Cimetiere St-Joseph, Chelmsford, MA - A Brief History

Located at 96 Riverneck Road, in East Chelmsford, MA, according to a booklet authored by Father Charles A. Breault, O.M.I., which celebrates the 100 year anniversary of Cimetiere St-Joseph in 1994, the cemetery was established by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate from France who originally purched 57 acres of land in 1892, from the McKennedy family, in East Chelmsford, MA. The land was to be used by the Oblates as a summer residence . Two years after that purchase, however, Rev. Andre-Marie Garin, O. M. I., pastor of St. Joseph Parish [estab. 1868] in Lowell, was given permission to transform part of what was the summer residence into a cemetery. Filling the needs of the many Franco-American immigrants who came to Lowell from small French-Canadian villages in Quebec, Cimetiere St-Joseph became the second Catholic Cemetery in area.

Opened in March of 1894, the first burial was that of Mr. Alphonse Desormeau. According to cemetery records, Mr. Desmoreau is buried in Section FG, Lot 92. Section FG is the free ground, otherwise known as the paupers plot. Unfortunately, there are not too many markers in Section FG. In fact , I have only seen one small illegible monument with a lamb resting on top of it, and a few small flat markers which appear to have been "homemade". Sadly, the majority of the graves are only marked with a number plate, if anything at all. I will have to wait until the spring to see if Mr. Desormeau has a marker.

I believe the statue below, which is in section FG, to be the Angel of Death. This statue and another, the Angel of Resurrection, once sat a top the granite columns at the entrance of the cemetery gate, known as Gate 2.

In 1895, the first Oblate was buried, Rev Fr. Andre-Marie Garin.  Rev. Garin died 16 Feb., 1895. Founder of the now defunct St-Jean-Baptiste Parish on Merrimack St, a bronze statue memorializes him in the churchyard. Dedicated on 22 October, 1896, 20,000 people crowded the street in front of the church to witness it's unveiling.

REV. A.M. GARIN O. M. I.

BORN IN FRANCE MAY 7 1822

DIED IN LOWELL FEB. 16 1895

HE WENT ABOUT DOING GOOD

ERECTED BY THE PEOPLE OF LOWELL

Father Garin is buried in Section L, Lot P1. Father Garin's stone leans forward and appears to be sinking quite a bit. I apologize for my poor photo. I will try to get a better one soon.

A. M. GARIN

1822 - 1895

O

CRUX

SPES

UNICA

Source: [Breault, Father Charles A., O.M.I. St. Joseph Cemetery Centennial Celebration 1894 -1994. Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate]