St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery
of Irish Pioneers
Woodland Township, Section 19

 
Photographs courtesy of Nancee (McMurtrey) Seifert, July of 2010
Nearest town: Leon
GPS Coordinates: 40.6761017,-93.6556015
Earliest tombstone burial: Oct. 9, 1862 #3-6
View Gravestone Photos
  
History: In 1854 Irish Catholic immigrants purchased land in Decatur County, 10 miles southeast of Leon, which became a rural farming community called Ireland.

There was never a town, only a church (St. Patrick built in 1866) and a cemetery (oldest tombstone 1862). In 1902 the old church was replaced by a new one called St. Mary's Church. This building was no longer used when a new Catholic Church was built in Leon in 1918 and the congregation attended at Leon the vacated St. Mary's church was torn down in 1927.

This cemetery has been called St. Mary's Cemetery and Ireland Cemetery, but goes mostly by the name, Catholic Cemetery. Information for this history came from the book, "A History of the Catholic Church, Decatur County, Iowa" by the Rev. Edward J. Harkin (1956). The following story was taken from that book:

"In January 1892 Father Terence Molloy, age 35, gave his life performing a work of Charity at the Ireland Cemetery. He officiated at a funeral and burial while it was raining and cold. He gave his own raincoat to a mother to keep her infant dry, but Father Molloy became chilled and died 3 days later of pneumonia."

Deed: September 22, 1863 the Catholic Church acquired title to 10 acres in Section 19 for cemetery and church site for the sum of $1.

From: William Grogan, Patrick Grogan, Dennis Mullin, Maurice Daughton and Patrick Mullin and their wives.
 
NAME
ROW#, GRAVE#		 DATE of BIRTH DATE of DEATH COMMENTS
 
ATKINS, Maggie, T. (FLYNN)
R2 S10		02 Oct 1875
Decatur Co. IA		 08 Feb 1899
AE 25y 4m 6d		d/o M/M Patrick FLYNN
md 22 Feb 1898
F.R. ATKINS
BARRETT, Ellen (SULLIVAN)
R3 S14		08 Dec 1822
County Cork, Ireland		 19 Mar 1902
aged 79y 3m 1d
Woodland IA		md 22 Nov 1849 St. Paul IN
John BARRETT
BARRETT, Ellen M. (MAHONEY)
R7 S10		1860 1941w/o Richard J. BARRETT
BARRETT, Grace, E.
R7 S12		1898 1928 
BARRETT, John
R3 S14		1820 [1823, obit]
County Cork Ireland		05 Feb 1903
aged 80y		 md 22 Nov 1849 St. Paul IN
Ellen M. SULLIVAN
BARRETT, John
R3 S13		1769
County Cork, Ireland		 30 Dec 1869
aged 100y		 
BARRETT, John E.
R7 S11		25 Jun 1890 14 Aug 1902
aged 12y 1m 20d		s/o R.J. & E.M. BARRETT
BARRETT, Nancy E.
R10 S6		1863 1948d/o John & Ellen (SULLIVAN) BARRETT
shared gravestone with sister Mary A. MACY
BARRETT, Richard J.
R7 S10		1858 1936s/o John & Ellen (SULLIVAN) BARRETT
h/o Ellen M. MAHONEY
BARRY, Bertha Dorine09 Sep 1922 01 Dec 1931
Leon IA
aged 4y 2m 21d		 d/o Andrew & Margaret BARRY
BARRY, John R.
R6 S13		06 Jan 1839
Watergrasshill
County Cork, Ireland		 26 Nov 1911
Leon IA		h/o Louisa Peters Ketterer
"May His Soul Rest In Peace"
BARRY, Louisa
R6 S13		12 Feb 1855
Jefferson Co. IA		 07 No 1924w/o John BARRY
"May Her Soul Rest In Peace
BEARDSLEY, Infants
R1 S8		1927 1927son & d/o J.W. & M.A. BEARDSLEY
BOYCE, Layola
R2 S 14		1922 1927 
BRADLEY, Baby
R3 S5		25 Aug 1889 21 Oct 1889child of P.F. & Hanna BRADLEY
BRADLEY, Felix
R1S2		10 May 1899 10 May 1899s/o P.F. & Hanna BRADLEY
BRADLEY, Johanna Bridget
R2 S2		08 Mar 1859 06 Aug 1942w/o Peter Francis BRADLEY
BRADLEY, Leo J.
R3 S5		17 Aug 1890 23 Dec 1890child of P.F. & Hanna BRADLEY
BRADLEY, James Leo  00 Jan 1892child of P.F. & Hanna BRADLEY
BRADLEY, Madie
R3 S5		24 Oct 1885 08 Oct 1887child of P.F. & Hanna BRADLEY
BRADLEY, Peter Francis
R2 S2		27 Dec 1857 20 Dec 1920h/o Johanna Bridget BRADLEY
BRIGHT, Rosa R. (FERRELL)
R1 S10		1879 1918d/o Richard & Esther/Hester (NOLAN) FERRELL
2nd w/o Lewis A. BRIGHT
BROMAN, Catherine  05 May 1927
age 7hrs.		Known burial, no stone
Courthouse Records
BRYSON, F. Claude
R8 S7		12 Jan 1891 27 Jul 1915"Rest In Peace"
BRYSON, Helen T.
R8 S8		20 Jun 1895 03 Feb 1909d/o A.W. & R.A. BRYSON
BRYSON, Edyth E.
R8 S9		28 Nov 1884 09 Jun 1907d/o A.W. & R.A. BRYSON

