St. Trinity Cemetery is a very interesting place, as any place that has evolved over more than 160 years would be. It is amazing to think that when St. Trinity Cemetery was founded, the United States was in the middle of the Civil War, and Abraham Lincoln was the country’s President! The property was five miles outside the St. Louis city limits, surrounded by farmland, and Lemay Ferry was a 2-lane dirt road.
As a staff and Board of Directors, we are continually learning new historical facts. Surprisingly, there are also continually new situations that arise to challenge us in the daily operations.
There are many people in the St. Louis area and beyond that have been involved with St. Trinity Cemetery over the past many decades. We are always searching for additional historical information about our beautiful property. If you have anything to share, please contact us so that we can add it to our archives!
Facts and Figures (as of June 2026)
Acres – approximately 30
Grave Spaces – 22,298
Current number of burials – 14,125
Available (unsold) grave spaces – 7,198
Number of veterans interred – 182
Superintendents
St. Trinity Cemetery has thrived under the leadership of a series of dedicated individuals. These gentlemen, and those who assist them, work tirelessly in all types of weather to accommodate grieving families and to maintain the property.
- 1863 – 1890 John Brinkmeyer
- 1890 – 1891 Franz Breihan
- 1891 – 1912 Karl Meyer
- 1912 – 1962 William Meyer
- 1962 – 1963 Henry Luker
- 1963 – 1993 Chuck Braun
- 1993 – 2024 Mark McDaniel
- 2024 – present Kyle Rieger
Records Automation
The records of any cemetery are a living history book, and St. Trinity Cemetery’s records are no different. Prior to 1963, most of the records were written in German. The Board at that time decided to purchase a card catalog and records were translated from German to English by Martha Rosmann, a member of St. Trinity Lutheran Church. An index card system was setup and maintained for the next several decades. It was maintained in triplicate, with versions organized by lot number, purchaser name, and burial name.
As times changed, and life in general became more automated, it was obvious that the information written on index cards needed to be transformed into an electronic format. The records were transcribed into a database file by a team from Peace Lutheran Church in 2013. This database was maintained parallel to the index card system until 2024.
In 2024, a software program called Cemetery Information Management System (CIMS) was implemented. This system ran in parallel to the database and the index card system for the majority of 2024. The prior manual systems ceased being updated starting in 2025. With the CIMS system, we are able to produce reports and statistics much more easily than could be done with the prior manual systems.
Notable Burials
There are many recognizable names on headstones at St. Trinity Cemetery. Some are nationally known, while others are “St. Louis famous”.
Wilhelm Hennemann, a 7-year old boy, was the first interment at St. Trinity Cemetery in 1863. His resting place is in Old Section 1, Lot 161.
Private Louis T. Hunt served in the Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the Siege of Vicksburg on May 22, 1863. His marker is very visible in Old Section 5, Row 3.
William Schulmeister had the very unique duty of horseshoer in World War I. He is buried in Section 3, Lot 438.
Henry William “Heine” Meine was a major league baseball player and founder of the Lemay Baseball Association. Heine Meine is interred in Section 2, Lot 40.
Reverend Oswald Hoffmann, otherwise known as the “Voice of the Lutheran Hour” on St. Louis radio station KFUO is interred in Section 3, Lot 91.
Theodore (Ted) R. Drewes, Sr. started the Ted Drewes Frozen Custard business in St. Louis. The Drewes family plot is located in Old Section 3, Lot 256.
Peace Drive
The oldest road in the cemetery, Peace Drive, is only 9 feet wide. This road is lined with arching trees, and was laid out when horses and wagons delivered caskets into the cemetery. Automobiles weren’t developed for another 50 years!
Conservation & Nature
St. Trinity Cemetery is a beautiful property, and our staff and Board of Directors make it a priority to keep it that way. St. Trinity Cemetery is built on a natural dome of ground, giving it perfect drainage and a lush landscape. During any season of the year, it is a calm and peaceful place for a walk.
There are many very old and tall pine, sycamore, oak and elm trees on the property. In fact, this tree pictured from the original 1863 farm is still alive in section 2. This huge oak tree is believed to be over 170 years old.
As trees are trimmed or damaged in storms, the debris is left in the back of the property to serve as homes for many animals. Some of these critters are pictured below.
Our staff does all of our landscaping, and grass clippings are left to decompose and re-nourish the ground.
St. Louis frequently experiences storms and wind, and even tornadoes. Unfortunately, our trees have been hit hard by these in the last few years, and several have been taken down as they were too damaged to survive. As we are removing trees, we are also trying to replant them. New trees cannot be planted exactly where an old tree was removed, and placing trees in a cemetery is tricky. They have to be positioned so that the roots will not impact graves, and preferably so that no sellable grave plots are impacted.
In recent years, volunteer and Board member Dan Prange has planted many Concordia Oak trees in the newer back sections of the cemetery, and is nurturing some seedlings which will be placed when they are large enough. He has protected the new trees and seedlings from the deer by placing cages around them. He can also regularly be spotted with a large water tank on his truck as he waters the new trees and seedlings regularly. We appreciate his commitment to the re-forestation efforts!
Please contact the cemetery office at info@sttrinitycemetery.com or (314) 892-3662 with questions or for more information.