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Saint Matthew’s Cemetery

Saint Matthew’s Cemetery

Saint Matthew’s Cemetery is the oldest Catholic cemetery in Western Massachusetts. It is a diocesan cemetery of the Springfield Catholic Diocese. It was established in 1845 as a parish cemetery for the Saint Matthew’s Church of Chicopee. This church was in the Cabotville section of Springfield until 1849 when Cabotville became the town of Chicopee. Catholics that died in Western Massachusetts before 1845 would have been carried in carriage or train to Hartford or Boston to be buried.

The Hartford Connecticut location is the Holy Trinity Cemetery which is now in the back of the Saint Patrick’s Cemetery (at 470 Garden Street). The cemetery is from 1839. This was the first Catholic cemetery in Connecticut. FINDAGRAVE The Holy Trinity Church is from 1829. It does not exist any more but it was the first Catholic church in Connecticut. EXTERNAL LINK

This cemetery can hold 8000 burials and it thought to be filled. Notice that there are about only 400 names on the scarce amount of stones. Paupers could not afford stones.

The Saint Matthew Parish was started in 1840. It was the first Catholic church in Western Massachusetts and as such would have served all Catholics of Western Massachusetts. The Saint Matthew Church was built as a wooden church in 1843. It would be replaced as a parish and as a church in 1859 when Holy Name Church was built.

The Churches of Chicopee

The Churches of Chicopee

Holy Name of Jesus Church

Churches on Springfield Street in Chicopee

Sainte Rose de Lima Church

Basilica of Saint Stanislaus BM

Saint Anne Church

Saint Anthony of Padua Church

First Church of Chicopee

Saint Patrick’s Church

Saint George Church

Saint Mary’s Church

Saint Constantine and Helen Church

Holy Mother of Rosary Church

Nativity Church (stop 1 only at LINK)

Beulah Church

Oak Grove Cemetery

Oak Grove Cemetery is from 1881 and the gates are from 1884. The first burial was Lizzie Belden Whitcomb who died the 12th of April 1882. FINDAGRAVE There are over 500 people in this cemetery that have death dates older than 1882 but they are all cenotaphs. This is very common is a beautiful cemetery such as this one that was built late in the history of a community. James Kirkham was the founder of this cemetery. The chapel like the gate is from 1884. Yes, it is in front of a holding tomb.

GATES

CHAPEL

CIVIL WAR MEMORIAL