Cemetery Association
The St. John Cemetery Association serves the St. John United Church of Christ, Manchester, MO church members as well as non-members, by maintaining the cemetery grounds. It is a Chapter 352 pro-forma, non-profit corporation, officially incorporated in St. Louis County on July 6, 1966.
History
ST. JOHN UCC CEMETERY
Manchester, Missouri
HISTORY St. Johannes Evangelical Church of Manchester was founded in 1860 by 28 men who organized for the express purpose of being the Church of Jesus Christ. Reverend Johannes Koewing, pastor of Zion German Evangelical Church on Ballas Road helped get the church established. Before the official founding, three of the men purchased the lot where the old cemetery stands with the purpose of constructing a building of worship. The original lot included a schoolhouse and cemetery (now known as the 1860 cemetery). The first recorded burial was Heinrich Schrader, a 3-year-old boy who died June 19, 1862. The old schoolhouse was used as the church building until it was replaced in 1868. Original records were in German, and did not give location of the burials, just the order in which they were buried. After the Civil War the congregation changed their name to St. John Evangelical Church. Many of the original members were German immigrants who settled the area to farm, and for the first 50 years the church services were entirely in German. It was not until 1910 that a sermon was delivered in English for the first time. The early church grew quickly and a new church was built and dedicated in 1868. It stood just south of the cemetery. More lots were purchased for that church and for additional cemetery ground.
In the early 1900’s attempts were made to identify who was buried where and when. Some of the information was kept on window shades as late as the 1930’s.
In 1909 additional lots were purchased, extending the property to the present eastern fence just north of the lower cemetery road. It is called the 1910 cemetery today.
In 1922 the Ladies Aid Society of the church paid for grass cutting and cleaning of the grounds. They paid a man $2 a day for 9 days to do the work.
In 1927 the church purchased two acres at the top of the hill for a new church site. The new church building was dedicated in 1952, and the old church was razed.
The 1860 and 1910 cemeteries eventually began to run out of unsold grave sites. In 1944 the congregation purchased an additional 7.5 acres to the south of the church and cemetery. Trees and brush were removed and excavation to level the property was done. A driveway was added to allow access to the property. This purchase extended the cemetery grounds south to Old Sulphur Spring Road and included the present north parking lot. That lot was donated to the church in 1955.
In 1957 the church became a member of the United Church of Christ, created by a merger of two denominations.
In 1976 the Cemetery Association was set up as a Pro Forma 352 organization, chartered by St. Louis County. They adopted their own Constitution and Bylaws, approved at a special congregational meeting.
The road at the center of the hill was built in 1987, and in 1989 the concrete stairs in the center of the upper cemetery were poured. In recent years, the focus has been on improvements and restoration of the cemetery grounds. Gravestones have been straightened, reset, and cleaned; brush and vines have been removed; fences painted; a new memorial area with flagpole was dedicated in fall of 2023.
We have a total of 1,922 cemetery plots. There are 340 cemetery plots still available for sale.
Please contact Bob Ruh at 636-393-8214 for information regarding the cemetery.
HISTORY St. Johannes Evangelical Church of Manchester was founded in 1860 by 28 men who organized for the express purpose of being the Church of Jesus Christ. Reverend Johannes Koewing, pastor of Zion German Evangelical Church on Ballas Road helped get the church established. Before the official founding, three of the men purchased the lot where the old cemetery stands with the purpose of constructing a building of worship. The original lot included a schoolhouse and cemetery (now known as the 1860 cemetery). The first recorded burial was Heinrich Schrader, a 3-year-old boy who died June 19, 1862. The old schoolhouse was used as the church building until it was replaced in 1868. Original records were in German, and did not give location of the burials, just the order in which they were buried. After the Civil War the congregation changed their name to St. John Evangelical Church. Many of the original members were German immigrants who settled the area to farm, and for the first 50 years the church services were entirely in German. It was not until 1910 that a sermon was delivered in English for the first time. The early church grew quickly and a new church was built and dedicated in 1868. It stood just south of the cemetery. More lots were purchased for that church and for additional cemetery ground.
In the early 1900’s attempts were made to identify who was buried where and when. Some of the information was kept on window shades as late as the 1930’s.
In 1909 additional lots were purchased, extending the property to the present eastern fence just north of the lower cemetery road. It is called the 1910 cemetery today.
In 1922 the Ladies Aid Society of the church paid for grass cutting and cleaning of the grounds. They paid a man $2 a day for 9 days to do the work.
In 1927 the church purchased two acres at the top of the hill for a new church site. The new church building was dedicated in 1952, and the old church was razed.
The 1860 and 1910 cemeteries eventually began to run out of unsold grave sites. In 1944 the congregation purchased an additional 7.5 acres to the south of the church and cemetery. Trees and brush were removed and excavation to level the property was done. A driveway was added to allow access to the property. This purchase extended the cemetery grounds south to Old Sulphur Spring Road and included the present north parking lot. That lot was donated to the church in 1955.
In 1957 the church became a member of the United Church of Christ, created by a merger of two denominations.
In 1976 the Cemetery Association was set up as a Pro Forma 352 organization, chartered by St. Louis County. They adopted their own Constitution and Bylaws, approved at a special congregational meeting.
The road at the center of the hill was built in 1987, and in 1989 the concrete stairs in the center of the upper cemetery were poured. In recent years, the focus has been on improvements and restoration of the cemetery grounds. Gravestones have been straightened, reset, and cleaned; brush and vines have been removed; fences painted; a new memorial area with flagpole was dedicated in fall of 2023.
We have a total of 1,922 cemetery plots. There are 340 cemetery plots still available for sale.
Please contact Bob Ruh at 636-393-8214 for information regarding the cemetery.
