Williams Catholic Cemetery Signage

	In early October committed and dedicated parishioners started working on the restoration and resetting of the Catholic Cemetery sign at the Williams Cemetery. On November 14, 2009, Fr. Derek blessed and dedicated the new sign. Here are some pictures that document this event for our parish history. Also, you will find the text from the Dedication Reading as you browse this page. Quite a history for our community!
FOR THE REDEDICATION OF THE WILLIAMS CATHOLIC CEMETERY SIGN ON NOV. 14, 2009: A BRIEF SKETCH OF COLUSA COUNTY'S EARLY ROMAN CATHOLIC COMMUNITY By Dixie La Grande The 1848 Gold Rush & its' 49er-Miners gave birth to the state of California in 1850. California was originally divided into 27 counties. Colusa is one of these original 27; there are now a total of 58 counties. Colusa County's boundaries used to include all of now Glenn & part of Tehama counties before 1891. Here, Colusa County grew first by the Sacramento River, the trade &transportation artery. Argonauts left the Sierras to settle the Sacramento Valley & to try for better luck as merchants or farmers. The first Roman Catholic Mass was said in 1856 at a site near Grand Island, marked by a shrine built in 1888. This shrine was secured as an historic landmark thanks to the efforts of our late parishioner, Claire (Myers) Reynolds-Swallow, whose fresh grave you now see beside you. Many of the Roman Catholic faith settled in Colusa &Our Lady of Lourdes Parish was born in 1879. Its parochial school, still in operation today, was organized in 1888, the school's building completed in 1892 at a cost of $24,000, with St. Ursuline Sisters left in charge.
Heddy LaGrande checking on work in progress (10-1-09)	Heddy checking on workers Assi Smith, Kurt Seavers with others.
(Contd.) Luckily Colusa's first resident Catholic priest was Reverend Michael Wallrath, born in Prussia, in 1841. He came to America In 1866, right after the American Civil War. He was an outstanding seminarian in Cincinnati, Ohio but chose to go west to California, due to ill health, to seek a better climate. Fr. Wallrath completed his studies for the priesthood in Eureka. He was ordained in Marysville in 1871 by Bishop O'Connor. Fr. Wallrath would serve the entire length of the Sacramento Valley for decades to come, be the pioneering priest who traveled on horseback along Indian trails to serve his new &diverse scattered flocks of the faithful, which then included local Native Americans, whose well being he was very concerned about. In the mid 1870's, the railroad came through the flatter higher west side of Colusa County & the transport of agricultural products, especially wheat, then shifted to the new train depot towns of Maxwell, Williams & Arbuckle. Many transplanted from eastern states, many were immigrants from Ireland, Spain, France, Italy, Canada, Germany, Portugal & elsewhere to operate dairies, herd livestock, grow crops, tend orchards, and maintain stores. Many were of the Roman Catholic faith who helped Fr. Wallrath build the other Colusa County original churches: Maxwell's Sacred Heart in 1882, Williams' then Incarnation, now Annunciation, in 1892 (the actual church structure was transferred over from Marysville to be 'recycled'), & Arbuckle's Holy Cross in 1899.
DeEtta Mayberry setting up for the dedication	Heddy and Fr. Derek getting ready to start the dedication
(Contd.) By 1910 the Sacred Heart Parish, based in Maxwell, was officially established with "mission churches" in Stonyford, Williams & Arbuckle. Land for Catholic Cemeteries was purchased with "pieces of gold", according to the archives, divided into plots then purchased by the various families of the names you see around you now. Fr. Wallrath was transferred to Woodland in 1911. Over the last century, the collective Colusa County Catholic congregations grew, as families expanded & new transplants arrived, especially from Mexico & some from the Philippines enriching our diversity, bringing lovely new traditions such as the honoring of Our Lady of Guadalupe, such festive celebrations a joy to participate in.
Heddy, Fr. Derek & DeEtta reading the history of the sign	Fr. Derek blesses the sign with Holy Water
(Contd.) Many wonderful priests have come & gone to serve the still dispersed congregations though traveling among them no longer by horseback! The old churches in Williams & Arbuckle were replaced in the 1970's with more spacious & modern designs after long & dedicated fund-raising campaigns. Today we are very lucky to have recently joined us a bilingual priest, Fr. Derek La Branch, originally from the Sacramento area. He is full of youthful energy & creative ideas. Do welcome him heartedly among us!
Fr. Derek, Heddy LaGrande, & Fr. Myles

In early October committed and dedicated parishioners started working on the restoration and resetting of the Catholic Cemetery sign at the Williams Cemetery. On November 14, 2009, Fr. Derek blessed and dedicated the new sign. Here are some pictures that document this event for our parish history.

