La Grange Catholic Pioneer Cemetery, La Grange, Stanislaus County, California. Formal name: St. Louis Mission Church Cemetery Transcribed by Leslie Odell Macchiarella and Julie V. Macchiarella on December 29, 2003 (raining, cold and windy weather conditions). Lesliemak@aol.com ********************************************************************** These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ********************************************************************** St. Louis Mission Cemetery on Floto Street in La Grange, was established in 1852 by French inhabitants of the Township of La Grange, Stanislaus, County, California and dedicated by the Catholic Church in 1854 as a mission. It is the first church of any denomination in the Stanislaus County. Most gravestones in this cemetery date back to the 1800’s. Directions to the cemetery: From Merced, California, exit G Street on California State Highway 99, Turn east on G Street, continue until G Street becomes Old Snelling Highway. Travel 15 mins on winding prairie road toward foothills, turn right on Highway 59, 1 mile to Snelling, past town of Snelling turn Left on County Road (known as the La Grange Road). Travel 11 miles to La Grange. Turn Right at sign, 1 mile to La Grange, turn right at Post Office on Floto Street, top of hill on left is church/cemetery. (Also, see La Grange Cemetery, across street behind school house.) Cemetery is small and was transcribed upon entering, right side first, from front to rear, then left side from front to rear. Weather conditions may have caused some errors in this transcription. LA GRANGE - French settlers originally established the community of French Bar along the Tuolumne River in 1850. After the destructive floods of 1851-52, citizens of French Bar relocated one mile upstream above the floodplain. Renamed La Grange, the new town prospered as a mining and agricultural community, and served as the county seat of Stanislaus County from 1856 to 1862. Location: USGS Quadrangle Sheet Name: LA GRANGE La Grange Latitude: 8373949N Longitude: 1202745W See photo at http://malakoff.com/goldcountry/mclagrsl.htm Bert Coffi (white cross) Bert M Coffi PFC US Army Korea 25 Feb 1929 to 29 Dec 1966 Beloved Husband & Father Angie L. Coffi 11 Jul 1930 to 5 Jun 1984 Marrizio Coffi California PFC Co. D 26 Inf WWI PH 2 Sep 1889 to 22 Jun 1957 Ethel M. Odell 2 Dec 1919 to 9 Jun 1972 Wife of Donald Odell, Mother of: Barbara, Patricia and Jean Marie. Also shows military plaque as follows: Ethel M. K. Odell Connecticut Capt US Air Force Res Korea 2 Dec 1919 to 9 Jun 1972 Donald E. Odell CW03 US Army WWII Korea 3 Sep 1915 to 14 Jun 1994 (white marble stone, researcher’s note: Son of Margaret May Goldthorp and Mark Robert Odell, brother of Robert Leslie Odell) Fae Brescia 1909-1989 Everett Brescia 1901-1980 Matilda M. Cardoza 1879-1958 Frank A. Cardoza 1981-1958 Mildred Brescia Fox 1906-1965 Born in La Grange Joseph Stella 1851-1949 Angela Stella 1876-1957 Marcus L. Carter 7 Oct 1953 to 27 Feb 27, 2001 Louis J. Levaggia 1911-1994 Alma B. Levaggi 1912-2000 Louis "Tony" Levaggi 1936-1957 William Hanshaw 1886-1964 Josephine Hanshaw 1889-1982 Clara Wrightson 1889-1931 and Infant Son William H. Keeler 10 Jul 1904 to 27 Mar 1996 Mary E. Keeler 14 Apr 1903 to 16 Feb 1982 Cecil Howard Keeler 1902 to 1994 Mary Stanley Keeler 1911 to 1999 L. B. Keeler 1861 to 1915 Mary E. Keeler 1869 to 1931 Mother Ira B. Keeler Tec 5 US Army Air Corps WWII 21 Jan ___ to 18 Feb 1990 Daniel F. Murphy 1883 to 1936 Unmarked grave (rock-lined with rose bushes at foot and head, possibly child’s grave) Richard Ganaron (?) 7 Jun 1830 to 26 Sep 1916 Aurelia B. Levaggi died 14 Jul 1907, aged 21 years (white spire monument) Louis Levaggi died 3 Feb 1913, aged 51 years, 7 mops, 12 days (Historic monument marker in front of La Grange Saloon recites Louis Levaggi as first owner of La Grange Saloon) Margaret Brescia 1877 to 1906 Theresa Brescia died 28 July 1923, age 76 Wade H. Butts 1869 to 1939 Angie Butts 1869 to 1951 John Brescia 1867 to 1939 Charlotte Brescia 1881 to 1972 Henry Stockel 1860 to 1935 Clemence B. Stockel 1866 to 1942 Bernard R. Huntley 1879 to 1947 Francis E.. Hatcher 1906 to 1929 John V. Servente 1920 to 1942 Mary Servente 1881 to 1972 John B. Servente 1890 to 1957 Charlie Washburn 1913 to 1970 Also military plaque as follows: Charlie Washburn California 1st Lt Corps of Engineers WWII 26 May 1913 to 16 May 1970 Frank A. Silva 