Land Purchases
In 1863, St. Trinity Lutheran Church purchased 10 acres of land located at the intersection of Lemay Ferry Road and Reavis Barracks Road for the purposes of establishing a cemetery. These 10 acres were the Fredrick and Louise Stunkel farm. The first superintendent was John Brinkmeyer. He was not paid a salary, but he lived in the farmhouse on the property and farmed the undeveloped ground to support his family. The first interment at St. Trinity Cemetery took place on April 22, 1863 – a seven-year-old boy named Wilhelm Hennemann.
When the cemetery purchased 25 acres of adjacent land from Albert and Anna Friedrich in 1924, the Stunkel house was torn down and the superintendent at that time, William Meyer, lived in the Friedrich house.
Pictures of the Friedrich house and barn in the 1940’s during the Meyer family’s tenure as superintendents are shown below. The people pictured are Meyer family members.
The Friedrich house was located in the center of Section 4, in the middle of what is today the garden section. This house was torn down in 1953, and the current office was built just South of where the original Stunkel farmhouse stood.
Over the years, small parcels of land were sold for various reasons. Today, St. Trinity Cemetery consists of approximately 30 acres of beautifully maintained grounds.
Original Entrances
The original entrance to the cemetery was in the center of the property, between the two current entrances. In 1927, Lemay Ferry Road was widened and graded to be less hilly. As a consequence, the road was then 10 feet below the entrance. The north stone entrance, with gas lamps on the pillars, was built at this time to accommodate the grade change in Lemay Ferry Road. The original entrance roadway can still be recognized as a wide grassy area with no burials in the section of the cemetery nearest Lemay Ferry Road.
In the picture below, you will note that the inscription on the right pillar reads “Pilgrims Rest Perpetual Care”. In 1917, the cemetery was put under a “perpetual care” arrangement. This means that a portion of every grave sale would be set aside and used to ensure the maintenance and upkeep of the grounds for future use. This practice continues today. Why “Pilgrim’s Rest”? In 1927 when the north entrance was built, the east half of current Section 3 was sold to Emmaus Lutheran Church. Emmaus named this section “Pilgrim’s Rest”. The gas lamps have long since been removed, but that name remains on the entrance pillar today as homage to the cemetery’s historic past.
Current Structures
The current Administration Building was constructed in 1953, consisting of an office and large garage, and the south entrance was also installed at that time to replace the service road that existed north of that location. This change meant that the cemetery had six “old” sections, and now six “new” sections, offering many lot choices.
Also in 1953, a building was built at the extreme south part of the cemetery to store larger equipment.
Peace Lutheran Church
St. Trinity Lutheran Church had owned the property since its inception, but the congregation was decreasing in membership and unable to maintain the property properly. Out of respect for those buried there and their families, rather than letting the property suffer, they sought a new congregation to manage the cemetery. On January 1, 2011, Peace Lutheran Church assumed ownership of St. Trinity cemetery.
Many improvement projects were completed over the next several years, such as the installation of street signs in 2012, as well as remodeling of the office in 2013 and the adjacent bathroom and storage area in 2015. Much landscaping, general cleanup and painting was also done!
2013 marked the 150th anniversary of the cemetery’s founding. A celebration and rededication service was held which included music, a flag ceremony, and speakers.
The sign pictured below was donated and the landscaping around it constructed many years prior to 2013. In conjunction with the anniversary celebration, the banner across the top “Celebrating 150 Years” was added.
St. Trinity Cemetery Board Members placed flowers on Wilhelm Hennemann’s grave at the 150th anniversary celebration. This new marker was placed on Wilhelm Hennemann’s grave later in 2013.
Recognizing the growing popularity of cremation over burial, in 2015, research was begun on the installation of a columbarium for the above-ground entombment of cremated remains. The five beautiful structures pictured below were constructed and installed in 2016.
By 2023, the existing signage had aged considerably, so new signs were designed and installed. The monument shape of the signs has since been adopted and repurposed in other signage throughout the cemetery.
Today, as throughout its history, the cemetery faces many challenges. There are continual issues with equipment and property maintenance. St. Louis weather and time also take a toll on our old and beautiful trees, resulting in costly cleanup and removal. But along with the challenges come the blessings. Peace Lutheran Church is a supportive congregation of volunteers and benefactors. The Board of Directors is committed to the success and longevity of the cemetery, and our staff works diligently to maintain the property and serve those who need our services. We are certain that God will continue to bless our efforts to preserve this property and its heritage into the future.
Please contact the cemetery office at info@sttrinitycemetery.com or (314) 892-3662 with questions or for more information.