WPA - St. Michael's Cemetery, Staunton Township, Macoupin County IL
A Transcription of the WPA Record in Macoupin County Archives, Carlinville, Illinois
transcribed by Mary McKenzie

St. Michael's Cemetery

Staunton Township Section ?  Macoupin County
  Located in Staunton Illinois
Indexed by WPA ca. 1939-1940


The Macoupin County Archives has, in its files, indexes/listings of many veterans buried in numerous Macoupin County cemeteries.  WPA workers compiled the Indexes during the Depression Era.  St. Michael's cemetery listing is found in Box 2 at the Macoupin County Archives.

The following list of veterans is made up of two sources.  One is the individual work sheet that information was copied onto for each veteran.  The instructions stated to check these sources:  burial plot, cemetery record, death certificate or burial permit, patriotic organization (name) official U. S. records or other.  These names were compiled into a typed list.  I took information from both sources because the typed list didn't give all of the information that was on the work sheet.  Also, there were many discrepancies between the original work sheet and the typed sheet.  I am listing information from both sources.  If you find information below on your ancestor's record please research all differences because it's impossible to know which source is correct.  The information will at least give you an idea of where to begin.

Typed Sheet is listed first - Work Sheet is listed Second ( in bold):

Arndt, Wm.  Civil War  Pvt. Co. H  28 Ill. Inf.  Died 10-10-1926  Lot 1 Block 82  Section 1
Arndt, Wm.  Field Check:  Grave No. 1, Lot No. 1, Block No. 83; Marker - upright
Information on Marker:  Wm. Arndt, Nov. 26, 1838-Oct. 21, 1926
Cemetery Record Date of Burial - Oct 24, 1926
Death Certificate Data: Died 10-21-1926 at Staunton, IL of Cerrhosis (sp. as is) of Liver, Born 11-26-1838 in Germany
Service Record:  Civil War, Pvt. Co. H. 28 Ill. Inf.

Brown, James  Civil War Pvt. Confederate Soldier, Died 10-14-1905  Lot 4  Block 16  Section 1
Brown, James
Field Check: Grave No. 2 Lot No. 4  Block No. 16; Marker - upright; Information on Marker - cannot read
Death Certificate:  Died 10-14-1905;
Service Record: Civil War, Pvt., Confederate Soldier 

Buerger, Joseph  Civil War  Pvt.  65 Ill. Inf.  Died 10-31-1918  Grave 3 Lot 3  Block 57  Section 1     
**Berger, Joseph Anton  
Field Check:  Grave No. 3, Lot No. 3, Block No. 57; Marker - upright; Information on Marker 65 Ill. Inf.
Cemetery Record Date: Cemetery Record Date of Burial Nov. 2, 1918
Death Certificate Data:  Died 13-31-1918 at Mt. Olive of Chronic Myorardis; Born 03-30-1841 in Germany
Service Record:  Civil War, Pvt.
Comments:  Lot under weeds
**Notice difference in surname (ed. MCGS)

Fletcher, Edw  World War  Pvt.  Co. Mech  68 Am. Co.  Died 06-18-1924  Lot 1  Block 86  Section 1

**(There was no “work sheet” for Edw. Fletcher.  There was a “work sheet” for Edward A.
Felchner (below), but he is not listed in the typed list.   Grave location and military info. is same for both names.  It appears this is an error in copying by the WPA.)**

Felchner, Edward A.
Field Check:  Grave No. 4  Lot No. 1  Block No.  85; Marker- upright; Information on Marker:  Illinois Mech. 68 Amb. Co. June 18, 1924
Cemetery Record:  Date of Burial  June 21, 1924
Death Certificate Data:  Died 06-18-1924 at Staunton when run over by loaded car in coal mine; Born June 5, 1896 at Staunton
Service Record:  World War, Pvt. 
Comments:  Grave in fair condition

Hasse, Henry C.  Civil War  Pvt.  Co. 141 F. A. 39 Div.  Died 01-15-1930  Lot 1  Block 42  Section 1
Hasse, Henry C.  Field Check:  Grave No. 2  Lot No. 1  Block No.  42; Marker - upright; Information on Marker:  Illinois Pvt  141 Field Art.  39 Div.  January 15, 1930
Death Certificate Data:  Died 01-15-1930
Service Record:  World War, Pvt.  Company - 141 F. A. 39 Div.