1853 to 1912 John F. Silva 1880 to 1927 Winifred Silva 1852 to 1933 Dolling (no additional names or dates) Frank W. Dolling 9 Aug 1883 to 19 Apr 1955 Brother Mary A. Dolling 29 Dec 1888 to 16 May 1953 Francis E. Huntley 1886 to 1905 George A. Huntley 1890 to 1891 Russell Huntley 1836 to 1902 Frank E. Huntley 1885 to 1905 George A. Huntley 1890 to 1891 Caroline Huntley 1856 to 1945 Helena F. Thompson 1896 to 1930 W. A. (see Armstrong family stones) W. A. (see Armstrong family stones) R. A. (see Armstrong family stones) E. Juanita Armstrong Rose 22 Aug 1893 to 24 Jul 1961 Dennis Armstrong 1829 to 1943 James E. Armstrong 1883 to 1952 Aurelia L. Armstrong 1894 to 1983 Unmarked Wooden Plank Lillian Rushing 1888 to 1916 Elizabeth T. Armstrong 1846 to 1947 William Armstrong 1831 to 1893 Unmarked Wooden Plank Unmarked Wooden Plank Unmarked Wooden Plank Julia Armstrong daughter of W. & E. Armstrong died 7 Jul 1873 age __ Mary A. Gobin wife of E. T. Gobin 1876 to 1908 (end rear right of cemetery, next is front left of cemetery) James S. Rairden 10 Jun 1894 to 14 Dec 1981 Luther E. Daniels 4 Dec 1898 to 22 Jan 1980 Jennie Mae Daniels 22 Nov 1885 to 15 Jul 1978 William J. Fanning, Jr. US Army WWII 29 Jan 1921 to 6 Jan 1986 Myrna Fanning 1 Jul 1930 to 9 Feb 1975 Mary Emily Brunette Briard Simkins 22 Jun 1903 to 9 May 1985 (see also Brinette) Jacqueline de Clark 22 Sep 1924 to 17 Sep 1994 Jeremiah Joseph Brinette Ottawa, Canada 1874 to 1950 Lelia Agnes Hain Wessington Springs, S. D. 1874 to 1955 John L. Brinette 1899 to 1972 David Samuel Rairden California Sgt Army Air Force WWII 13 Sep 1917 to 21 Dec 1973 Augusta "Gussie" Rairdin 15 Jan 1893 to 4 Apr 1984 Miles Hubert Rairdin 23 May 1888 to 11 Jun 1966 Edward D. Rairden 1898 to 1939 Husband of Inez M. Rairdin Daughter Blanch A. Rairden 12 Nov 1891 to 5 May 1934 Daughter Rose M. Rairden 9 Sep 1889 to 10 Jan 1980 Father David H. Rairden 2 Apr 1858 to 6 Jun 1936 Mother Eula Rairden 9 Apr 1861 to 21 Apr 1933 Sarah Silva 17 Mar 1863 to 24 Sep 1949 Joe Silva 11 Sep 1854 to 4 Nov 1921 Nancy H. Hartman 1867 to 1915 (spire monument) William J. Fanning 1856 to 1928 Eileen Fanning 1832 to 1922 Annie Wife of Patrick Jenkins died 26 Sep 1896 age, 58, Native of Ireland Mary Jenkins 4 May 1858 to 25 Nov 1870 Michael James Freitas died 6 Dec 2001 Beloved son and brother William son of J. & M. Rydberg 3 Dec 1894 age 10 mos Eugenia A. daughter of J & M. Rydberg 16 Jan 1879 age 1 year, 11 mos, 10 days (spire monument containing the following names:) James Donohue died 27 Aug 1898, age 70 years County Cavan, Ireland Joseph A. Rydberg 8 Jan 1919 age 74, Native of Sweden Leo. Clyde Rydberg 8 Sep 1909, age 19 years Margaret A. Wife of J. A. Rydberg 28 Sep 1936, age 80 Native of California Anna Wife of James Donohue 3 Dec 1883 Native of County Cavan, Ireland Ben Harrison 1873 to 1909 Anna T. Harrison 1875 to 1909 Joseph Porter Harrison 19 Oct 1905, age 11 mos, 15 days Thomas Donohue 22 Jan 1866 age 12 years Native of County Cavan, Ireland (engraver of stone: McReady of Mariposa) Philip E. Donohue 1870 to 1901 Charles E. son of H & L. Anderson 2 Oct 1893, age 5 mos. Mary wife of William Donnelly 5 Nov 1886, age 58 (spire monument) Wooden plank (no name legible, near Mary Donnelly) H. Morton Family Monument (reads as follows with no specific names(within stone fence:) Father Mother Brothers Sister Patrick Vizard Bridget Vizard 20 Jan 1892 ? B. M. Native of Ireland (above stone difficult to read, unsure of inscriptions) Earl Field Husband of Minnie Field 1863 to 1956 Minnie Field Wife of Earl Field 1871 to 1955 Frank Brescia 1876 to 1954 Amie P. McGinn 1878 to 1946 (spire monument:) Peter B. McGinn Son of John & Ann McGinn 1 Jun 1881, 4 mos, 3 days John McGinn 7 Jul 1892, 55 years, Native of Monahan County, Ireland Ann Wife of John 9 Feb 1904, age 69, Native of Ireland Joao Maria 13 Feb 1849 to 24 Nov 1880 Native of Portugal Sarah Connell 17 Feb 1882, age 40 John Connell 10 May 1879, age 61 years John Reedy Native of County Clare, Ireland 28 Feb 1875, age 49 Emma Keely 2 May 1878, 3 years Rosa J. Fanning 1871 to 1889 Baby Rairden, 3 days Caroline Fanning, 1 year James Fanning 1829 to 1896 Mr. Duffey (no dates, within Fanning family stones) Mary Ann Kennan died 1845 (broken stone) Caleb Oakley died 1879 (broken stone) Pedro Opasso (spire) died 11 Nov 1893 Native of Chile Guadalupe Native of Mexico (no date) Infant Son of A. J. & Katie Anderson died 29 Dec 1879, age 1 mo