Members of the Montague County Historical Commission cordially invite you to attend the dedication of an official State of Texas historical marker at the Montague Catholic Cemetery at 3 p.m. May 26. The public is invited. (Please note in Wednesday edition the time was incorrect. The event is at 3 p.m. not 2 p.m. as printed).
This marker was donated by the Robert H. Fenoglio family whose ancestors originally settled this area, then grew and prospered through good times and bad to make Montague their home and home for future generations.
The Montague Catholic Cemetery is located 1.3 miles west of the Montague County Courthouseon the north side of Catholic Cemetery Road. It began as part of a rural Catholic community in Montague, but it now serves Montague County, as well as other parts of central North Texas.
Between 1860 to 1920 Italians heavily emigrated from the northern parts of Italy into other European countries and America, eventually into Texas. Peasants from the Lombardy, Piedmont, and Venetian regions of northern Italy left because growing conditions made it almost impossible to make a living.
The earliest Anglo-American settlers known to have located in Montague County were Henry Braden and John Keenan in 1854, but they were soon followed by many other settlers making their way west.
Montague County was created by an act of the state legislature. Though created Dec. 26, 1857, the county government was not organized until Aug. 2, 1858. It is this date that recognized by locals as the county’s birthdate.
Montague Catholic Cemetery, lying approximately one and one half miles southeast of the town of Montague, was established on March 8, 1902. At the time of its establishment it was called the Roman Catholic Cemetery of Montague.
Rules of the cemetery stated that lots were to be free for Roman Catholics living in the community. For those Catholics not living in the Montague community, a fee between $2 and $5 per lot would be assessed.
Since 1910 many other Catholics of Montague and surrounding communities have claimed cemetery lots there. More than 250 marked and unmarked graves are now recorded in the cemetery.
First person to be buried in the Cemetery was Giroloma Vitali, son of John and M. Vitali. He was an infant, born Nov. 11, 1900, and died March 29, 1901. The body of the oldest person lying in the cemetery is that of Barrett Raymond who was born on Oct. 8, 1841. He died March 5, 1915.
The cemetery is lovingly cared for by residents of Montague, some of whom are descendants of those original Italian settlers and attend the church their ancestors attended so long ago.
Many of those buried in the Montague Catholic Cemetery played a major role in the development of the town of Montague and left a legacy of hard work and determination for those who follow as well as a sense of pride in their Italian heritage