Also, you will find the text from the Dedication Reading as you browse this page. Quite a history for our community!

FOR THE REDEDICATION OF THE WILLIAMS CATHOLIC CEMETERY SIGN ON NOV. 14, 2009:
A BRIEF SKETCH OF COLUSA COUNTY'S EARLY ROMAN CATHOLIC COMMUNITY
By Dixie La Grande

The 1848 Gold Rush & its' 49er-Miners gave birth to the state of California in 1850. California was originally divided into 27 counties. Colusa is one of these original 27; there are now a total of 58 counties. Colusa County's boundaries used to include all of now Glenn & part of Tehama counties before 1891.

Here, Colusa County grew first by the Sacramento River, the trade &transportation artery. Argonauts left the Sierras to settle the Sacramento Valley & to try for better luck as merchants or farmers. The first Roman Catholic Mass was said in 1856 at a site near Grand Island, marked by a shrine built in 1888. This shrine was secured as an historic landmark thanks to the efforts of our late parishioner, Claire (Myers) Reynolds-Swallow, whose fresh grave you now see beside you.

Many of the Roman Catholic faith settled in Colusa &Our Lady of Lourdes Parish was born in 1879. Its parochial school, still in operation today, was organized in 1888, the school's building completed in 1892 at a cost of $24,000, with St. Ursuline Sisters left in charge.

Heddy LaGrande checking on work in progress (10-1-09)

Heddy checking on workers Assi Smith, Kurt Seavers with others.

(Contd.)
Luckily Colusa's first resident Catholic priest was Reverend Michael Wallrath, born in Prussia, in 1841. He came to America In 1866, right after the American Civil War. He was an outstanding seminarian in Cincinnati, Ohio but chose to go west to California, due to ill health, to seek a better climate. Fr. Wallrath completed his studies for the priesthood in Eureka. He was ordained in Marysville in 1871 by Bishop O'Connor.

Fr. Wallrath would serve the entire length of the Sacramento Valley for decades to come, be the pioneering priest who traveled on horseback along Indian trails to serve his new &diverse scattered flocks of the faithful, which then included local Native Americans, whose well being he was very concerned about.

In the mid 1870's, the railroad came through the flatter higher west side of Colusa County & the transport of agricultural products, especially wheat, then shifted to the new train depot towns of Maxwell, Williams & Arbuckle. Many transplanted from eastern states, many were immigrants from Ireland, Spain, France, Italy, Canada, Germany, Portugal & elsewhere to operate dairies, herd livestock, grow crops, tend orchards, and maintain stores. Many were of the Roman Catholic faith who helped Fr. Wallrath build the other Colusa County original churches: Maxwell's Sacred Heart in 1882, Williams' then Incarnation, now Annunciation, in 1892 (the actual church structure was transferred over from Marysville to be 'recycled'), & Arbuckle's Holy Cross in 1899.

DeEtta Mayberry setting up for the dedication

Heddy and Fr. Derek getting ready to start the dedication

(Contd.)
By 1910 the Sacred Heart Parish, based in Maxwell, was officially established with "mission churches" in Stonyford, Williams & Arbuckle. Land for Catholic Cemeteries was purchased with "pieces of gold", according to the archives, divided into plots then purchased by the various families of the names you see around you now.

Fr. Wallrath was transferred to Woodland in 1911. Over the last century, the collective Colusa County Catholic congregations grew, as families expanded & new transplants arrived, especially from Mexico & some from the Philippines enriching our diversity, bringing lovely new traditions such as the honoring of Our Lady of Guadalupe, such festive celebrations a joy to participate in.

Heddy, Fr. Derek & DeEtta reading the history of the sign

Fr. Derek blesses the sign with Holy Water

(Contd.)
Many wonderful priests have come & gone to serve the still dispersed congregations though traveling among them no longer by horseback! The old churches in Williams & Arbuckle were replaced in the 1970's with more spacious & modern designs after long & dedicated fund-raising campaigns. Today we are very lucky to have recently joined us a bilingual priest, Fr. Derek La Branch, originally from the Sacramento area. He is full of youthful energy & creative ideas. Do welcome him heartedly among us!

Fr. Derek, Heddy LaGrande, & Fr. Myles