"Gone But Not Forgotten"
CAIN, Infant
R1 S3		  19 Mar 1899s/o J.R. & M.C. CAIN
CAIN, James Robert
R1 S5		28 May 1858
Clay Co. IL 		25 Mar 1923
Grand River IA		s/o Watson & Julia CAIN
md 29 May 1899
Mary C. GRIFFIN
CAIN, Mary C. (GRIFFIN)
R1 S5		1860 1951d/o Michael & Margaret (FOLEY) GRIFFIN
md 29 May 1899
James Robert CAIN
CASHEN, James G.
R8 S15		1852 1936  
CASHEN, Sarah F.1852 1924 
COMERFORD, Edward "Neddie"
R4 S20		1838
Waterford Co., Ireland		 12 Nov 1913
footstone - Father
md Nov 1868 Katherine "Kate" REGAN
COMERFORD, John
R4 S19		1843 1892 
COMERFORD, "Katherine" Kate (REGAN)
R4 S20		1844 1926footstone - "Mother"
md Nov 1868 Edward "Neddie" COMERFORD
CONWELL, Julia K.
R3 S12		08 Sep 1915 17 Sep 1915d/o L.C. & A.M. CONWELL
DAUGHTON, Don Joseph16 May 1920 07 Sep 1930 
DAUGHTON, Dwight Leo
R1 S4		01 Dec 1908 20 Jan 1911s/o E.M. & A. DAUGHTON
DAUGHTON, Ellen (MULLIN)
R4 S9		22 Jun 1826
Knockmanagh
County Kerry, Ireland		 10 Jul 1901
Woodland IA		d/o Dennis & Margaret (CARROLL) MULLIN
md 01 Mar 1840
Ballbunion Parish
County Kerry, Ireland
Maurice DAUGHTON
DAUGHTON, Hannah (GRIFFIN)
R8 S2		1851
obit. gives 10 Jun 1853
Trenton NJ		 1933md 26 Sep 1873
James DAUGHTON
DAUGHTON, James
R8 S2		 1849 1938md 26 Sep 1873
Hannah GRIFFIN
DAUGHTON, Joseph
R3 S 10		15 Sep 1846
County Kerry, Ireland		 28 Feb 1887s/o M.& E. DAUGHTON
  DAUGHTON,
Leo M.
R8 S3		1894 1918World War I Seaman 2/C
s/o J. & H. DAUGHTON
DAUGHTON, Lucinda
R2 S15		24 Feb 1903 18 Aug 1924Known burial W.P.A. Records
no stone, foundation only
DAUGHTON, Madaline LouiseR8 S109 Nov 1911 26 Aug 1913d/o J.P. & C.M. DAUGHTON
DAUGHTON, Maurice
R4 S10		 1812 baptized 22 Sep 1812
Lixnaw Parish
County Kerry, Ireland		 92 Aug 1890
aged 76y		s/o James & Anastacia (STACK) DAUGHTON
md 03 Mar 1810
Ellen MULLIN
parents of 7 children
DAUGHTON,
Michael M.
R3 S7		  14 Aug 1866
aged 7y 8m 20d		s/o M.& E. DAUGHTON
DAUGHTON, Monica22 Feb 1904 18 Aug 1925
Des Moines IA		d/o Dennis DAUGHTON
