CEDAR COUNTY, NEBRASKA - St. Helena Cemetery ==================================================================== NEGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the NEGenWeb Archives by Carol Tramp ====================================================================== This article ran in the Cedar County News Newspaper June 24, 1926. St. Helena Cemetery is one of the most Historic Spots in Cedar County On a sunny slope facing the west is a plot of green turf that holdsthe remains of a number of the first settlers of Cedar County. This is the cemetery at St. Helena which is situated about three miles southwest of the town. On this spot was built one of the first Catholic Churches in the countY, a small log church, the best the pioneers could erect, yet testifying to their zeal and their faith. Over 60 years ago a handful of men and women who at that time were endeavoring to make a garden out of the prairie that seemed unconquerable, did their best to keep this small church in condition for worship and to provide the scanty means to bring a priest into the parish. The graveyard was laid out around the church, and holds the worldly remains of some of the best men and women that the pioneer life here produced. Here was buried the first settler in 1860. Since then it has been used as the Catholic cemetery for the whole community. The pioneers who built the church on this spot wanted it in their midst so that they would not have to have storm and cold weather in order to go to mass on Sundays. They believed their religion had an important part to play in their lives, and they loved the proximity of their church. The Rev. Father Dexacher was the first priest to say mass here but the first resident priest was Rev. Father Lechleitner. Later, when the parish had grown and the yields of the pariaries had increased the parishioners added a frame addition to the log church which made it more habitable and more easily to heat in the winter. About 45 years ago there grew up the need of a more central location from the church and by a great deal of sacrifice a small frame building was erected in St. Helena and the parish went there to worship, leaving the little church on the cemetery as a chapel. For a number of years the new church was sufficient for the size of the congregation. Then about the beginning of this century the beautiful church that now stands was built. Later the parochial school was added and one of the finest parsonages in northeast Nebraska was built a few years ago. Rev Father Clement Stratman is now the pastor. While the church was relocated the cemetery was continued at the original site. It in are buried practically all the pioneers who settled in that part of the county. Among them are John Lammers, John Becker, Anton Betz, Frank and John Wieseler, Bernard Wuebben, and Gerard Kohls, and members of their families who have answered the call. These men laid the foundations for some of the largest estates and the best principles of development for Cedar County. Their posterity still live in the community and continue the growth that their fathers began. Among these is Barney Becker, son of the pioneer who came in the late 50’s and settled with his family near that of Anton Betz on the place he now occupies, the two families built two log cabins on the creek bank just west of the present home of Mr. Becker. Later, Mr and Mrs. Betz bought another place and the Beckers improved their homestead. They reared a family of 10 children and Mr. and Mrs. Becker have nine children. Generations will grow up and pass but the cemetery which was laid out with its little log chapel will change but little except with the addition of new mounds that comeas the years go by. > > > > -- > > > --