. The first meeting was August 23 1927. It was held in the Schaefer Building. John Schaefer offered his building as a temporary church. It served until June 24 1928. Mass was then celebrated in the new church. It was on Kenilworth near Ruby.
St. Alphonsus Cemetery represents a simpler time. It connects us to the past. It reminds us of the families who built this community. Take a moment to reflect on their lives. Consider their contributions to Dearborn.