DAUGHTON, Ralph L.
R9 S1		17 Feb 1926 17 Feb 1926 s/o R.J. & H.M. DAUGHTON
DAUGHTON, Walter D.
R8 S4		1885
Decatur Co. IA		 05 Dec 1918
AE 33y
Grand River IA
 s/o James & Hannah (GRIFFIN) DAUGHTON
DAUGHTON, William
R3 S8		  11 Oct 1878
aged 17y 9m 2d		s/o M. & E. DAUGHTON
DILLON, Catherine
R4 S7		  11 Jan 1892
aged 80y		native of County Kerry, Ireland
DILLON, Catherine
R4 S5		21 Jan 1838 11 Mar 1895w/o Thomas DILLON
DILLON, James
R4 S8		native of Kerry County, Ireland 04 Aug 1867
aged 65y		foundation - stone lying at tree
DILLON, Mary A.
R4 S3		  20 Mar 1904
aged 61y		d/o J. & C. DILLON
DILLON, Thomas "Tom"
R4 S6		24 Jun 1838
County Kerry, Ireland		 04 Nov 1892
aged 53y
FLYNN, Elizabeth
R1 S6		12 Jan 1845 [uncut]w/o Patrick FLYNN
FLYNN, Elyda E.
R10 S1		1892 1959w/o John T. FLYNN
"Mother"
FLYNN, Genevieve
R1 S7		  1907 
FLYNN, Howard Patrick01 Apr 1930 09 Jul 2009
Leon IA		h/o Betty J. FLYNN
b. 27 Apr 1938
FLYNN, James P.
R1 S7		1875 1953 
FLYNN, John T.
R10 S1		1882 1967h/o Elyda E. FLYNN
"Father"
FLYNN, Martin
R2 S9		17 Nov 1864 31 May 1890s/o P.& E. FLYNN
FLYNN, Mary Ellen1868 1944 
FLYNN, Patrick
R1 S6		20 Jun 1831 11 Nov 1911h/o Elizabeth FLYNN
GRIFFIN, Alice
R7 S9		1882 1915 
GRIFFIN, Catherine Ann (FLYNN)
R2 S12		27 Mar 1866
Monroe Co. IA		 1911d/o Patrick & Elizabeth (WALLACE) FLYNN
w/o Daniel GRIFFIN
GRIFFIN, Daniel "Dan"
R2 S13		1854
Ohio		 19 Jun 1935s/o Michael & Margaret (FOLEY) GRIFFIN
h/o Catherine Ann FLYNN
GRIFFIN, Hazel
R8 S5		1894 1912 
GRIFFIN, J. Bernard
R6 S12		05 Mar 1906 03 Aug 1906 s/o M. & J.J. GRIFFIN
GRIFFIN, Julia Alice (SULLIVAN)
R7 S6		00 May 1877 14 Feb 1908d/o Daniel & Julia SULLIVAN
md ca. 1898
Timothy James GRIFFIN
GRIFFIN, Margaret (FOLEY)
R5 S1		15 Feb 1825
Ireland		 15 Feb 1903w/o Michael GRIFFIN
GRIFFIN, Micheal
R5 S2		1820
County Kildare, Ireland		 25 Nov 1886
aged 66y		h/o Margaret FOLEY
GRIFFIN, Patrick
R8 S6		1850 1936 
GRIFFIN, Sarah E.
R8 S6		1863 1953 