Jageman, Edw.  Civil War  Pvt.  Co. F  10 Ill. Cav.  Died 06-13-1894  Lot 2 Block 31 Section 1
Jageman, Edward 
Field Check:  Grave No. 2  Lot No. 2  Block No. 31;  Marker - upright; Information on Marker:  2 Lieut. Co. F. 10 Ill. Cav.
Death Certificate Data:  Died 06-13-1894; Born 03-03-1841
Service Record:  Civil War, Pvt.  Co. F. 10 Ill. Cav.

McKeown, Harry  World War  Pvt.  Co.  13th 20 Engrs.  Died 08-22-1935  Grave 3  Lot 2  Block 43  Section 1
McKeown, Harry
Field Check:  Grave No. 3  Lot No. 2  Block No. 43; Marker - upright; Illinois Pvt. 1 I. 20 Engrs.; Died August 22, 1935
Cemetery Record Date:  Buried August 24, 1935
Death Certificate Data:  Died 08-22-1935 at Staunton of Cancer of Stomach and Bowles; Born Sept. 28, 1889 at Raymond, IL
Service Record:  Date Enlisted:  June 20, 1918; Date Discharged: July 3, 1919; Branch of Service - Army;  Co. B 13th 20 Engrs. 

McManus, Harry R.,  World War  Rank - Baker lcl  U. S. Leviathan Navy  Died 08-05-1922  Lot 2  Block 63
McManus, Harry Richard
Field Check:  Grave 2  Lot 2  Block 63; Marker - upright; Information on Marker:  Illinois Baker 1 Cl. U. S. Navy; Died August 5, 1922
Death Certificate Data:  Died 08-05-1922
Service Record:  Rank - Baker

Spalding, S. F.  Mex. War   Died 01-03-1899  Lot 2  Block 25  Section 1
Spalding, S. F. 
Field Check:  Grave No. 1  Lot No. 2  Block No. 25; Marker - none
Death Certificate Data:  Died 01-03-1899
Service Record:  Mex. War

HISTORY OF ST. MICHAEL'S CEMETERY
(ca. 1939-1940)

This cemetery is located on the west part of the city of Staunton, IL.  It is a very poor looking cemetery and in bad shape.  The weeds are from three to six feet high and there are only about 12 or 15 lots that receive care.  The rest is all weeds.

It has a very poor driveway.  The driveway is full of weeds and if you drive in,  there is no way of turning around.

A wooden cross stands in the center at the end of the driveway and on the south an iron gate and an iron fence, which is in poor condition.  On the west is a barbwire fence, also in poor condition.  On the east the cemetery st. and on the north a barbwire fence in very poor condition.  All the fence around this cemetery needs repairing.

The oldest grave found in this cemetery is that of Brown (no first name given) born 03-05-1885, aged 1 mo. 7 dys.

There are 113 lots and 398 graves.  There are 31 graves to be filled and 56 graves to be leveled.  Two veterans' graves need stones.  Twenty-eight stones in the cemetery need resetting and 37 need to be recut.  Eight people were interview for information concerning this cemetery.

The deed to St. Michael's cemetery was hand copied by a WPA worker on Nov. 8, 1839. I list an edited version of the deed   If you want to learn the exact description of land from the original deed it was recorded Feb. 12, 1890, Book EK page 335. 

"The Grantor Hubert Hermanns (unmarried) of the village of Staunton, in the County of Macoupin and State of Illinois for and in consideration of $255 in hand paid, convey and warrant to Right Rev. James Ryan Catholic Bishop of Alton and to his successors in office of the City of Alton, County of Madison and State of Illinois the following described real estate to wit: ....land description...to the place of beginning containing two acres more or less and it is intended that the east and west line of said tract shall be parallel.  All coal rights are hereby reserved.  Situated in the County of Macoupin, in the State of Illinois, hereby releasing and waiving all rights under and by virtue of the Homestead Exemption Laws of this State".  Dated:  Nov. 11, 1889.  Signed: Hubert Hermanns



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