Springfield Paranormal Research Group
Bolivar Cemetery History
Hrbitov Sv Vaclava Catholic Cemetery 1921 is located in Karlin, Missouri.
Hrbitov Sv Vaclava translates into "St. Wenceslaus Cemetery".
Karlin was a small railroad town in a Bohemian settlement. Originally
it was called Tremont, but when the seven sons of Francka arrived,
1890-95, they changed the name to Karlin in honor of a city in the
extreme northern part of Bohemia.
The post office was changed from Tremont to Karlin, circa 1903-04.
(--Missouri Manual, 1903-1904, p. 458.)
St. Wenceslaus Church in Karlin, was established in 1904, and was placed
on the inactive list in May of 1965 because of a shortage of priests to
staff all the churches and missions in our Diocese. There were no plans to
reopen the church. (--Rev. Bosco V. Westrich, vice Chancellor, of the
Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau.)
The post office was discontinued circa 1944-45, since it was listed in
Missouri Manual for 1943-44, but the issue of 1945-46 omits it.
Route 7, of Bolivar serves the vicinity now. Karlin is virtually a ghost
town, as there is about one family left near the town site.
In 1921, Karlin was the site of a test drill hole for oil. No oil was
discovered. (Springfield Daily Leader, April 10, 1921).
Gravestones:
When Charles Andera died in 1929, he left behind a unique legacy:
the hundreds of ornate, distinctive cast metal crosses which mark
the final resting place of Roman Catholic Czech Americans in no less than twelve
states. His beautiful grave markers have been found in cemeteries from
Prague, Oklahoma to Bohemia, New York; from Pisek, North Dakota to
Halletsville, Texas. Almost exclusively, these monuments are in Czech
Catholic graveyards. An early photo (another of his skills) by Andera
shows one wooden cross, and two of cast metal. Of the latter, one is
relatively plain and may have been his first design in cast metal. The other,
which in later photos he identified as #1, is the first model he decorated
with a religious symbol. Although none of his wooden crosses are known
to exist, they are mentioned in a history of Tremont, (Karlin) MO, a railroad
flag stop where he lived for a short time just after the turn of the century.
Strangely, there appears to be no pattern in the manner in which Andera
marked his crosses. Some simply have his initials, "C.A.", others include
his initials or name, the words "Spillville, IA" or "Tremont, Mo.," and may
include the date of manufacture. Some, on the back of the heart shaped
inscription plate, are marked "No. 5" or carry the outline of a cross. Many
monuments, otherwise identical to the marked crosses, are unmarked.
History collected by Jennifer
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