GRIFFIN, T.J. [Timothy James "Ted"]
R7 S7		1856
Ohio		 24 Dec 1932
Leon IA		s/o Michael & Margaret (FOLEY) GRIFFIN
md ca. 1898
Julia Alice SULLIVAN
GRIFFIN, Walter
R7 S8		1900 17 Apr 1927s/o Timothy James & Julia Alice (SULLIVAN) GRIFFIN
GROGAN, A.J.
R8 S11		18911928 
GROGAN, Bridget
R3 S18		18671941 
GROGAN, Bridget (FOLEY)
R3 S2		22 Feb 1922
County Kerry, Ireland		 09 Dec 1905
aged 83y 9m 17d
Leon IA		md Feb 1843
William GROGAN
GROGAN, Catherine
R5 S6		16 Mar 1836
County Clare, Ireland		 12 Aug 1900
aged 64y 4m 26d		md 1854 New York
Thomas GROGAN
GROGAN, Ella
R3 S16		  14 Feb 1879
aged 7y 6m 26d		d/o P.E. & F.A. GROGAN
GROGAN, Emma Catherine (DILLON)
R6 S1		20 Feb 1864
Pickaway Co. OH		 15 Dec 1922d/o Thomas & Catharine DILLON
w/o Thomas GROGAN
GROGAN, Frances
R3 S15		  08 Dec 1923
aged 91y 2m 13d		 
GROGAN, Johanna
R9 S3		1856 1927"Mother"
GROGAN, John A.
R3 S19		1876 1946 
GROGAN, John
R3 S3		  25 Sept 1887
aged 40y 1m		 
GROGAN, Leo
R8 S13		1893 1936 
GROGAN, M.E.
R8 S12		1904 1933 
GROGAN, Maggie
R5 S8		  11 Jan 1873d/o T. & C. GROGAN
GROGAN, Margaret (DAUGHTON)
R3 S9		  30 Nov 1881
aged 25y 7m		d/o M. & E. DAUGHTON
w/o Timothy GROGAN
GROGAN, Michael
R3 S10		1852 1910 
GROGAN, Michael C.
R8 S10		1863 1916 
GROGAN, Patrick
R3 S15		  21 Jan 1879
aged 48y 2m 3d		 
GROGAN, Patrick H.
R8 S14		1901 1945 
GROGAN, Robert W.
R3 S4		  18 Jul 1863
aged 1y 10m 22d		s/o Wm. & B. GROGAN
GROGAN, Stephen J.
R0 S3		1859 1930"Father"
GROGAN, Thomas
R6 S2		  15 Dec 1896
aged 43y		md 1893
Emma DILLON
GROGAN, Thomas
R5 S7		09 Sep 1830
County Kerry, Ireland		 20 Sep 1875
age 45y 11d		h/o Catherine GROGAN
  GROGAN, Timothy
R2 S1		1849 1915Civil War Veteran
GROGAN, William A.
R5 S10		1867 1919 
GROGAN, William
R3 S2		02 Jan 1809
Kerry County, Ireland		 25 Mar 1905
aged 96y 2m 23d
Leon IA		md 02 Feb 1843
Bridget FOLEY
HANNON, Cornelius
R6 S3		1857 1929 
HANNON, Cornelius
R6S5		1813
County Kerry, Ireland		 29 Dec 1891
Taylor Co. IA
 
