HIGHLAND
MT. CALVARY
HIGHLAND PARK
(from 1921 through Sep., Oct., & Dec. 2001)
Compiled and submitted by
Joyce Psota Wink,
a member of Ft. Kearny Genealogical Society
Photos of the gravestones are available at FindAGrave.com
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The work of Mrs. Wink is listed here in two ways, by cemetery and also alphabetical by surname.
HIGHLAND CEMETERY
MT. CALVARY CEMETERY
HIGHLAND PARK CEMETERY, Sections 1-2, 3-6, 7-13
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ALPHABETICAL LISTING:
| A-B |
C-D-E |
F-G |
H-I-J |
K-L |
M-N |
O-P-Q-R |
S |
T-U-V-W-Y-Z |
PLAT MAPS, not to scale
Highland Plat Map
Highland Park Plat Map
Mt. Calvary Plat Map
THREE CEMETERIES
Highland Cemetery; the adjoining Catholic Addition to the north (known as Mt. Calvary), and Highland Park Cemetery across the road south of Highland Cemetery, comprise the Ravenna Municipal Cemeteries. They are located in Garfield Township Sections 6 and 7 of Buffalo County, Nebraska.
A short history of the cemeteries, recorded by the Ravenna Young Homemakers Club as part of the Bicentennial in 1976, included records from the beginning of cemetery burials in Highland and Mt. Calvary Cemeteries through 1920. It is available from the Ravenna Cemetery Board, or at area libraries. There were no burials in Highland Park Cemetery before 1920.
This has all been done as a Ft. Kearny Genealogical Society project in which all the cemeteries in Buffalo County are being made available to the public through the efforts of Genealogical Society members.
HIGHLAND CEMETERY -
Five acres were purchased by the incorporated Village of Ravenna from George V.Adams, a single man, for the sum of $200. This purchase was recorded with E. M. Rankin, County Clerk of Buffalo County, September, 1888. The plat was surveyed by Buffalo County Surveyor, E. N. Porterfield, and marked off into cemetery lots. This plat was accepted by the Trustees of the Village of Ravenna and dedicated to the public in September, 1888. The Village Clerk was Edward Cronau and the Trustees were F. E. Shaw, Chairman, R. H. Robie, Henry Boyle, Edward Miner and A. V. Hlava.
Although the first land was purchased in 1888, many tombstones are inscribed with earlier dates. This indicates that bodies were moved here from other cemeteries and burial places--from the Sweetwater Cemetery, Horak Cemetery, Sodtown Cemetery, and others--after the Ravenna Cemetery was established.
Charles Dudley Smith (born in 1870; died on December 3, 1886, at the age of 16 years, 9 months, and 13 days) is recorded as the first burial in the Highland Cemetery. He was the son of Erastus and Clara P. Smith, first settlers in Ravenna. This report comes from the August 1, 1889 issue of the Ravenna News:
"A beautiful and costly Scotch Granite tombstone is being erected over the last resting place of Charley Smith. The burial lot is being surrounded with a handsome picket fence of iron to protect the spot from invasion. This is the first monument erected in the Ravenna Cemetery." (The picket fence no longer exists.)
An article from the June 6, 1889, Ravenna News reported three soldiers, Civil War Veterans, had been interred in the Ravenna Cemetery. They were Robert J. Malin, Alexander Sherard and James E. Nave. A considerable number of Civil War Veterans, and veterans of all wars, have since been laid to rest in these cemeteries.
Many first settlers, citizens of generations that followed, the young, the aged, the unborn, have been laid to rest in these Ravenna Cemeteries. Records of disinterments are vague or probably totally non-existent for the early years.
Note: These records for the Highland Cemetery list burials from the beginning of 1921 through October 21, 2001.
MT. CALVARY CEMETERY - Mt. Calvary Cemetery is the Catholic Addition directly north of Highland Cemetery (the original Ravenna Municipal Cemetery.) It comprises three acres sold to Rt. Rev. Richard Scannell by Peter and Adeliada Moritz for the sum of $120 in 1904. Mt. Calvary has lots numbered from 26 through 248. Part of Lots 30 and 31 has been used for a large Crucifix.
There is no marked division line between Mt. Calvary and Highland Cemetery. However, there is a gate with the Mt. Calvary designation just south of Lot 248 with access from the road east of the cemeteries.
Note: The records for the Mt. Calvary Cemetery list burials from its beginning to December 2001.
HIGHLAND PARK CEMETERY - In 1915 the City of Ravenna purchased a tract of 10 acres, more or less, from Edward and Maria Keaschall, husband and wife, for the sum of $2,000. This tract of land is south across the road from the 5-acre Highland Cemetery, and is known as Highland Park Cemetery. The first burial in Highland Park Cemetery was in 1928.
Note: This information covers burials from the beginning use of Highland Park Cemetery to September 20, 2001.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This work has been completed with the cooperation of the Ravenna Cemetery Board in making the records available (Edith Abraham, long-time sexton; and Chandra Fisher, current sexton). It has involved many hours of work.
This has been done as a Ft. Kearny Genealogical Society project, in which all the cemeteries in Buffalo County are being made available to the public through the efforts of Genealogical Society members. All these records are available through the current sexton and through area libraries.
I would appreciate your contacting me at my Kearney address with questions or corrections to these records.
Joyce Psota Wink
Rt 8, 4615 Ave. N
Kearney, NE 68847
Or e-mail
Member, Ft. Kearny Genealogical Society
Key for "Additional Information" or "Comments" Column (Often printed on headstone):
|
WWI WWII Korea, or Korean War Viet. KIA ### Inf. crem. son dau. par. mo. fa. gmo. wf. wid. husb. Inf. grdau. wed remns ##yr##mo#dy bu or bur *1905 or 01 other |
World War I World War II Korean Conflict Vietnam Killed in Action Infantry cremated son daughter parent(s) mother Father grandmother wife widow husband Infant granddaughter marriage date remains age at death in years, months, day date buried question of date additional i.d. |
Highland Park Cemetery is a long (north to south), narrow (east to west) piece of land.
This plat of Highland Park has been edited from the working copy of the Ravenna Cemetery Board. At the time this record of burials in Highland Park is being printed, new lots are being added to the south end.
An effort has been made to use the working plat, and make it as readable as possible, with numbers being enlarged for easier use. Because it no longer fits on an 8-1/2x11" sheet in a readable manner, I have divided the northern from the southern section, and have put the latter on the back of the sheet. The plat is not scaled. Also, lots are of different sizes, and repeated photocopying has angled the drawing somewhat.