St. Anthony of Padua Church and Cemetery, Fisherville, Michigan

Date: 1897 [unknown]
Location: 4699 S. Eleven Mile Rd. Williams Twsp., Fisherville, Michigan
Surnames/tags: St._Anthony_of_Padua_Church Cemetery

Location: West of Auburn, Michigan

Historic church and the historic, preserved cemetery St. Anthony's Cemetery, LOCATION: 11 Mile Road and W North Union Road Bay County, Michigan, 48611 USA

St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, historic photo

Church: Established 1897, 4699 S. Eleven Mile Rd. (west of Auburn), Williams Twsp., MI A sturdy and determined lot were the Polish pioneers that settled in Williams Township in Bay County.

• With meager savings garnered from hard work at the salt manufacturing and wood mills in Bay City, and later in the coal mines, they set about purchasing small plots of forest and uncultivated land in the area which they worked to clear and make suitable for farming. Each year they were able to produce more produce to sell in nearby villages and towns. Eventually many were able to quit their jobs and devote their full time to working the land.

• Many moved here from Bay City which was the closest nearby town, and some were new immigrants. The village of Auburn wasn't too far away being just a few miles east of where they settled, and where they could purchase essential provisions saving them from a much longer trip to Bay City or Midland.

• Many retained their affiliations with church societies, especially at St. Stanislaus Church in Bay City that was a Polish congregation. ...Most attended Mass at St. Stanislaus, traveling by horse and buggy, on foot, or train on the Battle Creek and Bay City Railway which was eventually acquired by the Michigan Central Railroad.

• Their children were initially schooled by a lay teachers who also taught religion classes. Catholic priests from Bay City, Midland and Auburn visited the area to attended to the services where they lived.

• Early family surnames of pioneers of the church included: Babinski, Bies, Buczek, Cieslinski, Dasky, Dziurka, Filcek, Gwisdala, Kaczynski, Kaczmarek, Kalinowski, Kitts, Kosnik, Kozuch, Latocki, Lobodzinski, Luczak, Lukowski, Machelski, Mrozinski, Nowaczyk, Okon, Prill, Piesik, Piotrowski, Reder, Rytlewski, Sczepanski, Sikorski, Wejrowski, Wittbrodt, Zielinski, Zmich. ^[1]

Reference: Bay City Times Press - September 8, 1902

"Seven societies from St. Stanislaus church took part in the exercise marching to the services in a body and assisting the clergymen in charge. The Michigan Central took two crowded excursion trains of seven coaches each from Bay City, containing 800 people, to the dedication. All the rural districts in the vicinity sent large numbers the Polish settlement in Beaver township turning out in mass. The farmers living in the neighborhood, gave a reception to the visitors, treating everybody in most hospitable and generous manner."

Source: http://www.bay-journal.com/bay/1he/religion/stanthony-wt.html

Cemetery
St. Anthony of Padua Cemetery, Fisherville, Michigan Listing of who is buried there, including unmarked graves: http://www.mifamilyhistory.org/bay/StAnthony.htm

St. Anthony of Padua Cemetery, East View

Location
The cemetery is located in Williams Township, the second oldest township in Bay County and dates back to before the county was organized with the first settlers arriving in 1854. Williams Township officially became a township in 1858. The waterways were the early roads and travelers often camped along the banks with Indians overnight. Many of the creeks in Williams Township are named for early settlers such as Bradford Creek, Culver Creek, Hoppler Creek and Dell Creek. These creeks, or county drains, terminate in the south branch of the Kawkawlin River in Section 12. Source: ^[2]

Sources: https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/1577/st.-anthony's-

https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/1577/st.-anthony's-cemetery