HANNON, Hannah
R10 S1		1852 1939 
HANNON, Mary C.
R6 S6		01 Apr 1861 01 Mar 1909 
HANNON, Mary
R6 S4		County Kerry, Ireland 11 Jan 1904
aged 88y
Taylor Co. IA		w/o Cornelius HANNON
HIGDON, Wilma10 Dec 1913 31 May 1924d/o L.O. HIGDON
HURLEY, Elizabeth A.
R1 S1		  02 Dec 1893
aged 30y 9m 10d		w/o D. HURLEY
HURLEY, Emmet
R1 S1		  22 Aug 1879
aged 3m		s/o D. & E.A. HURLEY
KEMPF, Anna Marie (LOWE)1815 1879 
KEMPF, Mary (LANGE)
R2 S11		16 Jul 1815
Hessen, Germany		 26 Jul 1879
aged 64y 10d		1st w/o Cpl. JOhn M. KEMPF
Co. G, 3rd MO State Militia Cavalry
1811 - 1893
inter. Leavenwroth Nat'l Cemetery
Leavenworth KS
MACY, Mary Ann (BARRETT)
R10 S6		25 Mar 1859 03 Apr 1938d/o John & Ellen (SULLIVAN) BARRETT
md 01 Apr 1894 Joseph Edward MACY 1851 - 1902
shared gravestone with sister Nancy E. BARRETT
NOTE: Because Joseph had not converted to the Catholic faith, he was not allowed to be buried with Mary Ann. He was instead interred at High Point Cemetery.
MAHONEY, Catharine E.
R4 S16		1852 1917 
MAHONEY, Dennis
R5 S3		1813 1894 
MAHONEY, Frankie
R4 S15		1882 1893 
MAHONEY, Gertrude
R4 S17		1879 1933 
MAHONEY, Mary
R7 S13		1855 1940 
MAHONEY, Mary R.
R5 S3		1820 1886w/o Dennis MAHONEY
MAHONEY, Patrick W.
R7 S14		1852 1941 
McDANIEL, Phillip E.
R1 S11		1901 1919 
McGOVERN, Anna
R4 S13		26 Nov 1853
Pittsburgh PA		 22 Sep 1921
Leon IA		gravestone is broken
McGOVERN, Francis
R4 S14		  25 Apr 1873
aged 507 11m 10d		gravestone is broken
foundation only
McGRAW, James
R9 S2		1854 1928h/o Mattie McGRAW
McGRAW, Johannah E.
R3 S17		  11 Sept 1888
aged 7m 13d		d/o M. & J.A. McGRAW
McGRAW, Mattie
R9 S2		1864 1937w/o James McGRAW
MULCHAY, Mary Josephine
R10 S3		1892 1972 
MULLIN, Margaret C.
R6 S10		1838 1929 
MULLIN, Joseph25 Sep 1851 00 Jul 1854s/o Dennis & Margaret (HOULIHAN) MULLIN
MULLIN, Nannie E.
R6 S9		1866 1927 
MULLIN, Ollie M.
R6 S7		08 Jul 1889 26 Oct 1895d/o J.W. & M.E. MULLIN
MULLIN, Patrick
R6 S10		1828
County Kerry, Ireland		 03 Feb 1905
Weldon IA		h/o Margaret C. HOFFHINES
MULLIN, Samuel M.
R6 S11		1867 1914 
MULLINS, Bartholemew
R3 S6		  09 Oct 1862
aged 7y 1m 15d		s/o D. & M. MULLINS
MULLINS, Joseph W.
R6 S 8		09 May 1861
1860, obit.
Ohio		 16 Apr 1922
aged 61y 11m 7d
Leon IA		 md 03 Aug 1884
Maggie E. BARRETT
MULLINS, Maggie E. (BARRETT)
R6 S8		1861 1935md 03 Aug 1884
Joseph W. MULLINS
OWENS, Edward
R10 S40		06 Nov 1869 12 Dec 1959"Brother"
OWENS, Ellen
R5 S5		11 Feb 1828
County Cork, Ireland		 08 Jun 1911w/o Thomas OWENS
OWENS, Infant
R3 S11		   d/o J. & K. OWENS
OWENS, Johanna
R10 S 4		04 Mar 1860 10 Aug 1949"Sister"
OWENS, John
R10 S5		1858 1937 
OWENS, John Robert
R1 S9		  19 Dec 1936 
OWENS, Kathryn
R10 S5		1865 1954 
OWENS, Richard D.
R5 S4		03 Mar 1868
1867 per
Decatur Co. IA		 21 Dec 1918
AE 51y 9m 18d
Des Moines IA
 s/o Thomas & Ellen OWENS
md 1901, Mercer MO Eliza Ann (FORSYTHE) OWENS LINN (1884 - 1962), inter. Swan Cemetery, Ravanna MO
OWENS, Thomas
R5 S5		15 Aug 1827
County Meath, Ireland		 15 Oct 1874h/o Ellen OWENS
PETERS, Frank J.
R4 S12		1878, Leon IA 07 Jan 1872
aged 7m
Leon IA		s/o J. & L. PETERS
PETERS, Joseph
R4 S11		  13 Jul 1879
aged 32yrs
Leon IA		 
PETERS, Mary Magdalen
R4 S12		1876, Leon IA 13 May 1877
aged 7ms
Leon IA		d/o J. & L. PETERS
SHORE, Henry
R9 S4		1857 1937 
SULLIVAN, Daniel
R7 S3		1845 1915 
SULLIVAN, Julia
R7 S2		22 May 1844
Ireland		 09 July 1898
Leon IA		w/o D. S. SULLIVAN
SULLIVAN, Patrick
R7 S4		1875 1918 
SULLIVAN, Roger
R4 S4		  09 Jul 1871
aged 31y 4m 7d		h/o Hannah SULLIVAN
TREANOR, Annie
R4 S1		  12 Jul 1866
aged 78y		w/o James TREANOR
TREANOR, Eliza J
R4 S2		  12 Aug 1884
aged 47y 5m 10d		w/o James TREANOR
TREANOR, Hugh
R4 S18		1857 1933 
TREANOR, James
R4 S1		Parish of Carlingford
County Louth, Ireland		 03 May 1872
aged 84y		 
TREANOR, James
R4 S2		Parish of Carlingford
County Louth, Ireland		 01 Feb 1906
aged 72y 7m		 
TREANOR, Mary
R4 S18		1861 1937 
unknown    
unknown
R2 S16		   known burial, foundation only, no stone
unknown, Margarett
R5 S9		  15 Sep 1871
AE 19y 7m 24d		d/o Thomas & Bridget
unknown, Mary A.
R2 S10		23 Apr 1865 09 Oct 1915w/o J.A.
WALKER, Melinda Ellen "Mindy" (FLYNN)24 Sep 1976 23 Dec 1996 back side of gravestone
WALLACE, Charles Francis
R2 S5		02 Sep 1867
Woodland IA		 20 Mar 1884
aged 16y 6m
Woodland IA		s/o Samuel Dunsmore & Bridget (DAUGHTON) WALLACE
WALLACE, John Wesley
R2 S8		22 Mar 1814
Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland		 12 Dec 1893
aged 79y 9m 20d		s/o Peter B. Sr. & Marie Margaret (ROSS) WALLACE
md 20 Nov 1835
NY NY
Mary Elizabeth MONSEN
WALLACE, Julia
R2 S4		24 Jan 1866
Woodland IA		 26 Jul 1890
Woodland IA		d/o S.D. & B. WALLACE
WALLACE, Marie "Margaret" (ROSS)
R2 S6		19 Nov 1790
Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland		 31 Jan 1867
aged 76y 2m 12d
Appanoose Co. IA		w/o Peter B. WALLACE Sr.
1784 - 1875
Meek/Eden Cemetery
Eden Twp., Decatur Co. IA
WALLACE, Mary Elizabeth (MONSEN)
R2 S7		11 Oct 1818
New York NY		 22 Jun 1872
aged 53y 8m 11d		md 20 Nov 1835
NY NY
John Wesley WALLACE
original gravestone
WALLACE, William J.
R2 S3		08 Jul 1860
Woodland IA		 30 Dec 1867
aged 7y 5m 22d		s/o Peter B. & Ann (SMITH) WALLACE
WARD, Elizabeth
R7 S1		11 Nov 1886 21 Feb 1908w/o J.M. WARD

Source: Cemeteries of Decatur Co. IA; compiled by Lois Slade and transcribed for our site by Janice Lira.
  
Cemetery Directory *** Decatur County IAGenWeb